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.

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.