Ecoli..

[hicksta]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

[truballer#1]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

whats E-Coli bacteria?

[Coredesat]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

whats E-Coli bacteria?

Eschericia coli is a bacterium that's normally present in the intestines, but it can grow on unwashed vegetables and uncooked meat. It flourishes in decomposing bodies. E. coli can cause severe food poisoning, among other problems.

Essentially, the water is very unsafe to drink in New Orleans. It needs to be boiled first.

[mahicks]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

whats E-Coli bacteria?

E Coli is a bacteria found just about everywhere. There are certain strains that can cause foodborne illness, sickness, and death, especially in small children. Some common carriers are:

Improperly cooked or handled food.

Feces

Brocolli (and anything else that grows in the dirt)

Dirt

E Coli is nothing to be alarmed at, just to be aware of. You can easily die from it, but it's something that can be prevented through proper sanitation, handling of food and water, avoiding contaminated areas, and common sense.

You actually have it growing in you right now. Your body's digestive system requires it!

[zoeyann]

I don't think the big thing about it is the presence of e-coli, but the high concentration of it. I heard this on TV myself and they did the test at a lab at LSU, and the normal concentration should be about 20,000 colonys per whatever is measured (I obviously I no scientist, and did not catch term) the concentration is over 200,000 conlonys per whatever. They also reported that they are running chemical tests and they will report on that when the results or in.

[iceangel]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/stor ... wire_story

[mahicks]

E-Coli bacteria is now showing up on water tests in New Orleans.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/stor ... wire_story

Vibrio?? WOW

I didn't know that they'd found that in higher concentrations. Thats pretty serious.

It's another one of those "nasties" thats usually found in allot of places, especially around bays, docks, coral reefs, etc...But it's pretty d@mn bad in high concentrations. I had a friend while I was at Texas U that contracted it after an abrasion he sustained while doing maintence to his reef tank in his apartment. He was ill for DAYS.

[LSU2001]

Article on Vibrio vulnificus I would be much more concerned about this bug than the E-coli

http://louisianasportsman.com/stories/2 ... -death.htm

warning graphic pics

[patgaz]

We're gonna dump all this toxic waste into the bayou and gulf???

[LSU2001]

Yep, the good thing is the marsh ecosystem will filter and detoxify much of it in coming weeks and months. As a matter of fact several experimental sites are using artificial wetlands to filter and treat sewage and toxic waste. Scientists have been experimenting with this idea for years but it has not come to any widespread use. It is thought that naturally occuring bacteria and plants in the marsh habitat will act to detoxify many materials. I guess we will find out for sure if this is feasible on a large scale from the toxic release from NOLA floodwater.

[mahicks]

Article on Vibrio vulnificus I would be much more concerned about this bug than the E-coli

http://louisianasportsman.com/stories/2 ... -death.htm

warning graphic pics

LSU...This is exactly why I put up the EEK when I read the article above about elivated Vibrio...It is absolutely horrible. The link you just posted is a real eye opener!! And this is comming from someone that has a degree in Marine Biology and knows a little about it.

Thank You for the link.

[LSU2001]

I have a BS in Biology but a strong interest in Marine Bio. I teach biology and being from La. I have students each year research and present material about this bug simply to educate kids on what is in our water.
TIm

[streetsoldier]

(*visions of Alpine settings, with some huge Swiss mountainer blowing a huge horn, while a young blonde maiden yodels out*)..."EEEE-COLIIIIIII....EEEE-COLIIIIIII..."

..it's not to be coughed at.

[GalvestonDuck]

E. coli -- why good handwashing is important.

[streetsoldier]

E. coli -- why good handwashing is important.

AFLAC!

[Sean in New Orleans]

We're gonna dump all this toxic waste into the bayou and gulf???

Any other suggestions where we should put it??

[mahicks]

Yep, the good thing is the marsh ecosystem will filter and detoxify much of it in coming weeks and months. As a matter of fact several experimental sites are using artificial wetlands to filter and treat sewage and toxic waste. Scientists have been experimenting with this idea for years but it has not come to any widespread use. It is thought that naturally occuring bacteria and plants in the marsh habitat will act to detoxify many materials. I guess we will find out for sure if this is feasible on a large scale from the toxic release from NOLA floodwater.

Your absolutely right! There have been lots of studies on this.

This is the same principle as a "refugium" or "mud filter" or "Algae Scrubber"
of a Saltwater reef aquarium. The principles are the same, only on a much smaller and more volatile scale. They do an EXCELLENT job of removing nutrients and toxins from water. There is nothing better than mother nature herself.

[karenfromheaven]

E Coli is a bacteria found just about everywhere. There are certain strains that can cause foodborne illness, sickness, and death, especially in small children.

It's not so much that E. Coli will hurt you, because we have it all over and inside us. But it is relatively easy to detect, and if it shows up in a test of drinking water, the assumption is made that it came from human or animal waste. Therefore it is likely that real pathogens, which are harder to detect, are also present. So a positive E. Coli test is like the canary in the coal mine, and water testing positive should be considered contaminated.

[JQ Public]

They were probably saying 200,000 Colony forming units (CFU) per mL or L. Still not very surprising given its natural abundance anyways.