Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) are an increasingly important cause of diarrhoea. E. coli belonging to this category cause watery diarrhoea, which is often persistent and can be inflammatory. EAEC have been implicated in sporadic diarrhoea in children and adults, in both developing and developed countries, and have been identified as the cause of several outbreaks worldwide. EAEC are defined by their ability to adhere to epithelial cells in a characteristic "stacked-brick" pattern but are otherwise highly heterogeneous. Genes that could contribute to the pathogenicity of EAEC encode adhesins, toxins, and other factors, all of which are only partially conserved. Practicable tools are needed to improve diagnosis and identify risk factors. EAEC-infected individuals can be treated with fluoroquinolones but there is a need to examine alternative treatment protocols.
Okeke
I N
IN
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. i.n.okeke@bradford.ac.uk
Nataro
J P
JP
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D010957:Plasmids; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; C027538:heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli