Are there different strains of E. Coli?

Question:

Yesterday I saw a sign posted at the lake that it had tested positive for E. Coli. It said swim at your own risk, do not ingest, shower after swimming, wash hands before eating, and do not swim if ill. They still let people swim though. How could they let people swim if something like E. Coli is in the water? Is it possibly a different strain than the one that was all over the spinach earlier this year? I want to go swimming today, but is it safe?

Answers:
It is interesting that they still allow people to swim in the lake. The presence of E. coli in the water is indicative of fecal contamination. The fecal contamination source could be human or animal, but still poses danger regardless of the threat.

Yes there are many different strain of E. coli. The spinach associated strain was E. coli O157:H7. It may or may not be in the lake. I can bet that if they had found O157:H7 in the lake, it would be closed down immediately. Since the lake is still open, this leads me to believe that O157:H7 was not isolated. This doesn't mean that you won't get sick by swimming in the lake. Other strains of E. coli can still make you sick. Also, if the lake was contaminated with fecal material, there are a host of other bacteria and viruses that could make you sick. I would recomend that you do not go swimming in the lake.

Whereas there are different strains of E. coli bacteria, you should wait until that lake has an "all clear" before swimming in it. Why take the chance?

There are some strains that we host naturally in our own digestive system. If there is a sign up at a lake then they are warning you that it is a strain that may cause trouble for you.

Are there different strains of E. Coli?

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