Writing Homework Help

I’m working on a health & medical discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

student 1:

Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) is a bacteria that is found in many foods, the environment, and in the intestines of humans and animals. If ingested, E. Coli can give you a food-borne illness. Some symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory illnesses, but there are more serious cases that are life threatening (CDC).  

Foodborne illnesses are more common in hamburger than non-marinated steak because of the food preparation process. E. coli is much easier to kill when it is on the surface of the meat, thus whole cuts of meat are considered more safe. Bacteria has a higher chance of being killed when it lives on the surface of the meat and is cooked properly. When meat is tenderized and/or ground up by a machine, E. coli can live inside the meat and can be more difficult to kill if not cooked properly (HealthLinkBC). Infections occur when one consumes undercooked hamburgers and ground meat, and the symptoms mentioned above can occur. Some ways to decrease risk of getting sick would be for the companies to package their product with stickers letting the consumer know if it was tenderized/ground. This would caution the consumer, making them aware of using extra safety precautions.

Tenderized steak causes more foodborne illnesses than non-tenderized steak because of the same thing as why ground meat and hamburger have a higher risk of causing illness. If the steak has e. coli on the surface before tenderizing, bacteria can spread to the other parts of the equipment, such as the needles and blades, thus spreading and injecting the bacteria in other parts of the meat, then exposing it to other cuts. Steaks, red meat, and other meats require to be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit, and that can be difficult to ensure that the inside is fully cooked to decrease the risk of getting sick (PBS News). 

E. coli can also live on surfaces of ready-to-eat foods like salads. They have a high risk of being contaminated and causing outbreaks. There have been many outbreaks over decades with lettuces. Romaine lettuce has ran its course with e. coli outbreaks and this is because it comes into more contact with people and machinery in order to satisfy their product to be “pre-washed and pre-chopped”. Contamination also occurs if birds who are infected tend to fly over farm land, or if they use water that ends up being contaminated. If the product is processed and bagged in the same facilities, this can increase cross-contamination and increases chances of the bacteria to spread to equipment and to other crops. Many companies use the same facilities to package and prepare their food which increases the risk of the spread of bacteria. A few ways to decrease risk is to understand that lettuce is grown in the dirt and bacteria cannot be cooked off of the ready-to-eat food (Dewey). It is at your own risk, but there are also many FDA approved laws that enact a more hygienic and sterilized workplace, which applies to employees. Increasing and maintaining regulations on fresh produce is dire to minimize the risk of more outbreaks. 

student 2:

Yersinia Enterocolitica is a small, rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria. This bacteria enters the gastrointestinal tract by the ingestion of contaminated water or food. Foods that may be contaminated with Yersinia consist of raw or undercooked pork, other meats, certain seafoods, and raw milk. However, this bacteria is mainly found in soil, water, and animals, which can lead to contamination of water supply. The best way to avoid Yersinia is to wash your hands, avoid eating raw or undercooked meats/seafood, consume pasteurized milk and other dairy products, prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen by not using the same cutting board for vegetables and raw meat unless washed, and dispose of animal fecal matter sanitarily (CDC).

The incubation period for Yersinia Enterocolitica is 1 to 11 days, but can last for a few months. The incubation period of 1 to 11 days is very short and has symptoms that mimic many other infections and diseases, which could make the disease difficult to identify. The symptoms consist of abdominal pain, headaches, and sore throats and those are common symptoms of many inconsiderable infections. Many people don’t think of being very sick with just a headache or sore throat because people may get that often in their daily life. In addition, symptomatic infections usually occur in children under the age of 5.

The sequela for Y. Enterocolitica include: reactive arthritis, endocarditis, eye infections, and thyroid disorders. Reactive arthritis is inflammatory arthritis that develops from a response to an infection in a different part of the body, or cross-reactivity. This form of arthritis can come from a toxicoinfection because antigens can mimic the joint proteins that humans have. Thyroid disorders, such as Graves’ disorder, can also be due to a toxicoinfection because it is an autoimmune disorder like reactive arthritis. Endocarditis is when there is inflammation of the lining of the heart and most likely came from an infection (Mayo Clinic). Specifically, Yersinia Enterocolitica can cause infections in prosthetic or reconstructive heart valves; however, it is rare. There were 12 studies that included 12 patients in which 2 of the patients (17%) had prosthetic heart valves. It was discovered that the mitral valve was the most common infection site. There was a clinical cure of 83% and a 17% mortality rate. Yersinia linked with endocarditis is uncommon and is usually a result of a lack of experience in managing the infection (NCBI). Eye infections are also usually infections, like Conjunctivitis, which is one of the most common types of eye infections (NCBI). 

A “trigger infection” is when a person comes in contact with bacteria and develops an infection that can trigger the disease. With reactive arthritis, “trigger infections” have diminished or are in remission in chronic cases when individuals show signs of reactive arthritis. Molecular mimicry is when the immune system doesn’t recognize proteins in the body as antigens that must be attacked. Molecular mimicry plays a huge role in immune responses to infections and autoimmune diseases. Molecular mimicry of a self-antigen by an infectious pathogen can trigger autoimmune diseases due to the cross-reactivity of the immune response against the infection (Wiley Online Library).