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Enteropathogenic and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence Gene Regulation

2007; American Society for Microbiology; Volume: 75; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1128/iai.01927-06

1098-5522

Jay L. Mellies, Alex Barron, Anna M. Carmona,

Vibrio bacteria research studies

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide (18, 60, 63). Though these E. coli pathotypes are genetically related, many features of their epidemiology, their pathogenesis, and the niches they occupy within the human host are unique. EPEC causes profuse watery diarrhea, primarily in children under the age of 2 years, and mostly affects individuals residing in developing countries. In contrast, adults and children infected by EHEC bacteria can suffer from either bloody or nonbloody diarrhea, and in a small percentage of cases a life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) occurs. Many patients with HUS experience long-term renal damage, and they often require dialysis or kidney transplantation. EHEC produces Shiga toxins (Stx), which can cause damage to renal endothelial cells, resulting in HUS, while EPEC bacteria do not possess stx (72). EHEC disease appears in primarily industrialized nations yet causes fewer disease outbreaks in developing countries. This observation has been anecdotally attributed to immunological cross-protection from the related EPEC bacteria prevalent in the less developed regions of the world. There are two additional important differences that distin