infections
Escherichia coli Infections
Introduction
) are a group of Overview of Gram-Negative Bacteria that normally reside in the intestine of healthy people, but some strains can cause infection in the digestive tract, urinary tract, or many other parts of the body. Urinary tract infections are the most common infection caused byE. coli, and people may also develop intestinal infections by eating contaminated food (such as undercooked ground beef), touching infected animals, or swallowing contaminated water. Intestinal infections can cause diarrhea, sometimes severe or bloody, and abdominal pain. Antibiotics can effectively treatE. coliinfections outside the digestive tract and most intestinal infections but are not used to treat intestinal infections by one strain of these bacteria. (See also Overview of Bacteria .) Some strains ofE. colinormally inhabit the digestive tract of healthy people. However, some strains ofE. colihave acquired genes that enable them to cause infection. Themost common infectioncaused byE. coliis Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) None In women,E. coliis the most common cause of Bladder Infection None Other infectionsthat can result fromE. coliinclude the following: Digestive tract (causing Overview of Gastroenteritis ) Infection of the prostate gland ( Prostatitis ) Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) (PID) Gallbladder infection Infections that develop after Appendicitis and Wound infections (including wounds made during surgery) Infections in Pressure Sores None Foot problems in diabetes None Overview of Pneumonia None Meningitis in Children None Bacteremia None ManyE. coliinfections affecting areas outside the digestive tract develop in people who are debilitated, who are staying in a health care facility, or who have taken antibiotics. can cause infections outside the intestine if the intestine is torn or damaged—for example, by an injury or a disorder, such as Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) . Then, the bacteria may leave the intestine and spread to nearby structures that have no defenses against them or they may enter the bloodstream. One strain produces a toxin that causes brief watery diarrhea. This disorder (called Traveler’s Diarrhea ) usually occurs in travelers who consume contaminated food or water in areas where water is not adequately purified. 