title: Escherichia coli O157: Insights into the adaptive stress physiology and the influence of stressors on epidemiology and ecology of this human pathogen.
abstract: Escherichia coli O157, a foodborne pathogen of major concern for public health, has been associated with numerous outbreaks of haemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome worldwide. Human infection with E. coli O157 has been primarily associated with the food-chain transmission route. This transmission route commonly elicits a multi-faceted adaptive stress response of E. coli O157 for an extended period of time prior to human infection. Several recent research articles have indicated that E. coli O157:H7 has evolved unique survival characteristics which can affect the epidemiology and ecology of this zoonotic pathogen. This review article summarizes the recent knowledge of the molecular responses of E. coli O157 to the most common stressors found within the human food chain, and further emphasizes the influence of these stressors on the epidemiology and ecology of E. coli O157.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Food and Bioproducts Sciences , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Sinisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vidovic
authors.affiliation: a Department of Food and Bioproducts Sciences , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Darren R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Korber
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D058639:Cold-Shock Response; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000502:physiology*; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013312:Stress, Physiological
keywords: Escherichia coli O157; homeoviscous adaptation; molecular chaperones; public health; stress response