Enteropathoge nicity and antimicrobial susceptibility of new escherichia spp

A very specific and technical topic!

Enteropathogenicity and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of New Escherichia spp.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a common commensal bacterium that can also cause a range of diseases, from mild diarrhea to life-threatening infections. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) is a specific serotype of E. coli that is known to cause diarrhea in humans, particularly in children. In recent years, new Escherichia species have been discovered, which have raised concerns about their potential to cause disease and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

New Escherichia species

Several new Escherichia species have been identified in recent years, including:

  1. Escherichia albertii: This species was first described in 2009 and has been associated with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and sepsis.
  2. Escherichia fergusonii: This species was first described in 2011 and has been associated with urinary tract infections and sepsis.
  3. Escherichia marmotae: This species was first described in 2014 and has been associated with diarrhea and urinary tract infections.

Enteropathogenicity

Enteropathogenicity refers to the ability of a bacterium to cause disease in the gastrointestinal tract. EPEC is known to cause diarrhea in humans, particularly in children, through the production of a type III secretion system (T3SS) that delivers effector proteins into host cells. These effector proteins disrupt the host cell cytoskeleton, leading to the formation of characteristic attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions on the intestinal epithelial cells.

The new Escherichia species mentioned above have also been found to possess T3SS and A/E lesions, suggesting that they may also be enteropathogenic. For example, E. albertii has been shown to cause diarrhea in humans and to produce A/E lesions in vitro. Similarly, E. fergusonii has been found to produce A/E lesions in vitro and to cause diarrhea in animals.

Antimicrobial susceptibility

Antimicrobial susceptibility refers to the ability of a bacterium to resist the effects of antibiotics. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a major public health concern, as it can lead to treatment failures and increased morbidity and mortality.

The new Escherichia species have been found to have varying levels of antimicrobial susceptibility. For example, E. albertii has been found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and ampicillin. E. fergusonii has been found to be susceptible to most antibiotics, but some isolates have been found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. E. marmotae has been found to be susceptible to most antibiotics, but some isolates have been found to be resistant to ampicillin and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the new Escherichia species have raised concerns about their potential to cause disease and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Further research is needed to fully understand the enteropathogenicity and antimicrobial susceptibility of these bacteria, as well as to develop effective treatments and prevention strategies.