Escherichia

Escherichia is a genus of Gram-negative, non-spore forming, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae.^[1] Inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, Escherichia species provide a portion of the microbially-derived vitamin K for their host. Escherichia coli are the most numerous aerobic commensal inhabitants of the large intestine in humans.

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Pathogenesis

While many Escherichia are harmless commensals, particular strains of some species are human pathogens,^[2] and are known as the most common cause of urinary tract infections,^[3] significant sources of gastrointestinal disease, ranging from simple diarrhea to dysentery-like conditions,^[1] as well as a wide-range of other pathogenic states.^[4] While E. coli is responsible for the vast majority of Escherichia-related pathogenesis, other members of the genus have also been implicated in human disease.^[5],[6]

See also

• E. coli O157:H7

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). (2005). Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 11th ed., Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1. 
2. ^ Guentzel MN (1996). Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Citrobacter, and Proteus. In: Baron's Medical Microbiology (Baron S et al, eds.), 4th ed., Univ of Texas Medical Branch. (via NCBI Bookshelf) ISBN 0-9631172-1-1. 
3. ^ Ronald A (2003). "The etiology of urinary tract infection: traditional and emerging pathogens". Dis Mon 49 (2): 71-82. PubMed.
4. ^ The Species of Escherichia other than E. coli. The Prokaryotes. Retrieved on 2006-05-05.
5. ^ Pien FD, Shrum S, Swenson JM, Hill BC, Thornsberry C, Farmer JJ 3rd (1985). "Colonization of human wounds by Escherichia vulneris and Escherichia hermannii". J Clin Microbiol 22 (2): 283-5. PubMed.
6. ^ Chaudhury A, Nath G, Tikoo A, Sanyal SC (1999). "Enteropathogenicity and antimicrobial susceptibility of new Escherichia spp". J Diarrhoeal Dis Res 17 (2): 85-7. PubMed.