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Why Are Some E. Coli Strains Deadly While Others Live Peacefully in Our Bodies?

Obviously some E. coli can be deadly for people. But not all strains of these bacteria make you sick. In fact, you have a variety of strains of E. coli in your intestines right now – including one that’s busy making the antioxidant vitamin K, crucial for your and its survival.

Scientists like me often characterize E. coli by the sugar coat they display on their cell surface. A molecule called a lipopolysaccharide is the anchor that displays a collection of sugars to their environment.

These sugars help the bacteria stick to surfaces and reveal their identity to your immune system. Human cells do this, too – your blood type is defined by sugars displayed on your blood cells,…

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Articles of Interest

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

One E. coli strain that causes a severe intestinal infection in humans is known as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). It’s the most common strain to cause illness in people. It’s different from other E. coli because it produces a potent toxin called Shiga toxin. This toxin damages the lining of the intestinal wall, causing bloody diarrhea.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that lives in the digestive tract of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but a small number can cause illness in humans. One such strain is enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). EHEC strains regularly cause food poisoning after consumption of undercooked or raw animal products (meat or dairy products). Fresh fruit and vegetables that have come into contact with EHEC may also become contaminated.

Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli utilizes host- and microbiota-derived L-malate as a signaling molecule for intestinal colonization

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is a worldwide food-borne pathogen that typically causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis or lethal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)1,2. EHEC O157:H7 specifically colonizes the human large intestine and causes lesions on intestinal epithelial cells...

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) pathogenesis

Verocytoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC), also known as Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC), is a food-borne zoonotic agent associated with outbreaks worldwide that poses a serious public health concern. Over 380 different VTEC serotypes have been isolated from humans and animals, but only a small number of serotypes are linked to human disease. Serotype O157:H7 is the major source of E. coli food poisoning outbreaks in the United States

From farm to the plate: Europe’s deadly E. coli outbreak

The virulent strain we’re seeing in Europe which has infected more than 1500 people and killed 17 is called E. coli 0104. While this particular strain is new, there are quite a lot of other E. coli strains that have done something similar in the past. Certain strains of E. coli contain a toxin or poison called the “Shiga toxin”. This toxin causes damage to the bowel and symptoms begin with bloody diarrhoea. They can progress to clots in the blood vessels and a break down in blood cells (this process is called “haemolytic–uremic syndrome”). This eventually results in kidney failure and can cause death.

How one contaminated cow can infect millions of pounds of hamburgers

Ever since a deadly outbreak in 1994, the USDA has banned the sale of ground beef containing the dangerous O157:H7 E. coli strain. But thousands of Americans still end up in the hospital each year because of the pathogen.

My Life-Threatening Bout With E. Coli Food Poisoning

Before my illness, I was a healthy 22-year-old just out of college. But at some point, my doctors speculated, I must have eaten leafy greens contaminated by E. coli bacteria.

New approaches for severity intervention and rapid diagnosis of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli: a review

Although EHEC has been responsible for large outbreaks around the world, research into effective therapies to prevent and treat the infection in a timely manner and affordable diagnostic tests remains a challenge due to the complicated nature of the bacteria.

The Fix for E. Coli Outbreaks Could Be ... the Blockchain

To improve food safety, we need a stronger chain of data. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Therapeutic Challenge in Treating Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)

Despite promising in vitro results, the authors of the study could not advocate the use of these antibiotics for treatment of patients infected with EHEC O80:H2. While potentially promising, these findings are preliminary and require confirmation

Treatment of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

Due to the potential for undesirable release of verotoxin (VT)/Stx by dying and dead bacterial cells, antibiotics are usually avoided. In addition, the risk of endotoxin release could add to the patient's already potentially lethal burden.

Unclean greens: how America's E coli outbreaks in salads are linked to cows

“I know that the FDA has been struggling to get the beef industry to really sit down with them and try to work up solutions that deal with the proximity of these operations near where fruit and vegetables are raised,” says Tony Corbo, senior lobbyist for the consumer advocacy group Food and Water Watch. With more than 40 E coli outbreaks since investigators connected the dots between cows and contaminated lettuce nearly 15 years ago, it’s past time for talking, says Raymond. “All this is too little, too late as far as I’m concerned.”

When Bad Things Come From ‘Good’ Food

Among the nastiest bacteria is E. coli 0157:H7, which makes a powerful toxin that can cause severe illness and sometimes even kidney failure. This is the germ found on spinach a few months ago, and more recently on iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants. It comes from cow feces and was first identified in 1982. Feeding the animals grain instead of hay seems to promote its growth. The strain is harmless to cows, but in people it is so dangerous...

Zoonotic Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli : A One Health Perspective

Escherichia coli O157 and other enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are food- and waterborne zoonotic pathogens that cause diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans but little or no discernible disease in their animal reservoirs. Like other zoonotic infections, EHEC are illustrative of the One Health concept as they embody the complex ecology of agricultural animals, wildlife, and the environment in zoonotic transmission of EHEC O157.

Resources

StatPearls

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a bacterial infection resulting in bloody dysentery and an increased risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). EHEC serotype O157:H7 is responsible for global outbreaks of bloody diarrhea and HUS. T