Ecoli life span

[J Miller]

Here's a question foe any one who might know.

Our basement flooded April of 2013. I went down to save as much of our stuff as I could. My wife stayed on the landing transferring it upstairs.
Two weeks later I was in the ER later transferred to ICU. I was one sick puppy.

So the question is; how long does ecoli stay viable? Much of our stuff was in plastic tubs, we still have them.

Joe

[GunnyMack]

Have to wait for Doc to chime in !

[piller]

Typically, e. coli does not survive on a dry surface longer than 24 hours. Moist surfaces, and ones which are a food source can be much longer. Moisture and food are necessary as e. coli does not form a spore and go into hibernation. Dry out anything that cannot be washed in hot soapy water. Bleach also kills it.

[Ray]

Fecal coliforms that are suspected but not confirmed ecoli can survive initial swimming pool disinfection level chlorine doses (2+p.p.m.) 4 log removal level charcoal filtration and many miles of contact time of adequate and sufficient chlorine disinfection residual levels in mains and service lines. How the little bugs survive it nobody knows but they are the bane of the monthly residential bac t tests required by the e.p.a.

Even when there is a suspected e coli hit on a regular monthly bac t test, there is not enough present to make you sick as what is there has been rendered impotent by the chlorine. The e coli on the salad bar or in your fridge can reproduce in your gut quite well and kill you in a heatbeat. It could just have more easily been from your cats or the lettuce on your ham sandwich than from the basement contact.....

[2ndovc]

Joe,

I totally agree with Ray. In the restoration/ insurance business we're in flooded basements all the time. Clean water from a broken pipe, gray water that has been sitting for more than three days or has come from a room(s) above and black water from a sewage back up. Our people are in those places every day and all have to be vaccinated for Hepatitis, wear rubber gloves and face masks. Back in the day we used to use a 50% mix of bleach and water to kill everything after a flood. We use a plant based product now but the bleach in a garden sprayer still works. Just make sure the windows are open and you don't have your favorite t shirt on!

The Docs still don't know what got into my lungs and almost put me away, but they think it was a mold thing.
ya just never know what's gonna get ya. Just get it dried out as fast as you can. Even cheap box fans will help. It's getting warm enough to become a mold farm quickly.

jb

[Beaker]

Ecoli? Possibly but not likely. Are You sure it was not some strain of mold or lingering mold spores that infected You?

[AJMD429]

MOST E. coli is just 'regular gut flora' and is harmless, and in fact VITAL, to help digest your food.

SOME E. coli is nasty and takes over your GI tract and produces toxins and since it is 'normal flora' your body may allow it license to go unopposed.

GENERALLY, the best defense is to:

a) stay 'healthy' overall - eat wholesome (non-processed) foods, keep your weight within reason, and
b) address 'insulin resistance' (high insulin levels but normal sugars), and DEFINITELY address diabetes.
c) make sure your thyroid, testosterone/estrogen, and adrenal function is ok - not all docs test for that...(if your doc isn't testing because they are an 'employee' and 'participate' in your insurance, you may need to do what you do for groceries, rent, clothing, ammunition, and so on - actually just pay cash < gasp > for what you want).
d) on a less-costly front - continuously take probiotics (capsule or powder form best, but the 'yogurt' type is ok if you tolerate dairy).

Hope that helps.

[Ray]

Your own happy tummy ecoli is harmless.....somebody or something else's can kill you in 24 hours or less....

[44shooter]

E coli in the wrong place is bad news. Normal flora in your butt isn't normal flora in your bladder, bloodstream, wounds etc. Most UTIs are caused by intestinal bacteria entering the urethra. That said E coli is no super bug. Pretty much clean it like an errant dog poop.

[J Miller]

Ecoli? Possibly but not likely. Are You sure it was not some strain of mold or lingering mold spores that infected You?

I'm sure, unless the DR's lied to me. Had specialists from just about every agency there is visit me. Including the cutest,blackest tallest British female DR with the most pronounced London accent I ever heard talk at me for a while.
Plus they did blood, urine, and a needle biopsy of an abscess near a nerve group in my lower back. Found ecoli in all tests.

Joe