Clinical Trend of the Week (April 28 – May 4): E Coli
An outbreak is largely responsible for this week’s top search term, but that’s not the only recent news surrounding this condition. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has increased the total number of states affected by an outbreak of Escherichia coli infection associated with tainted romaine lettuce to 19. Not only are the infections widespread, they are also quite severe, with 54% of the cases reported to the CDC requiring hospitalization. A recent commentary explored the steps that are currently taken to ensure food safety, along with some suggestions for improvement at a governmental level and personal precautions. Earlier this year, new research suggested that E coli and Bacteroides fragilis are key oncogenic drivers in the process leading to colorectal cancer in certain patients. This information may provide the basis for slowing certain tumor development and allowing patients with colorectal cancer more treatment options. From the major outbreak to its association as an oncologic driver, the seemingly ubiquitous E coli is likely to stay present in searches for quite some time.
For more information on E coli infections, read here.
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Cite this: Ryan Syrek. Trending Clinical Topics for May 2018 - Medscape - Jun 01, 2018.
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