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E. coli is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobe, nonsporulating coliform bacterium. [18] Cells are typically rod-shaped, and are about 2.0 μm long and 0.25–1.0 μm in diameter, with a cell volume of 0.6–0.7 μm 3. [19] [20] [21] E. coli stains gram-negative because its cell wall is composed of a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane.
Escherichia coli have an incubation period of 12–72 hours with the optimal growth temperature being 37 °C. Unlike the general coliform group, E. coli are almost exclusively of fecal origin and their presence is thus an effective confirmation of fecal contamination. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but some can cause serious illness in ...
Referred to as E. coli O157:H7 or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), this strain of E. coli can be particularly dangerous and even life-threatening. The primary sources of STEC outbreaks are ...
Escherichia coli is one of the most important model organisms, and its genetics and biochemistry have been closely studied. Some enterobacteria are important pathogens, e.g. Salmonella, or Shigella e.g. because they produce endotoxins. Endotoxins reside in the cell wall and are released when the cell dies and the cell wall disintegrates.
One way E. coli is spread is when feces contaminate food and water. Since animals can potentially carry pathogenic E. coli, touching animals, such as at a petting zoo, can potentially put you at risk.
E. coli bacteria often carry multiple drug resistance plasmids, and under stress, readily transfer those plasmids to other species. Mixing of species in the intestines allows E. coli to accept and transfer plasmids from and to other bacteria. Thus, E. coli and the other enterobacteria are important reservoirs of transferable antibiotic ...
An outbreak of E. coli in the fall of 2024 linked to organic carrots sickened 48 people in 19 states, killing one. Another linked to onions served in McDonald's burgers sickened more than 100 ...
Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) Fecal–oral [48] through food and water [33] Direct physical contact [33] Traveller's diarrhea [33] [48] Enteropathogenic E. coli: Vertical, in utero or at birth [33] Diarrhea in infants [33] Enteroinvasive E.coli (EIEC) Fecal–oral [62] bloody diarrhea and fever [48] Enterohemorrhagic (EHEC), including E. coli ...