E. Coli

Everyone's welcome at a barbecue. Or are they?

Children, parents and educators will enjoy using these educational plush toys to teach about hygiene, disease and the human body. Each microbe comes with a description of the disease it causes or function it performs. Use these fun, non-threatening toys to emphasize the importance of washing hands and preventing sickness in social settings.  Petri Dish of 3 mini microbes.

Certain strains of E. coli produce potentially-lethal toxins. Food poisoning caused by E. coli is usually caused by eating unwashed vegetables or undercooked meat. It is also notorious for causing serious and even life-threatening complications like hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). This particular strain is linked to the 2006 United States E. coli outbreak of fresh spinach. Severity of the illness varies considerably; it can be fatal, particularly to young children, the elderly or the immunocompromised, but is more often mild.