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E Coli Infections
E. coli is and abbreviation for Escherichia coli. It is a drink and food borne pathogen that causes severe cramps and is the leading cause of bloody diarrhea, strains, symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatments may be asked and answered here.
513 Questions
What is the most common source of E coli bacteria?
The excrement or stool contains the highest amounts of E-Coli in humans and animals. Improper handwashing after using the bathroom, contamination of fruits through sewer leakage, improper handling during the food processing stage, and other ways E-Coli is transferred, foods can be infected with E-Coli leading to massive digestive tract infections and huge threats to community health. E-Coli outbreaks, for example, have resulted in nationwide recalls of seasonal fruits and vegetables, or in recall of processed foods.
How many people are affected by ecoli per year?
100% of them. They live in the intestines of all of us. If the question is "how many people have been infected by pathological e. coli?", then the answer is in the millions - no accurate number would be possible to obtain, because so many of the infected die in poor third-world countries with nonexistent medical records.
Can E. coli cells be seen with the naked eye?
I'm guessing what you mean to ask is what does E. coli look like under the microscope? It's gram negative so it stains pink. The bacteria is rod shaped and clustered in groups of 2.
Who most susceptible to ecoli?
Ebola is most likely to attack in Africa, where the hospitals are not a equipped as American hospitals are. Also, Africa is Ebola's homeland, where it has preyed on the tribal people of Africa for generations. It lives on monkeys in the African wilderness. However, with Ebola classified as a Level 4 Biosafety Virus, a Class A Bioterrorism Agent, and the deadliest strain has a mortality rate of 90%, many cults have attempted to capture Ebola during epidemics and use it as a weapon. So if they succeed, we may have to change the answer to 'all major cities'.
Normally, E. coli (Escherichia coli) bacteria can be detected in the intestines of human beings and animals.
It can be found in the following places:
1. contaminated food, especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, soft cheeses made from raw milk, and raw fruits and vegetables
2. contaminated water which includes drinking and swimming in contaminated water
3. the bodies and environment of animals
4. the feces of infected people
E. coli in urinary tract infections?
A bladder infection can be caused by many things such as: The most common cause of UTI (Urinary Tract Infections) are bacteria from the bowel that live on the skin near the rectum or in the vagina which can spread and enter the urinary tract through the urethra. Once these bacteria enter the urethra they travel upwards causing infection in the bladder and sometimes other parts of the urinary tract. That is why it is important to wipe front to back. Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections because the female anatomy can make women more prone to urinary tract infections. During sexual intercourse bacteria in the vaginal area is sometimes massaged into the urethra by the motion of the penis. Women who change sexual partners or begin having sexual intercourse more frequently may experience bladder or urinary tract infections more often than women in monogomus relationships. Some women get a urinary tract infection every time they have sex. That is why it is important to wash after intercourse, drink water and urinate to get rid of any bacteria that may be there. Waiting too long to urinate or holding it can also be a cause. The bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. Waiting very long past the time you first feel the need to urinate causes the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity which over time can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder which may increase the risk of urinary tract infection or bladder infection. Pregnancy, having past menopause, diabetes, uncleanliness, perfumes/soaps, douching, yeast infections/other infections, not properly treated from past UTI and just continually reoccurring, STD's are also other possible causes.
All the different kinds of fecal coli bacteria, and all the very similar bacteria that live in the ground (in soil or decaying plants, of which the most common is Enterobacter aerogenes), are grouped together under the name coliform bacteria. Technically, the "coliform group" is defined to be all the aerobic and facultative anaerobic, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that ferment lactose with the production of gas within 48 hours at 35 �C (95 �F). In the body, this gas is released as flatulence. E. coli cells are elongated, 1�2 �m in length and 0.1�0.5 �m in diameter. As Gram-negative organisms, coli are unable to sporulate. Thus, treatments which kill all active bacteria, such as Pasteurization or simply boiling, are effective for their eradication, without requiring the more rigorous sterilization which also deactivates spores. As part of their adaptation to mammalian intestines, coli grow best at the higher temperatures characteristic of such an environment, rather than the cooler temperatures found in the soil or other environment.
Strains
A strain of E. coli is a sub-group within the species that has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other E. coli strains. These differences are often detectable only at the molecular level; however, they may result in changes to the physiology or lifecycle of the bacterium. For example, a strain may gain pathogenic capacity, the ability to use a unique carbon source, the ability to take upon a particular ecological niche or the ability to resist antimicrobial agents. Different strains of E. coli are often host-specific, making it possible to determine the source of fecal contamination in environmental samples. For example, knowing which E. coli strains are present in a water sample allows to make assumptions about whether the contamination originated from a human, another mammal or a bird.
New strains of E. coli evolve through the natural biological process of mutation, and some strains develop traits that can be harmful to a host animal. These virulent strains typically cause a bout of diarrhea that is unpleasant in healthy adults and is often lethal to children in the developing world. More virulent strains, such as O157:H7 cause serious illness or death in the elderly, the very young or the immunocompromised.
Biology and biochemistry
E. coli is Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic and non-sporulating. Cells are typically rod-shaped and are about 2 micrometres (μm) long and 0.5 μm in diameter, with a cell volume of 0.6 - 0.7 μm3. It can live on a wide variety of substrates. E. coli uses mixed-acid fermentation in anaerobic conditions, producing lactate, succinate, ethanol, acetate and carbon dioxide. Since many pathways in mixed-acid fermentation produce hydrogen gas, these pathways require the levels of hydrogen to be low, as is the case when E. coli lives together with hydrogen-consuming organisms such as methanogens or sulfate-reducing bacteria.
Optimal growth of E. coli occurs at 37°C but some laboratory strains can multiply at temperatures of up to 49°C. Growth can be driven by aerobic or anaerobic respiration, using a large variety of redox pairs, including the oxidation of pyruvic acid, formic acid, hydrogen and amino acids, and the reduction of substrates such as oxygen, nitrate, dimethyl sulfoxide and trimethylamine N-oxide.
Strains that possess flagella can swim and are motile. The flagella have a peritrichous arrangement.
E. coli and related bacteria possess the ability to transfer DNA via bacterial conjugation, transduction or transformation, which allows genetic material to spread horizontally through an existing population. This process led to the spread of the gene encoding shiga toxin from Shigella to E. coli O157:H7, carried by a bacteriophage.
Role as normal flora
E. coli normally colonizes an infant's gastrointestinal tract within 40 hours of birth, arriving with food or water or with the individuals handling the child. In the bowel, it adheres to the mucus of the large intestine. It is the primary facultative organism of the human gastrointestinal tract. As long as these bacteria do not acquire genetic elements encoding for virulence factors, they remain benign commensals.
Therapeutic use of nonpathogenic E. coli
Nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 is used as a probiotic agent in medicine, mainly for the treatment of various gastroenterological diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease.
Role in disease
Virulent strains of E. coli can cause gastroentritis, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis. In rarer cases, virulent strains are also responsible for hæmolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), peritonitis, mastitis, septicemia and Gram-negative pneumonia.
Gastrointestinal infection
Certain strains of E. coli, such as O157:H7, O121 and O104:H21, produce potentially-lethal toxins. Food poisoning caused by E. coli is usually caused by eating unwashed vegetables or undercooked meat. O157:H7 is also notorious for causing serious and even life-threatening complications like hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). This particular strain is linked to the 2006 United States E. coli outbreak of fresh spinach. Severity of the illness varies considerably; it can be fatal, particularly to young children, the elderly or the immunocompromised, but is more often mild. Earlier, poor hygienic methods of preparing meat in Scotland killed seven people in 1996 due to E. coli poisoning, and left hundreds more infected. E. coli can harbor both heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxins. The latter, termed LT, contains one "A" subunit and five "B" subunits arranged into one holotoxin, and is highly similar in structure and function to Cholera toxins. The B subunits assist in adherence and entry of the toxin into host intestinal cells, while the A subunit is cleaved and prevents cells from absorbing water, causing diarrhea. LT is secreted by the Type 2 secretion pathway.
If E. coli bacteria escape the intestinal tract through a perforation (for example from an ulcer, a ruptured appendix, or a surgical error) and enter the abdomen, they usually cause peritonitis that can be fatal without prompt treatment. However, E. coli are extremely sensitive to such antibiotics as streptomycin or gentamicin. This could change since, as noted below, E. coli quickly acquires drug resistance. Recent research suggests that treatment with antibiotics does not improve the outcome of the disease, and may in fact significantly increase the chance of developing haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
Intestinal mucosa-associated E. coli are observed in increased numbers in the inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.Invasive strains of E. coliexist in high numbers in the inflamed tissue, and the number of bacteria in the inflamed regions correlates to the severity of the bowel inflammation.
What is the death rate from E-coli?
According to Wikipedia, in the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated tat during 2000-2007, there were 47.8 million foodborne illnesses (16,000 cases for 100,000 inhabitants) per year from ALL sources, including bacteria such as E.coli, viruses, and accidental ingestion of poisons such as posionous mushrooms.
- 127,839 were hospitalized (43 per 100,000 inhabitants);
- 3,037 people died (1.0 per 100,000 inhabitants.).
Incidence of foodborne illness in U. S.
Cause
Annual cases
Rate
(per 100,000 inhabitants)
1
Norovirus
5,461,731 cases
X
2
Salmonella
1,027,561 cases
X
3
Clostridium perfringens
965,958 cases
X
4
Campylobacter
845,024 cases
X
Incidence of death by foodborne illness in U. S.
Cause
Annual deaths
Rate
(per 100,000 inhabitants)
1
Salmonella
378 cases
0.126
2
Toxoplasma gondii
327 cases
0.109
3
Listeria
255 cases
0.085
4
Norovirus
149 cases
0.050
it is an outbreak diseaseWhat is lac operon in E. coli?
The lac operon is a place on the DNA that binds to the DNA to stop the production of the RNA sequence to code for lactase (breaks down lactose) or binds to lactase to let the production of the RNA sequence to proceed.
Diarrhea and vomiting caused in babies by E.coli bacteria
Is the e coli outbreak involving romain lettuce over?
As of my last knowledge update in October 2023, I cannot provide real-time information on current events, including specific outbreaks. To determine whether the E. coli outbreak involving romaine lettuce is over, it is best to consult reliable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or local health departments for the latest updates and safety recommendations.
What is the cell wall of ecoli made of?
The cell wall of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is primarily composed of peptidoglycan, a polymer made up of sugar chains cross-linked by peptide bridges. This structure provides rigidity and shape to the bacterium, helping it withstand osmotic pressure. Additionally, E. coli's outer membrane contains lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which contribute to its defensive properties and can trigger immune responses in hosts.
Difference between SDH and PDH stransmission?
- SDH and PDH are two digital hierarchies in which different line speeds (e.g. E1, T1, STM1) are categorized.
- PDH (plesiosynchronous digital hierarchy) was replaced by SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) due to its drawback in synchronisation where plesio refers to nearlysynchronous.
- E1, T1 and J1 are generally categorized under PDH. STM1, OC3, STM4, OC12 etc. are categorized under SDH.
- E1 is used worldwide nowadays in 2G technologies except North America and Japan (who are using T1 and J1 respectively). It is the line speed of 2Mbps. But how this speed comes along? The derivation is as follows.
- The audio signals were sampled and converted to digital signal at 64kbps, since 1960s for digital transmission of voice calls. When 32 channels (30 assigned for voice channels and 2 channels for framing and signaling), with each having speed of 64kbps are put together (or we call multiplexing), a line speed of E1, i.e. 2Mbps is produced by having 32 x 64kbps = 2.048Mbps.
- T1 line, which transmits at 1.544 Mbps can be interconnected with E1 for international use.
- Having 3 different speeds (E1, T1 and J1), PDH was later replaced by SDH in order to standardize the speed, making only 1 standard speed worldwide, which is STM1 having the speed of 155.52Mbps.
E.coli can be helpful and harmful at the same time if you know what i mean. E.coli produces a toxin that can be very harmful to people. Also,e.coli is helpful because it help digest your food.
Will exposure to sunlight kill e.coli?
Yes, exposure to sunlight can help kill E. coli bacteria due to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation present in sunlight. UV light damages the DNA of the bacteria, inhibiting their ability to reproduce and causing cell death. However, the effectiveness depends on factors such as the intensity of sunlight, duration of exposure, and environmental conditions. While sunlight can reduce E. coli levels, it may not eliminate all bacteria, so proper sanitation methods are still essential.
How does Ecoli poisoning occur?
E. coli poisoning usually occurs from eating food or drinking water contaminated by feces. Only certain strains of E. coli are pathogenic however.
