Eubacteria-E.coli
Delos Reyes, Donnaliza S. September 24, 2013 BSPT 13 Ms. Mae Maghari
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacillus that is found in the GI tract of all humans. The strains and sero types of E. coli that are part of the indigenous microflora of the GI tract are opportunistic pathogens. They usually cause no harm while in the GI tract, but have the potential to cause serious infections if they gain access to the bloodstream, the urinary bladder or a wound.
Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of endotherms (warm blooded organisms).
Several types of E. coli exist as part of the normal flora of the human gut and have many beneficial functions, such as the production of vitamin K2. They also prevent harmful bacteria, known as pathogenic bacteria, from establishing themselves in the intestine.
Most E. coli strains pose no harm to human health, except for serotype O157:H7, which can cause food poisoning in humans and can become life-threatening.
Other less common serotypes, such as O104:H4, O121, O26, O103, O111, O145, and O104:H21 can also cause serious infection.
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary,
Escherichia coli is:
"A species that occurs normally in the intestines of humans and other vertebrates, is widely distributed in nature, and is a frequent cause of infections of the urogenital tract and of neonatal meningitis and diarrhea in infants; enteropathogenic strains (serovars) of Escherichia coli cause diarrhea due to enterotoxin, the production of which seems to be associated with a transferable episome; the type species of the genus."
German pediatrician and bacteriologist, Theodor Escherich discovered the bacterium in 1885, hence its name. E. coli is now classified as part of the Enterobacteriaceae family of gamma-proteobacteria.
A healthy adult will usually make a full recovery from E. coli O157:H7 infection within 5 to 7 days.
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacillus that is found in the GI tract of all humans. The strains and sero types of E. coli that are part of the indigenous microflora of the GI tract are opportunistic pathogens. They usually cause no harm while in the GI tract, but have the potential to cause serious infections if they gain access to the bloodstream, the urinary bladder or a wound.
Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of endotherms (warm blooded organisms).
Several types of E. coli exist as part of the normal flora of the human gut and have many beneficial functions, such as the production of vitamin K2. They also prevent harmful bacteria, known as pathogenic bacteria, from establishing themselves in the intestine.
Most E. coli strains pose no harm to human health, except for serotype O157:H7, which can cause food poisoning in humans and can become life-threatening.
Other less common serotypes, such as O104:H4, O121, O26, O103, O111, O145, and O104:H21 can also cause serious infection.
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary,
Escherichia coli is:
"A species that occurs normally in the intestines of humans and other vertebrates, is widely distributed in nature, and is a frequent cause of infections of the urogenital tract and of neonatal meningitis and diarrhea in infants; enteropathogenic strains (serovars) of Escherichia coli cause diarrhea due to enterotoxin, the production of which seems to be associated with a transferable episome; the type species of the genus."
German pediatrician and bacteriologist, Theodor Escherich discovered the bacterium in 1885, hence its name. E. coli is now classified as part of the Enterobacteriaceae family of gamma-proteobacteria.
A healthy adult will usually make a full recovery from E. coli O157:H7 infection within 5 to 7 days.