Marine recruits by the hundreds became sick at a San Diego boot camp, with most of the cases related to Shiga toxin-producing E.coli.
Military officials confirmed to the San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday that 302 recruits were treated for the illness out of the more than 5,500 candidates training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
The bacteria was found in recruits at the depot and at Edson Range at Camp Pendleton starting last Wednesday but the number of cases spiked by Monday, officials told the Union-Tribune.
E.coli, or Escherichia coli, are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals and can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, bloodstream infections, and other illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The CDC said some types of E. coli bacteria cause disease when they make a toxin called Shiga toxin. The bacteria that make these toxins are called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC. STEC victims can develop bad stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting lasting about five to seven days.
"Our immediate focus is identifying, isolating and treating recruits who present symptoms," Brig. Gen. William Jurney, the commander of both the depot and the Corps' Western Recruiting Region, said on Facebook.
"We are working to identify the cause of the sickness, making sure our affected recruits can return to training as soon as possible and continuing training for recruits not influenced," Jurney continued.
A Marines representative told KNSD-TV that 10 recruits remain hospitalized at an off-base medical facility while other cases are being treated on base. The recruiting depot stated that it will inform families if the outbreak affects a recruit's graduation date because of missed training, the television station reported.
Officials said they will use the social media site Twitter for additional updates until the outbreak subsides.