Escherichia coli
Most strains of Escherichia coli form part of the normal intestinal microflora in humans and warm-blooded animals. However, some strains have the ability to cause disease in humans through the presence of specific virulence factors.
These diseases include food poisoning, eg E. coli O157, or infections outside the intestinal tract such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), and bacteraemia. E. coli are also becoming an important reservoir of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs).
Photo: Dr. M.S. Mitchell / CDC
National Outbreak of Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 infection associated with lemon and coriander chicken wraps in England & Wales - June-July 2007 (PDF, 294 KB)Related Information
- Escherichia, Shigella, Yersinia & Vibrio (ESYV) Reference Unit
- Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring & Reference Laboratory (ARMRL)
- E. coli bacteraemia references
- ESBL references
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Bacteraemia
- Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157
- Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs)