--- title: Symptoms of E. coli infection date: 2007-10-15T20:47:00-07:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/symptoms-of-e-coli-infection" section: Resource Library --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) / # Symptoms of E. coli infection ### What are the signs and symptoms of illness caused by *E. coli* O157:H7? ![](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/aboutecolicom-images/outbreaks/image14.png?1615527226646)Infection with *E. coli* O157:H7 can range in severity from causing no symptoms at all (asymptomatic infection), to a mild or modest watery diarrhea only, to severe bloody diarrhea, sometimes including severe complications and death. The classic picture of illness is severe, painful abdominal cramping (so severe that it sometimes gets mistaken for appendicitis) with watery diarrhea that turns bloody within 1 to 3 days. The bloody diarrhea can progress to the point that stools appears to be pure blood. Vomiting can occur as well. Importantly, fever is not a prominent part of illness due to *E. coli* O157:H7. Less than half of patients ever report a fever, and when they do, it is usually low grade (<101.0oF). Incubation period is a term that indicates the time it takes from when a person ingests a pathogen (i.e., when they are “exposed”) to when they first develop symptoms of illness. For *E. coli* O157:H7, the incubation period can range from 1 to 10 days. However, the average incubation period is 3 to 4 days, and incubations from 2 to 6 days are common. Infection and illness occur in people of all ages. Overall, almost 40% of people with a laboratory-confirmed *E. coli* O157:H7 infection require hospitalization. Most people will recover within a week or so, but a subset of people become severely ill. Children and people >60 years in age are more likely to develop severe illness, including the life-threatening complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which involves kidney failure. However, people of any age can be severely affected. [ Next: Complications of E. coli infection › ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/complications-of-e-coli-infection) ### More information about E. coli [November 08, 2022 ###### 16 days hospitalized: Summer E. Coli outbreak linked to Wendy's takes a toll on Michiganders The Marler Clark, E. coli attorneys represent 48 victims of the Wendy's E. coli outbreak. A total of 109 people from six states, including New York, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/16-days-hospitalized-summer-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-wendys-takes-a-toll-on-michiganders) [September 27, 2022 ###### Chipotle E. coli Outbreak (2015) The initial, larger STEC O26 outbreak was first detected by public health officials in Washington and Oregon through local foodborne disease surveillance. In late October 2015, officials in those states ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/chipotle-e-coli-outbreak-multistate-2015) [June 04, 2022 ###### E. coli Outbreak linked to Pennsylvania Pool On June 7, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) received multiple complaints of gastrointestinal illness from patrons of a community swimming pool. Two patrons reported positive Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-pennsylvania-pool) [April 28, 2022 ###### Goat contact in Virginia linked to E. coli illnesses The Loudoun County Health Department is notifying the public of the exposure to a specific type of bacterium, called Shiga Toxin Producing E. coli (STEC), by several people who came ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/goat-contact-in-virginia-linked-to-e-coli-illnesses) [1. View all ](/news_events/outbreaks?illness=e-coli&year=all) ## All E. coli Resources [###### E. coli Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) [###### E. coli O157:H7 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) [###### Non-O157 STEC ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) [###### Sources of E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) [###### Transmission of and Infection with E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) [###### Symptoms of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/symptoms-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Complications of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/complications-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Treatment for E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/treatment-for-e-coli-infection) [###### How is E. coli Infection Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/how-is-e-coli-infection-diagnosed) [###### Preventing E. coli Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/preventing-e-coli-infection) [###### E. coli Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-outbreaks) [###### Real Life Impacts of E. coli Infection and HUS ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/real-life-impacts-of-e-coli-infection-and-hus) [###### E. coli Recalls ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-recalls) [###### References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)