Hundreds of others survived the ordeal after enduring days of excruciatingly severe nausea, cramping and bloody diarrhea. While food scientists have been aware of the deadly pathogen since the early 1980 s, they have not understood what genetic properties distinguished it from other, more common strains of E.coli. Now they do. Scientists already had identified two E.coli toxins that appeared to cause fatal kidney damage. But based on preliminary testing, they believe several more genes also are likely toxin-manufacturers.
Antibiotics are effective in killing the pathogens.
However, even while succumbing to the antibiotics, the bacteria, in their death throes, release harmful toxins, wreaking havoc throughout the body. Now that scientists have uncovered the genetic makeup of these bacteria, they will be better prepared to deal with E.coli outbreaks in the future. In fact, research already is under way at Auburn University to identify chemicals that can eliminate the pathogens in food, she says.