Escherichia coli Infection

Excerpt

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a gram-negative bacillus known to be a part of normal intestinal flora but can also be the cause of intestinal and extraintestinal illness in humans. There are hundreds of identified E. coli strains, resulting in a spectrum of disease from mild, self-limited gastroenteritis to renal failure and septic shock. Its virulence lends to E. coli’s ability to evade host defenses and develop resistance to common antibiotics. This review will divide E. coli infections into those causing intestinal illness and those causing extraintestinal illness.

Intestinal illnesses will be described by the causative E. coli subtypes, including enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), which is also known as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and will be referred to as EHEC/STEC, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC). Extraintestinal illnesses will be described based on clinical disease.