Latest news with #Escherichiacoli
News18
3 days ago
- Health
- News18
Woman Claims Ex-Boyfriend's Fart Gave Her A 7-Year Sinus Infection
Last Updated: A woman went viral after claiming her ex-boyfriend gave her a 7-year sinus infection caused by E. coli. While many people remember ex-partners through fond memories, photos, or thoughtful gestures, one American woman has gone viral for a far more unusual and unfortunate reason. Christine Connell claims her former boyfriend left her with a sinus infection that has lasted for seven years. Connell recently shared her bizarre health ordeal on TikTok, where the video has now garnered over 4 lakh views. For years, she battled a persistent sinus infection that left doctors puzzled, until a recent nasal culture test revealed the unexpected culprit: Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria usually linked to faecal contamination. 'E. coli is from poop," Connell explained in the video. What shocked viewers wasn't just the diagnosis but also how she claims the bacteria entered her system. Connell alleges the infection originated from exposure to her ex-boyfriend's fart. She recalled recovering from ankle surgery in a hotel room they shared, lying immobile under the covers on one of two queen beds. Her then-boyfriend, standing unclothed between the beds, passed gas directly in her direction. 'I've never, ever, ever smelled anything that compares to that," she said. Suffering from a 7 year sinus infection after her ex-boyfriend farted in her face while recovering from surgery, Christine Connell said doctors found E. coli in her sinuses.'He and I stayed in a hotel one night after I had surgery, and he farted terribly, like I couldn't… — PoopMates (@PoopMatesApp) May 29, 2025 According to the CDC, E. coli bacteria are commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illnesses such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and, in rare cases like Connell's, a sinus infection. The bacteria typically enter the body through the mouth via contaminated food, water or contact with unclean surfaces. 'I don't think it is common," Connell admitted. 'It can happen, it has happened before, but it's definitely rare." She suspects her vulnerability to the infection was linked to her body's focus on recovering from surgery. 'I had just had ankle surgery that I was recovering from, so I imagine that my immune system was focused on healing that," she explained. 'I think that maybe in another circumstance, like if I had been healthy, it wouldn't have happened." Sinusitis, commonly known as a sinus infection, occurs when the sinuses become inflamed and filled with fluid. It is a widespread condition in the US, typically treated with antibiotics and nasal sprays. However, Connell's persistent case proved resistant to standard treatments, baffling doctors for years. In a follow-up video, she shared that surgery was the next step. 'They're going to use general anaesthesia to go up there and physically scrape off where the bacteria have been and really wash it and get all of the infected tissue out of there," she said. Connell's story has taken the internet by storm, eliciting a mix of shock, sympathy, and disbelief. Though extremely rare, her case serves as a bizarre reminder of how unpredictable health complications can be.
Metro
4 days ago
- Health
- Metro
Woman suffers seven year infection after boyfriend farted in her face
An Australian woman was plagued with sinus infections for years until doctors found an unlikely reason behind them – her boyfriend's fart. Christine Connell suffered facial pain for seven years until doctors took a sample of her nose and found she had been suffering from E. coli in her sinuses. The reason? Her ex-boyfriend farting in front of her in a hotel room years earlier. She told The Sun: 'I realised that my ex-boyfriend got the best possible break-up revenge that anyone could ever get. 'I've had a persistent sinus infection ever since he and I stayed in a hotel one night after I had surgery and he farted terribly. I couldn't breathe. 'There's not anything that even compares to that.' She did say her ex-boyfriend didn't intend to fart in her face, but wasn't clothed and farted towards her as she was laying in bed, recovering from surgery. After sharing her ordeal on TikTok, doctors came back with test results, and Christine alerted her followers: 'I wish I were joking. 'It is E. coli. You usually don't get E. coli in your sinuses because E. coli is from poop. How does that get in your sinuses unless you have a boyfriend who farts disgustingly and you are forced to inhale it because you are immobile after ankle surgery?' Chrstine is now undergoing treatment to kick the infection for good, but added that she thinks her compromised immune system at the time of the fart likely had something to do with the infection. 'Also, when I say it was the worst fart I have ever smelled in my life, I truly mean that. So, I think there were just a lot of factors combined that made this possible.' E. coli, short for Escherichia coli, is a type of bacteria that can, in some cases, cause severe illness, often through food poisoning. One type of E. coli lives in the gut of people and animals. This strain is usually harmless, and even beneficial, helping to digest your food. However, other, harmful, strains, can lead to infections in the digestive system which can, occasionally, be fatal. All of the cases in the current outbreak involve the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (Stec). While different strains of E. coli can cause infections, the most common symptoms of each are: Diarrhoea, ranging from mild and watery to severe and bloody Stomach cramps, or abdominal pain and tenderness Nausea and vomiting Patients may also have a fever. More Trending Most people will suffer symptoms three to four days after being infected, but E coli food poisoning can strike any time between one and 14 days after exposure. The E. coli, once in the body, releases a toxin which causes the symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to a condition known as haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes blood clots that can damage the kidneys – and is potentially fatal. Signs of HUS included peeing less, tiredness, swelling and bruising. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Teachers lock the school loos and only let us go once a day — even on our periods MORE: People aren't ready to let robots and AI decide on euthanasia, study finds MORE: Rare Cadbury chocolate bar spotted in UK and fans say it's 'delightful'
Medscape
5 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Are Europe's Open Waters Safe for Swimming?
Laura Reineke is an avid open water swimmer. Her passion has taken her from crossing the English Channel to circumnavigating Manhattan Island. But the hobby has also made her feel poorly on several occasions. 'They're always severe. They always take you by surprise. Joint pain, full body aches, diarrhea, vomiting,' recalled Reineke, who has founded Henley Mermaids, a grassroots campaign against sewage pollution, and Friends of the Thames, a charity organization that aims to protect the English river. Laura Reineke As temperatures warm across Europe, many more open water swimming enthusiasts are venturing into rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and seas. While offering significant physical and mental health benefits, the burgeoning pastime increasingly exposed people to waterborne contaminants. But the risks are difficult to quantify. Therese Westrell, PhD, principal expert for Food and Waterborne Diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), told Medscape Medical News , 'We don't really know how big of a problem there is across Europe. There are risks that we know of when there is high contamination.' The Microbial Menace Europe's bathing waters are routinely monitored for Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci, which serve as bacterial indicators of fecal contamination, as mandated under the European Union (EU) Bathing Water Directive. The latest figures for the 2023 season show that 85.4% of bathing waters in the EU were classified as 'excellent,' indicating high overall quality. However, a persistent 1.5% of sites, amounting to 321 locations, were still classified as 'poor.' A significant disparity in water quality exists between inland and coastal areas. Inland bathing waters, including rivers and lakes, generally exhibit poorer quality, with 2.4% of inland sites categorized as 'poor' in 2023 compared with 1% of coastal sites. The European Environment Agency wrote to Medscape Medical News in an email that these inland waters 'are more susceptible than coastal areas to short-term pollution caused by heavy rains or droughts.' The primary sources of microbial contamination are human activities and animal waste. Inadequate urban wastewater treatment, agricultural runoff carrying livestock waste, and even direct contamination from waterfowl like mallards can elevate bacterial levels in water. In some big, older cities, such as London and Paris, combined sewer overflows are used as safety release valves to prevent urban flooding during heavy rainfall. However, their frequent activation leads to the direct discharge of enormous volumes of untreated sewage into waterways. In England alone, more than 400,000 such discharges occurred in 2020. Common illnesses associated with microbial contamination include gastrointestinal infections caused by pathogens like Norovirus, E. coli , Giardia , and Cryptosporidium , which give symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Other manifestations include respiratory, dermatologic, ear, nose, and throat infections. A more severe, albeit rarer, bacterial infection is leptospirosis (Weil's disease), which can cause significant liver and kidney deterioration. Quantifying the exact extent of these problems across Europe remains challenging due to the complexities of attributing specific transmission modes to surveillance data. 'The information we have on which cases come from swimming and which are from food is not really there,' Westrell said. Therese Westrell, PhD However, specific microbes are closely monitored. Vibrio species, for instance, are naturally occurring bacteria in coastal waters that thrive in elevated temperatures and brackish water. Ingestion can cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms, but wound infections are more concerning. 'If you get it through a wound, you can get a very severe infection. You can also get the blood infection, which could be fatal,' Westrell explained. The Baltic Sea has been a hot spot for these bacteria, with a significant increase in reported cases from several countries during the 2018 heatwave, Westrell said. With global temperatures rising, Vibrio species are expanding beyond the Baltic area, and the ECDC is actively increasing its surveillance on the microbe. European Member States report on the occurrence and management of local infectious disease outbreaks linked to water swimming, but comprehensive pan-European data is fragmented and not routinely collected in all waters. Chemical Contaminants European waters also contain a 'cocktail of chemicals,' said Helena Rapp Wright, PhD, a research associate at Imperial College London, London, England. These compounds originate from many sources, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, industrial discharges, agricultural pesticides, and vehicle emissions. Most wastewater treatment plants remove pathogens but are not designed to remove these chemicals. Consequently, many of these substances pass through treatment processes and are discharged directly into rivers and other water bodies. While their concentration is generally low in large bodies of water, the continuous input means they are persistently present. Rapp Wright and her colleagues have found 'loads of chemicals' in English and Irish waters. While many pose no risk at current concentrations, some compounds are 'quite toxic,' she said. Particularly concerning are pesticides detected at high-risk levels, such as imidacloprid, which was banned in 2018 but is still used for pet flea treatments, and antibiotics due to their potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance, she explained. But for swimmers like Reineke, who trains at least 1 hour in the Thames 6 days a week, the primary health concern related to chemical contaminants is often long-term exposure and the potential of developing chronic conditions, rather than immediate acute effects, which are more commonly associated with microbial pathogens. What General Practitioners (GPs) Should Be Aware of and Do To reap the health benefits of open water swimming while minimizing the possible hazards associated with exposure to pathogens and pollutants, GPs can help their patients practice this sport in the safest way: Understand risk profiles: While many coastal bathing areas are designated and monitored, rivers and inland lakes often lack this official status, implying a higher inherent health risk for swimmers in these less-regulated environments. While many coastal bathing areas are designated and monitored, rivers and inland lakes often lack this official status, implying a higher inherent health risk for swimmers in these less-regulated environments. Advise on avoidance: It is important to advise patients to avoid open water swimming during and immediately after periods of heavy rainfall, especially if these follow dry spells. Such conditions significantly increase the likelihood of combined sewer overflows discharging untreated sewage directly into waterways. It is important to advise patients to avoid open water swimming during and immediately after periods of heavy rainfall, especially if these follow dry spells. Such conditions significantly increase the likelihood of combined sewer overflows discharging untreated sewage directly into waterways. Encourage informed decisions: Encourage patients to utilize readily available public resources before swimming. These include official online bathing water profiles provided by environmental agencies, such as the Environment Agency's Swimfo in the United Kingdom, and local real-time pollution maps, such as Wild Swim Map, which visually indicate safe (green) vs recently polluted (red) areas. Encourage patients to utilize readily available public resources before swimming. These include official online bathing water profiles provided by environmental agencies, such as the Environment Agency's Swimfo in the United Kingdom, and local real-time pollution maps, such as Wild Swim Map, which visually indicate safe (green) vs recently polluted (red) areas. Clinical suspicion: When patients present with unexplained gastrointestinal issues, skin rashes, respiratory symptoms, or ear, nose, and throat infections, GPs should always inquire about recent open water swimming exposure in their history taking. For severe wound infections, particularly after swimming in warmer brackish waters, consider Vibrio as a potential pathogen. Ultimately, Rapp Wright said that the goal is not to deter enthusiasts from the therapeutic joys of open water bathing and swimming. 'We don't want people to stop [swimming], we want to make sure that they do it safely.' As for Reineke, the potential of falling ill has not stopped her from dipping into the water. 'I want to do Oceans Seven and become the first British female to do that.' Medscape Medical News reached out to the European Commission spokesperson responsible for health, but they declined an interview. Reineke, Westrell, and Rapp Wright disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Bowel cancer is rising rapidly in younger people: Causes and symptoms of the silent killer
Bowel cancer in young people is on the rise. As per a recent study , Scientists have found that a bacterial toxin called colibactin may be causing the rise in bowel cancer among young adults. As per them, being exposed to this toxin in childhood could increase the risk of developing cancer later in life. Although researchers are not certain how this exposure occurs, they know that colibactin is produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli bacteria in the gut. They suggest that damaging exposure likely happens within the first 10 years of life. What is bowel cancer? Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is a type of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum. It can be caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the colon or rectum, often starting as small polyps. Symptoms can include blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, and weight loss. How is colibactin linked to bowel cancer? Colibactin has been linked to bowel cancer before, but researchers had not specifically studied its effects on people under 50 until now. This link may help explain why bowel cancer is expected to be the leading cancer-related cause of death for young adults in the coming years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo One possibility is that childhood infections produce colibactin, which then harms DNA in the bowel. These mutations can increase the chance of developing cancer later on, often many years after the colibactin is gone. Colibactin-related DNA mutations were found to be 3.3 times more common in adults diagnosed with cancer before age 40 compared to those diagnosed at 70 or older. In older patients, the DNA patterns were more often linked to normal aging. Causes of bowel cancer : Bowel cancer is a complex disease with multiple potential causes and risk factors, including age, family history, diet, lifestyle, and certain medical conditions. While the exact cause is not always known, certain factors can increase the likelihood of developing bowel cancer. Key risk factors: Age: The risk of bowel cancer increases significantly with age, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50. However, younger adults of the age group 25-49 are getting more susceptible to the disease with the passing days. Family history: A family history of bowel cancer or certain inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) can increase the risk. Diet: A diet low in fiber and high in fat can increase the risk of bowel cancer. Consuming large amounts of red meat and processed meats has been linked to an increased risk. Lifestyle: Lack of regular physical activity, i.e., a sedentary lifestyle is associated with a higher risk of bowel cancer. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing bowel cancer. Smoking and alcohol consumption: Smoking tobacco is a known risk factor for bowel cancer. Excessive alcohol use can also increase the risk. Medical conditions: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Individuals with chronic ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, which cause inflammation in the colon, have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer. Polyps: Bowel polyps, which are small growths on the lining of the colon, can sometimes develop into cancer. Radiation therapy: Previous radiation therapy to the abdomen can increase the risk of bowel cancer. Symptoms of bowel cancer : Bowel cancer symptoms can include changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or a change in the frequency or appearance of stools. Other common symptoms include rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, abdominal pain or cramping, and a feeling that the bowel doesn't empty completely. Fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and weakness are also possible symptoms. Detailed look at symptoms: Changes in bowel habits: This can include diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between the two. You might also notice changes in the frequency or appearance of your stools, such as thinner than normal stools or ribbon-like stools. Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool (can range from bright red blood to dark, tarry blood) is also indicative of the disease. Abdominal pain or cramping: If the pain is persistent or intermittent and accompanied by bloating, you're advised to consult a healthcare professional. Feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation: You might feel like you need to defecate even after having a bowel movement. Tiredness and weakness: Fatigue and weakness can be caused by anemia, which can result from blood loss in the digestive tract. Unexplained weight loss: Weight loss without trying can be a sign of cancer. Other symptoms: Some people may experience other symptoms like a lump in the abdomen or back passage, nausea, vomiting, or a change in appetite. Bowel cancer can often be asymptomatic in its early stages, so it's important to be aware of these symptoms and consult a doctor if you experience any of them. Early detection and treatment significantly improve the chances of survival and cure. Certain types of dietary fibre cause inflammatory response in some patients: Study One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Popular air fryer recalled from Wilko and The Range over 'serious risk of fire'
The Range and Wilko have pulled the kitchen product from shelves over concerns it could melt, warp or even catch fire. A popular air fryer has been recalled over serious concerns that the product could melt or warp when in use, posing a serious fire risk. Wilko and The Range have taken the product off of store shelves, and customers who have purchased the fryer are being urged to return it. The Haden air fryer was deemed by the Office for Product Safety and Standards as posing a 'serious risk of fire'. It was concluded by the safety watchdog that the kitchen gadget's maximum temperature could melt or warp the product's plastic, or could catch fire. The regulator warned: "The product presents a serious risk of fire as the heating element exceeds 150 degrees (the marked limit). After prolonged use on the highest setting, the plastic and metal parts can warp and melt, presenting a risk of fire.' It was also found that the piece of kitchen kit failed to adhere to the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. Those who have purchased the product are being urged to return it to its place of purchase for a full refund. And the popular air fryer is not the only kitchen product to be recalled recently. Last week, Kenneth Hanna's Farm Shop in Northern Ireland announced that STEC (a deadly bacteria) was potentially found to have contaminated their Jersey milk. Customers are being urged not to consume or use Ken's Raw Jersey Milk and instead, return it or dispose of it. The recall, which applied exclusively to customers based in Northern Ireland, affected all batch codes and use-by dates of the two-litre bottles of the cow milk. An alert sharing the details of the milk recall was recently posted to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which explained many of the symptoms associated with STEC organisms. These symptoms included severe diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. In some cases, it can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal. Anyone experiencing these symptoms has been advised to avoid going to school, work or nursery for up to 48 hours to avoid passing them on. STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli) is a specific type of that produces Shiga toxins, which are potent biological toxins that can cause severe illness in humans. O157:H7 is the most well-known STEC strain and is often linked to foodborne outbreaks from undercooked beef, raw produce, or unpasteurised dairy. Symptoms of an STEC infection typically begin three to four days after exposure but can range from one to 10 days. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
