Lake Michigan

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Lake Michigan

• by Jocelynn Morley, Blake Kanikovsky, Jeremy
  Teeple, and Miles Misner!

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What is E. coli

• E. coli is a large group of bacteria.
• Usually it is harmless but it can make you sick.
• Whenever it contaminates a food, the FDA sends
  out a warning not to eat the contaminated food.
• E. coli can cause various illnesses

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Lakes and Rivers

• E. Coli can also get into bodies of water.
• When its bad enough exposure to the water could
  cause ear, nose, and eye infectionsstomach
  upsets, and diarrhea, one news story said.
• E. Coli can get in drinking water during
  precipitation (see diagram.)

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What can E. Coli cause?

• Eating food with E. Coli bacteria on it can cause
• Diarrhea
• Tract infections
• Respiratory illness
• And other various illnessess.

• A news story said Swimming in water thats been
  contaminated enough
• Ear, nose, and eye infections
• Stomach upsets
• Diarrhea

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Drinking Contaminated Water

• After drinking water with E. Coli, it usually
  takes 2-4 days for symptoms to appear, however it
  can take up to 8 days.
• Most people recover in 5-10 days.
• These people are at higher risk when contracting
  E. Coli
• Children under the age of 5
• Very elderly people
• People whose immune systems have been weakened
  (i.e. HIV or AIDS)

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Protecting yourself from E. Coli

• Wash your hands
• After using the bathroom
• Before and after preparing meals
• After contact with animals
• Cook meats thoroughly
• Avoid raw milk and unpasteurized drinks
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming.
• Pay attention to warnings about E. Coli
  contamination

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Lake Michigan and E. Coli

• Lake Michigan is currently carrying the bacteria.
• Its said that if the temperature stays the same,
  we should be fine.
• If the temperature rises even 5 degrees, the
  dangerous E. Coli threat could become very, very
  serious.

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Beach Closings

• E. Coli outbreak has caused beaches to be closed.
• The amount of Lake Michigan beaches closed in
  2007 was 4 times the amount closed in 2006.
• In 2002, Chicago banned swimming at over 30
  lakefront beaches, due to E. Coli levels.

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A Recent Update

• Last year, the Chicago Park District closed 40
  beaches due to the outbreak of E. Coli.
• However, just yesterday, the District announced
  that this year, theyve only closed 20.
• But a Park District official warns, Theres
  really no way to predict E. Coli activity between
  now and the end of swimming season.

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Recent Updates (cont.)

• Some investigators want to take seagull feces for
  E. Coli to see if that could be one of the
  driving causes of Lake Michigans contamination.
• And many sources are saying that the situation in
  Lake Michigan is getting better.

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In conclusion,

• E. Coli can get into lakes and drinking water
  because it is washed away by evaporation.
• Many beaches have been closed because of this
  issue.
• While it is getting better, its still a major
  problem in Lake Michigan.

CLOSED!
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Bibliography

• Center for Disease Control
• CNN, The Situation Room
• Mlive.com
• Epa.gov
• AssociatedContent.com
• Upi.com
• Wbez.com (Chicago Public Radio)
• Jsoline.com