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E-Coli Linked To Other Health Problems

By CBS News

Whether it's bad meat or infected produce we constantly hear about major
recalls because of foodborne illness like E-coli. E-Coli Linked To Other Health Problems

Published: Mon, February 25, 2008 - 1:23 pm Last Updated: Mon, February 25, 2008 - 1:28 pm

Whether it's bad meat or infected produce we constantly hear about major
recalls because of foodborne illness like E-coli.
Those infected can become dangerously ill and continue to have health problems
years later.
It's not clear how often this occurs but one organization is trying to figure
it out.
Dr. Mallika Marshall reports.

College student Alyssa Chrobuck considers herself lucky to be alive.
At the age of 5 she ate a hamburger contaminated with E-coli.
Soon she was in the hospital with her organs shutting down and her parents
fearing the worst.
She beat the bug but has suffered after effects ever since.
The 20-year-old takes 8 medications for a list of ailments from gall stones to
high cholesterol..
and that red mark on her neck.....
"I had to get half my thyroid removed last year because i had thyroid nodules
pressing on my voice box."
Every year some 325- thousand people are hospitalized because of foodborne
illness like e-coli and most recover completely.
But how many people go on to have long lasting health problems is not well
known because no one is keeping track.:
Nancy Donley plans to change that..... 15-years-ago E-coli killed her
son Alex.
Now she's the president of stop which stands for safe tables our priority.
STOP has started a national registry to find out how widespread the problem is.
What stop finds out will be shared with government researchers.. in hopes of
better understanding cases like alyssa's and how they can be avoided.
doctor mallika marshall, cbs news.