Signs & Symptoms

Clinical Features

• People usually get sick from STEC 2-8 days (average of 3-4 days) after swallowing the organism (germ).
  • Most people infected with STEC develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps.
  • Most people recover within a week.
• Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
  • HUS can occur in people of any age, but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
  • Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination.
  • People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.
• STEC infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample.
  • Clinical laboratories are required in some states to send Shiga toxin-positive specimens from ill people to the state public health laboratory for identification of STEC and PulseNet testing.