Pathogenic Escherichia coli

Pathogenic Escherichia coli are strains of the bacterial species E. coli that cause disease in humans or animals, through intestinal infection or infection at other body sites.

Shiga toxin: A bacterial toxin that damages host cells by inhibiting protein synthesis. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can injure intestinal tissue and trigger hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Escherichia coli: A species of Gram-negative bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and other animals. Pathogenic strains are disease-causing members of this much broader species.
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: E. coli strains that produce Shiga toxins and can cause severe intestinal disease. Testing for this group guides diagnosis and care when bloody diarrhea suggests toxin-mediated disease.
Commensal Escherichia coli: E. coli strains that commonly inhabit the gut without causing disease in their hosts. Their usual harmless coexistence contrasts with the disease-causing traits of pathogenic strains.
Type III secretion system: A needle-like protein apparatus that injects bacterial effectors into host cells. Enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic strains use it to alter intestinal cells and attach closely.
Pathotype: A group of microbial strains defined by shared disease-causing traits. E. coli pathotypes are distinguished by characteristic virulence factors and disease patterns.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: E. coli strains that produce enterotoxins and cause watery diarrhea. This pathotype is a major cause of travelers' diarrhea and childhood diarrhea in some regions.
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7: A well-known Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serotype that can cause severe foodborne illness. This specific serotype is often contrasted with less severe or non-toxin-producing E. coli.
Intimin: A bacterial outer-membrane adhesin that binds the host-cell receptor Tir. Intimin helps certain pathotypes form attaching-and-effacing lesions on intestinal cells.
Virulence factor: A microbial feature that contributes to infection or damage in a host. Toxins, adhesins, and secretion systems are virulence factors used by pathogenic E. coli.

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