Wash hands, counters, cutting boards and utensils with hot, soapy water after they touch raw meat. And never put cooked hamburgers or ground beef on an unwashed plate that held raw patties. You should also wash your meat thermometer in between meat-temperature tests. Diagnosing E. coli infection can be tricky. There is usually little or no fever, and diarrhea may or may not be bloody.
Abdominal cramps are common.
Because of the danger of potentially fatal kidney failure, very young children and infirm adults who exhibit these symptoms should be tested for E. coli infection. CNN Medical Correspondent Linda Ciampa contributed to this report.