title: Therapeutic strategies for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infections.
abstract: Shiga toxin (Verocytotoxin)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC or VTEC) causes serious gastrointestinal infections in humans, including diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, and may lead to life-threatening sequelae such as the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The triennial 'VTEC' meetings provide a multidisciplinary forum for presentation of the latest research on all aspects of STEC, with sessions addressing epidemiology of human disease, animal reservoirs and transmission of STEC via the food chain, mechanisms of pathogenesis and host response, and control and prevention strategies. Management of patients with STEC disease can be challenging, particularly since conventional antibiotic therapy is contraindicated because it is believed to increase the risk of complications by promoting release of Shiga toxin by STEC in the gut. Accordingly, this report will focus on papers presented at the meeting that addressed development of alternative therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Trisha J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D005915:Globosides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014281:Trihexosylceramides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005915:Globosides; D014281:Trihexosylceramides; D037521:Virulence Factors; C514780:globotrihexosylceramide; D022621:Shiga Toxin