E COLI is a common bug that is present everywhere.
Typically, it helps people stay healthy by providing the body with vitamins, but some strains are potentially very dangerous.
E Coli, or Escherichia coli, is a species of bacterium found in the intestines of animals and humans, where it helps break down and digest food. Certain strains of the bacteria can get from the intestines into the blood. This is a rare illness, but can cause serious infection with symptoms including stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. E Coli O157 is a particularly nasty strain, to which children and older people are especially vulnerable, and first appeared in Britain in the 1980s.
