b'Is Factory Farming making us sick?Symptoms in peopleE. coli O157:H7 can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and fever, although some infected people may have mild diarrhoea or no symptoms at all. In 5 to 10 per cent of patients, it can cause a kidney-related complication that can lead to renal failure, particularly in young children and the elderly 76 .Treatmentvegetables and fruit products) that hasThe prevalence of the disease could be been contaminated with faeces containingreduced by ending intensive dairy cow the bacteria can cause disease. This isfarming 77 . Vaccines are available for use most likely to be via contaminated waterin cows and research suggests they could or animal (especially cow) manure at thereduce the number of human cases by 85 farms, but cross contamination during foodper cent 78 . Since the cows do not get sick preparation can also lead to infection 74 .with O157, however, farmers are unlikely to Infected people can pass the disease topay for it 79 . others through the same oral-faecal route.Most people infected with 0157 recover Symptoms in animals without specific treatment, although While certain strains of E. coli bacteriarehydration is essential. Use of antibiotics can be responsible for acute, painful andmay increase the risk of complications. potentially fatal forms of mastitis 75 , theIn serious cases, transfusions of blood or most dangerous strain to people - E. coliblood clotting factors as well as kidney O157:H7 - does not adversely affect cows. dialysis may be necessary.15'