The E.coli symptoms to watch for as food manufactures recall items in outbreak

As an E.coli outbreak impacts the UK people are being urged to drink plenty of water and rest if they are struck down. The latest update from UK Government says that there have been a reported total of 211 cases - although the actual number is thought to be higher.

Roughly 42 per cent of those affected have required hospital treatment. Greencore Group yesterday (June 14) announced that it was recalling various food products as a "precautionary measure". The products being recalled include sandwiches, wraps and salads sold at Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op, and retail pharmacy chain Boots.

Manufacturer Samworth Brothers Manton Wood has recalled 15 products., including a Tesco chicken salad sandwich, Tesco tuna crunch sub and Tesco spicy bean wrap. A third manufacturer is expected to announce a recall as soon as today (June 15).

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Escherichia coli O157, sometimes called STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli), is a bacterial infection. It can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure. is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle. It's an uncommon cause of gastroenteritis but can be caught by eating contaminated food, touching infected animals or their contact their faeces, drinking or playing in contaminated water, or coming into contact with someone who already has it.

Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said: "This is a complex investigation, and we have worked swiftly with the relevant businesses and the local authorities concerned to narrow down the wide range of foods consumed to a small number of salad leaf products that have been used in sandwiches and wraps."

What are the symptoms?

According to the the NHS, symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever. About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea. People usually notice symptoms 3-4 days after they have been infected. But symptoms can start any time between 1 and 14 days afterwards. These symptoms can last up to two weeks.

A small number of people with E. coli O157 infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include:

This can sometimes lead to kidney failure and death, although this is rare. The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years. Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for E. coli O157 infection. People who are infected can usually be cared for at home and most will get better without medical treatment.

It is important to drink plenty of fluids, as diarrhoea can lead to dehydration. Antibiotics are not recommended, and may increase the risk of complications. Anti-diarrhoea drugs such as loperamide (Imodium) are also not recommended as they may prolong your exposure to the toxin.