What is so special about E.coli O157: H7
E.coli normally lives in the guts of humans, some animals and the environment as well, a commensal unless triggered, but what makes this specific strain so virulent??
Recent outbreak of E.coli O157: H7 led to the death of 1 and sickened 49 and hospitalised 10.
But, what makes it so dangerous?
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major foodborne zoonotic pathogen causing severe disease in humans worldwide. Healthy cattle are a reservoir of E. coli O157:H7, and bovine food products and fresh produce contaminated with bovine waste are the most common sources of disease outbreaks.
Its ability to adapt to the environment and produce
1. Shiga Toxin:
a toxin that causes hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) excretion of blood along with urine.
2. Enterocyte Effacements:
Triggered by a set of genes in bacteria that causes lesions on brush borders and microvilli of the small intestine.
3. F - like plasmid pO157:
Extrachromosomal DNA produces various virulence factors that help the bacteria to colonise in the animal intestine and provide resistance to bactericidal effects.
In summary, E. coli O157:H7 is special due to its ability to cause severe illness through toxin production, its association with HUS, its transmission routes, and its significant impact on public health. Let's not take food safety lightly! When it impacts, the repercussions reach far and wide.