Genus:

Enterobacteriaceae
Species:

Escherichia coli

Morphology:

Gram

Negative Rod.
Grows

as fermenting
colonies with some beta
hemolysis upon initial
isolation.
Motile:

Non-pigmented

Temperature : Mesophile
10*C, 37*C, 45*C

pH : Prefer Neutral Environment

Oxygen : Facultative Anaerobe

Reservoir : Cattle, Humans, Soil, Water

Normal Flora : Most predominant organism of the

Large Intestine. Ordinarily Non-pathogenic, but can be
opportunistic

E. coli was discovered by Dr. Theodor Escherich,

who discovered this bacterium in 1885.

It belongs to the Family Enterobacteriaceae.

From Greek word enterikos (intestines)

These organisms happily inhabit the intestinal

tract of most warm blooded animals.

Bacteria normally live in the intestines of

healthy people and animals.

Most varieties of E. coli are harmless or cause

relatively brief diarrhea.

But a few particularly nasty strains, such as E.

coli O157:H7, can cause severe abdominal
cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.

E. coli colonizes the bowel of the average

human fetus within 40 hours of birth.

In newborn infants, most of the bacteria present

are E. coli.

There are approximately 107 (10,000,000)

E.
coli bacteria per 1 gram of an adult humans
intestine.

Only 0.1% of the total bacteria in the adult

human intestine are E. coli.

Can be used to
indicate the
possible presence
of bacteria that
may be harmful to
human health

Other indicators
of water quality
test for things
like sediment and
fertilizers.

1)

Protects the
intestinal tract from
bacterial infections

2) Aids

in digestion

3) Produces

our main
source of vitamins
B12 and K

4) Protects

the
intestinal tract from
bacterial infections

While most E. coli are

good for you, there are a
few strains of E. coli that
are harmful to humans.

~ 5 billion bacteria in
your intestines alone.

It is possible to get an
individual strain of E. coli
that is harmful to you.

Most notorious strain of bad

E. coli

Produces a powerful toxin

and can cause severe
illness

Most dangerous for little

kids, the elderly, and the
sick.

Damages the intestines,

causes bloody diarrhea, and
other complications

Undercooked meat

Unpasteurized milk,
apple juice, and orange
juice

Swimming in or
drinking water
contaminated with
sewage

Bacteria in the diarrhea of infected persons

can be passed on if their hands are not
washed well.
Unwashed vegetables and
fruits

Pili
Capsule
Endotoxins
Exotoxins
2 Enterotoxins :
Heat-labile toxins (LT) acts by stimulating
adenylate cyclase
Heat-stable toxins (ST) acts by stimulating
guanylate cyclase.

Intestinal tract Infection:

Infantile Diarrhea
Travellers Diarrhea

Systemic Infection:
Urinary Tract Infection (Cystitis, Uretritis)
Pyelonephritis
Neonatal meningitis
Nosocomial (hospital-acquired sepsis)

Enterotoxigenic

E.coli: cause by a severe

diarrheal illness brought by two enterotoxins that
stimulates hightened secretions and fluid loss.
Enteroinvasive

E.coli: cause an inflammatory

disease simillar to Shigella dysentery that involves
invasion and ulceration of mucosa of the large
intestine.

 Enteropathogenic

E.coli: are linked to a

wasting form of an infantile diarrhea.

Enterohemorrhagic

E.coli: causes a bloody

diarrhea and hemorrhagic syndrome that
can cause permanent damage to the kidney.

Replacing the fluid loss resulting from

diarrhea and vomitting.

Antibacterial drugs (antibiotic or

sulfonamide)

Cell Structure and Metabolism

Motile
rod-shaped cells, some of
which are encapsulated.
also possess peritrichous
flagella.
facultative anaerobes,
someEnterobacterbacteria
ferment both glucose and
lactose as a carbon source. Gas
is produced from the metabolic
processes, but they do not
produce hydrogen sulfide.

Higher order taxa:

Bacteria; Proteobacteria;
Gammaproteobacteria;
Enterobacteriales;
Enterbacteriaceae
Species:
Enterobacter aerogenes; E.
amnigenus; E. asburiae;
E. cancerogenus; E.
cloacae; E. cowanii; E.
dissolvens; E. gergoviae;
E. hormaechei; E.
intermedius; E. kobei; E.
nimipressuralis; E.
pyrinus; E. sakazakii;
Enterobacter sp.

Description and Significance

Enterobacter bacteria are nosocomial
opportunistic pathogens that are causing
more infections: 5% of hospital-acquired
septicemias, 5% of nosocomial pneumonias,
4% of nosocomial urinary tract infections, and
10% of postsurgicalperitonitis cases (list from
Hoffmann and Roggenkamp 2003).
These bacteria also have some usefulness to
humans, however; for example,Enterobacter
cloacaeis used in biological control of plant
diseases (Anaesthetist).

found on human skin and

plants as well as in soil,
water, sewage, intestinal
tracts of humans and
animals, and some dairy
products.
some species
ofEnterobacter, such
asEnterobactersakazakii,a
re opportunistic human
pathogens.
Enterobacter cloacaeA-11
and similar bacteria can be
found on cucumber and
radish seeds as well as
peas, soybeans, sunflowers,
and sweet corn seeds.

Symptoms of Enterobacter infections :

Bacteremia
lower respiratory tract infections
skin infections
soft tissue infections
urinary tract infections
UTI
Endocarditis
intraabdominal infections,
septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and
ophthalmic infections.

infections can be contracted

endogenously via colonization of
the skin, gastrointestinal tract, or
urinary tract or exogenously from
the "ubiquitous nature of these
bacteria" (Sinave).
the hands of personnel, intravenous
solutions, endoscopes, blood
products, devices for monitoring
intra-arterial pressure, and
stethoscopes have been deemed
the source for the infection.
(Sinave)
One specific species of this
bacteria, Enterobacter sakazakii,
is well-known for causing infections
in infants who were fed milk-based
powered infant formulas.

Nosocomial infections : most frequent type

ofEnterobacter infections, but communityacquired infections are sometimes observed.
usually infects people who stay in the hospital,
especially on the ICU, for long periods of time.
as well as people how have used many
antimicrobial agents, have serious underlying
conditions (eg: diabetes, malignancies, burns,
mechanical ventilation, etc.),
use foreign devices such as intravenous
catheters, and immunosuppression.

a "yellow pigmented Enterobacter

cloacae" until 1980, survives when the
contaminated powered formula is heated
and prepared.
Since it has caused several outbreaks of
infection in the past, baby formulas are now
effectively screened forE. sakazakii before
they are sold.
infections caused in infants are neonatal
meningitis, sepsis, and necrotizing
enterocolitis; the reported case-fatality rate
varies from 40-80% among infants who
contract this bacterial infection