Cooking beef to the correct temperature will kill E.coli.

From the Health Canada organization:

Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly. Because ground beef can turn brown before disease-causing bacteria are killed, use a digital food thermometer to ensure thorough cooking to an internal temperature of at least 71°C (160°F).

If served an undercooked hamburger or other ground beef product in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking. Ask for a new bun and a clean plate, too. Avoid eating patties that are pink in the middle.

Avoid spreading harmful bacteria in your kitchen. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, counters, and utensils with hot soapy water after they have come in contact with raw meat. Never place cooked hamburgers on the unwashed plate that held raw patties. Wash thermometers in between testing patties.

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From Scientific American...

Escherichia coli (E. coli strain 0157:H7) is a bacterium that normally lives in the intestines of people and animals. It is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod prokaryote. Under certain conditions it may become pathogenic (disease causing) and cause food poisoning, hemorrhagic diarrhea and kidney failure. E coli O157:H7 produces toxins that damage the lining of the intestine. The strain originates from the intestines of some cattle and spreads to contaminate beef products and milk.
Source(s):
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/ill-intox/ecoli/index-eng.php
http://www.astrographics.com/cgi-bin/ase/ase.cgi?affiliate=sciam&mode=d...

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