Enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli and diarrhoea

Enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli are important causes of bacterial gastroenteritis with the potential for progression to more serious syndromes, especially in the case of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli. Consequently, recent developments in molecular epidemiology and treatment regimens have focused on enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, while the similar initial pathogenic mechanisms of both enterohaemorrhagic and enteropathogenic E. coli continue to be investigated in detail. The carriage of most E. coli virulence determinants on pathogenicity islands, plasmids or phages allows the rapid evolution of these pathotypes, which need to be monitored closely.