Shiga Toxin Food Poisoning

In this case study, a woman had consumed a burger that had been out and unrefridgerated for several hours. She developed diarrhea that eventually resulted in bloody stools, prompting a trip to the hospital.

Besides the constant pain in her abdomen, she stopped producing urine, causing elevated levels of waste in her blood. The lack of urine meant that her kidneys had stopped functioning. Normally, food poisoning does not strongly affect the kidneys, but in this case the woman had encountered a special strain of E. Coli called O157:H7, which produces the shiga toxin ultimately responsible for clotting her kidneys.

The E. Coli was traced to the lettuce used in her burger, for which a warning had been put out indicating an outbreak of the bacteria was detected.

The bottom line to minimize food poisoning:

Don’t ignore warnings or recalls on food you may have purchased.
Properly prepare your food by washing and cooking it at appropriate temperatures.
Do not consume food that has been left unrefrigerated for a long time.

Thankfully, the woman in this case study made a full recovery.