what cell types are affected by e.coli
topic overview e coli escherichia coli is the name of a germ or bacterium that lives in the digestive tracts of humans and animals there are many types of e coli and most of them are harmless but some can cause bloody diarrheasome strains of e coli bacteria such as a strain called o157 h7 may also cause severe anemia or kidney failure which can lead to deathther foods that can be infected with e coli include raw milk or dairy products bacteria can spread from a cow s udders to its milk check the labels on dairy products to make sure they contain the word pasteurized this means the food has been heated to destroy bacteria