Answer to Question #117081 in Microbiology for Farhan hashmi

Question

A 9-year-old boy with a 2-day history of diarrhea presents to the emergency room with blood in his stools and increased stool volume. He has vomited once. The boy went to a cookout 5 days earlier and ate a hamburger that was still "pink" inside. On examination, he is well, apart from some dehydration. A culture of stool samples produces lactose-positive (pink) colonies on MacConkey agar, but non-fermenting colonies on MacConkey with sorbitol substituted for lactose.

Question is :What is most likely wrong with this child? What important facts led you to this diagnosis?

2.How is this organism usually spread? How could its spread be prevented?

3.What might happen to the patient?

Answer 1

1. The child is suffering from intestinal sickness caused by E.coli bacteria. This is because of the signs and symptoms he exhibits together with the result of his stool culture.
2. The organism is spread from one person to another by feacal contamination of both water and food especially raw vegetables, raw meat and raw milk. It's spread can be prevented through proper food preparation and good hygiene.
3. If not treated the patient might develop hemolytic uremic syndrome which is a life threatening kidney failure.