The return of the summer cookout brings with it the risk for sickness from a bacteria that can end up spoiling more than one meal. Cook hamburgers incorrectly, and you could end up with a case of E. coli.

“E. coli stands for Escherichia coli, which is a type of bacteria,” says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist. “Most commonly, we hear about it in raw or undercooked hamburger meat.”

Dr. Rajapakse says E. coli bacteria can create some stomach-turning symptoms, such as abdominal pain and nausea. But it can get worse.

“There’s a specific type of E. coli.,” says Dr. Rajapakse. “It’s called O157:H7, which can cause bloody diarrhea and has been associated with a condition that can cause kidney damage, especially in young children.”

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