A review of an emerging enteric pathogen: enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

J Med Microbiol. 2006 Oct;55(Pt 10):1303-1311. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.46674-0.

Abstract

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized enteric pathogen. It is a cause of both acute and persistent diarrhoea among children, adults and HIV-infected persons, in both developing and developed countries. In challenge studies, EAEC has caused diarrhoeal illness with the ingestion of 10(10) c.f.u. Outbreaks of diarrhoeal illness due to EAEC have been reported, and linked to the ingestion of contaminated food. Diarrhoeal illness due to EAEC is the result of a complex pathogen-host interaction. Some infections due to EAEC result in diarrhoeal illness and elicit an inflammatory response, whereas other infections do not result in a symptomatic infection. Many putative virulence genes and EAEC strains that produce biofilm have been identified; however, the clinical significance of these genes and of biofilm production has yet to be defined. A -251 AA single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the interleukin (IL)-8 promoter region is reported to increase host susceptibility to EAEC diarrhoea. Ciprofloxacin and rifaximin continue to be an effective treatment in persons infected with EAEC. This review is intended to provide an updated review for healthcare workers on EAEC, an emerging enteric pathogen.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antidiarrheals / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Adhesion
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Diarrhea / complications
  • Diarrhea / drug therapy
  • Diarrhea / epidemiology*
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Escherichia coli / pathogenicity*
  • Escherichia coli / physiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / complications
  • Escherichia coli Infections / diagnosis
  • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / genetics
  • Food Microbiology
  • Genes, Bacterial / physiology
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Global Health
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-8 / genetics
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Virulence
  • Virulence Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antidiarrheals
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Interleukin-8
  • Virulence Factors