Introduction

Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus Escherichia that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms (endotherms). Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes (EPEC, ETEC etc.) can cause serious food poisoning in their hosts, and are occasionally responsible for food contamination incidents that prompt product recalls. The harmless strains are part of the normal microbiota of the gut, and can benefit their hosts by producing vitamin K₂, (which helps blood to clot) and preventing colonization of the intestine with pathogenic bacteria, having a mutualistic relationship.  E. coli is expelled into the environment within fecal matter. The bacterium grows massively in fresh fecal matter under aerobic conditions for 3 days, but its numbers decline slowly afterwards.

E. coli and other facultative anaerobes constitute about 0.1% of gut microbiota and fecal-oral transmission is the major route through which pathogenic strains of the bacterium cause disease. Cells are able to survive outside the body for a limited amount of time, which makes them potential indicator organisms to test environmental samples for fecal contamination. A growing body of research, though, has examined environmentally persistent E. coli which can survive for many days and grow outside a host.

E. coli (Escherichia coli), is a type of bacteria that normally lives in your intestines. It’s also found in the gut of some animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless and even help keep your digestive tract healthy. But some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat contaminated food or drink fouled water.

Infection

You can become infected when you swallow even a small amount of E. coli bacteria. Among the ways this can happen: Ground meat, untreated milk, vegetables and fruit, other foods and beverages, water, other people and animals.

Symptoms

You’ll probably start to feel ill 2 to 5 days after you’ve taken in the E. coli bacteria. The most common symptoms are: Abdominal cramps, Diarrhea, which may be bloody, Nausea and Constant fatigue. Symptoms of intestinal infection generally begin between 1 and 10 days after you’ve been infected with E. coli. This is known as the incubation period. Once symptoms appear, they usually last around 5 to 10 days. Symptoms of a severe E. coli infection may include: bloody urine, decreased urine output, pale skin, bruising and dehydration.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 5 to 10 percent of those who are infected develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a condition in which the red blood cells are damaged. This can lead to kidney failure, which can be life-threatening, especially for children and the elderly. HUS generally begins about 5 to 10 days after the onset of diarrhea. People and animals normally have some E. coli in their intestines, but some strains cause infection. The bacteria that cause infection can enter into your body in a number of ways. STEC infections are diagnosed by sending a sample of your poop to a laboratory. Many labs can test for both STEC O157 and non-O157 STEC bacterial infections.

The journal of “Medical Microbiology & Diagnosis” is a peer reviewed medical journal that includes a wide range of topics in this fields including Bacteriology, Clinical and Medical Diagnostics, Parasitology, Bacterial Infections and creates a platform for the authors to make their contribution towards the journal. The editorial office promises a thorough peer review of the submitted manuscripts to ensure quality.

Best Regards,

Mary Wilson,

Associate Managing Editor,

Medical Microbiology & Diagnosis

E-mail: microbiology@jpeerreview.com