15 superbugs and other scary diseases
{"Image PhotometricInterpretation": "2", "Image ImageDescription": "2006\nNational Escherichia, Shigella, Vibrio Reference Unit at CDC\n\nUnder a magnification of 6836x, this colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicted a number of Gram-negative <i>Escherichia coli</i> bacteria of the strain O157:H7, which is one of hundreds of strains of this bacterium. Although most strains are harmless, and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, this strain produces a powerful toxin, which can cause severe illness.<p><i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982 during an outbreak of severe bloody diarrhea; the outbreak was traced to contaminated hamburgers. Since then, most infections have come from eating undercooked ground beef.<p>The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the bacterium refers to the specific markers found on its surface, which distinguishes it from other types of <i>E. coli</i>. See PHIL 8800 for a black and white version of this image.\n\n<i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7 is an emerging cause of foodborne illness. An estimated 73,000 cases of infection, and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year. Infection often leads to bloody diarrhea, and occasionally to kidney failure. Most illness has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. Person-to-person contact in families and child care centers is also an important mode of transmission. Infection can also occur after drinking raw milk, and after swimming in, or drinking sewage-contaminated water.<p>Consumers can prevent <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 infection by thoroughly cooking ground beef, avoiding unpasteurized milk, and washing hands carefully. Because the organism lives in the intestines of healthy cattle, preventive measures on cattle farms and during meat processing are being investigated.", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows", "Image DateTime": "2007:12:27 13:40:25", "Image Artist": "Photographer: Janice Carr", "Image Copyright": "http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/escherichiacoli_g.htm\nCDC - National Center for Infectious Diseases; Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases; <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7", "Image ExifOffset": "2220", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2007:12:27 13:40:25", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2835", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1927"}