Escherichia coli in blood
If bacteria such as E. coli enter the blood, this can be a very dangerous condition. Bacteria can be flushed throughout the body with the bloodstream and can infect different organs. In addition, the immune system is very strongly activated by the large amount of pathogens.
If this happens, one speaks of sepsis (blood poisoning). The strong activation of the immune system leads to the release of various messenger substances. Some of these messenger substances have an effect on the circulation.
Since many of these messenger substances appear at once, it can lead to an overload of the circulation. The blood pressure drops sharply. In this case one speaks of a septic shock.
But bacteria like E. Coli in the blood do not always have to cause sepsis. Especially in lower concentrations the immune system does not overreact dangerously.If bacteria such as E. Coli can be detected in the blood without causing sepsis, this is called bacteremia. A bacteremia can also be threatening, since E. coli bacteria can enter the entire body with the bloodstream.
Enteritis through E. coli
In most cases, the body recovers by itself from a disease of Escherichia Coli bacteria. The most common disease caused by E. Coli is the inflammation of the intestines, called “enteritis”. Enteritis is an inflammation of the small intestine.
If the stomach is involved, it is called gastroenteritis, if the colon is involved, it is called enterocolitis. Various strains of Escherichia Coli bacteria can cause intestinal inflammation. The best known representatives are abbreviated to EHEC, EPEC, EIEC and ETEC.
In different ways they attack the cells of the intestinal mucosa and trigger the inflammation. However, the main symptom of all coli bacterial infections is diarrhea. The different E. Coli strains are found in all age groups and in different regions of the world.
For example, EPEC occurs particularly in young children, with ETEC occurring particularly in regions with a very warm climate. Almost all forms of enteritis causing coli bacteria subside after a few days and do not require antibiotic therapy. As it is accompanied by sometimes severe diarrhoea, the body has to be treated symptomatically as soon as possible to counteract the fluid loss caused by the diarrhoea.
In most cases it is sufficient to drink a lot. Sometimes you have to add some salt to the drinking water, as these are also excreted by the diarrhoea. In severe cases, water with electrolytes must be administered intravenously to the body if the patient is too weak and the diarrhea is too severe to compensate for it by drinking alone.
In these cases the treatment must be carried out in hospital. If the course of the disease hardly improves over a few days, the doctor may have to start antibiotic therapy after further examinations. In case of pain and other accompanying symptoms, painkillers may be taken for relief under the direction of a doctor
