by Jocelynn Morley, Blake Kanikovsky, Jeremy Teeple,
and Miles Misner!
What is E. coli
E. coli is a large group of bacteria.
Usually it is harmless but it can make you sick.
Whenever it contaminates a food, the FDA sends out a
warning not to eat the contaminated food.
E. coli can cause various illnesses
Lakes and Rivers
E. Coli can also get into
bodies of water.
When it’s bad enough
“exposure to the water
could cause ear, nose, and
.
eye infections…stomach
upsets, and diarrhea,” one
news story said.
E. Coli can get in drinking
water during precipitation
(see diagram.)
What can E. Coli cause?
Eating food with E. Coli A news story said
bacteria on it can cause Swimming in water
Diarrhea that’s been
Tract infections contaminated enough
Respiratory illness Ear, nose, and eye
infections
And other various
illnessess. Stomach upsets
Diarrhea
Drinking Contaminated Water
After drinking water with E. Coli, it usually takes
2-4 days for symptoms to appear, however it can
take up to 8 days.
Most people recover in 5-10 days.
These people are at higher risk when contracting
E. Coli
Children under the age of 5
Very elderly people
People whose immune systems have been weakened (i.e.
HIV or AIDS)
Protecting yourself from E. Coli
Wash your hands
After using the bathroom
Before and after preparing meals
After contact with animals
Cook meats thoroughly
Avoid raw milk and unpasteurized drinks
Avoid swallowing water when swimming.
Pay attention to warnings about E. Coli contamination
Lake Michigan and E. Coli
Lake Michigan is currently carrying the bacteria.
It’s said that if the temperature stays the same, we
should be fine.
If the temperature rises even 5 degrees, “the dangerous
E. Coli threat could become very, very serious.”
Beach Closings
E. Coli outbreak has caused beaches to be closed.
The amount of Lake Michigan beaches closed in 2007
was 4 times the amount closed in 2006.
In 2002, Chicago banned swimming at over 30
lakefront beaches, due to E. Coli levels.
A Recent Update
Last year, the Chicago Park District closed 40 beaches
due to the outbreak of E. Coli.
However, just yesterday, the District announced that
this year, they’ve only closed 20.
But a Park District official warns, “There’s really no
way to predict E. Coli activity between now and the
end of swimming season.”
Recent Updates (cont.)
Some investigators want to take seagull feces for E.
Coli to see if that could be one of the driving causes of
Lake Michigan’s contamination.
And many sources are saying that the situation in Lake
Michigan is getting better.
In conclusion,
E. Coli can get into lakes
and drinking water
because it is washed
away by evaporation.
Many beaches have been
closed because of this
issue.
While it is getting better,
it’s still a major problem
in Lake Michigan.
Bibliography
Center for Disease Control
CNN, The Situation Room
Mlive.com
Epa.gov
AssociatedContent.com
Upi.com
Wbez.com (Chicago Public Radio)
Jsoline.com