How can STEC infections be prevented?

WASH YOUR HANDS thoroughly after using the bathroom or changing diapers and
before preparing or eating food. WASH YOUR HANDS after contact with animals or
their environments (at farms, petting zoos, fairs, even your own backyard).
COOK meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat that has been needle-tenderized
should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160F/70C. Its best to use a
thermometer, as color is not a very reliable indicator of doneness.
AVOID raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices (like
fresh apple cider).
AVOID swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams,
swimming pools, and backyard kiddie pools.
PREVENT cross contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing
hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat. To learn
more about how to protect yourself from E. coli, see CDCs feature, E. coli Infection.

Enteric infections
As a cause of enteric infections, 6 different mechanisms of action of 6 different varieties of E
coli have been reported. Enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC) is a cause of traveler's diarrhea.
Enteropathogenic E coli (EPEC) is a cause of childhooddiarrhea. Enteroinvasive E
coli (EIEC) causes a Shigella -like dysentery. Enterohemorrhagic E coli (EHEC) causes
hemorrhagic colitis or hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Enteroaggregative E
coli (EAggEC) is primarily associated with persistent diarrhea in children in developing
countries, and enteroadherent E coli(EAEC) is a cause of childhood diarrhea and traveler's
diarrhea in Mexico and North Africa. ETEC, EPEC, EAggEC, and EAEC colonize the small
bowel, and EIEC and EHEC preferentially colonize the large bowel prior to causing diarrhea.
Shiga toxinproducing E coli (STEC) is among the most common causes of foodborne
diseases. This organism is responsible for several GI illnesses, including nonbloody and
bloody diarrhea. Patients with these diseases, especially children, may be affected by
neurologic and renal complications, including HUS. Strains of STEC serotype O157-H7 have
caused numerous outbreaks and sporadic cases of bloody diarrhea and HUS.
Kappeli et al looked at 97 non-O157 STECstrains in patients with diarrhea and found that
HUS developed in 40% of patients; serotype O26:H11/H was most often associated with this
syndrome.[1] Although strains associated with HUS were more likely to harbor STX 2
and EAE compared with those associated with bloody diarrhea , only 5 of the 8 patients with
HUS had the STX2 gene; among the 3 patients with EAE -negative, STX2 -negative strains,
only STX1 or STX1 andEHXA caused the HUS