Role in Disease
Virulent strains of E. coli can cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis. In rarer cases, virulent strains are also responsible for hemolytic-uremic syndrome, peritonitis, mastitis, septicemia and Gram-negative pneumonia.
UPEC (uropathogenic E. coli) is one of the main causes of urinary tract infections. It is part of the normal flora in the gut and can be introduced many ways. In particular for females, the direction of wiping after defecation (wiping back to front) can lead to fecal contamination of the urogenital orifices. Anal sex can also introduce this bacteria into the male urethra, and in switching from anal to vaginal intercourse the male can also introduce UPEC to the female urogenital system. For more info see databases at the end of the article or UPEC pathogenicity.
Read more about this topic: Escherichia Coli
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—Anonymous Stepparent. Making It as a Stepparent, by Claire Berman, introduction (1980, repr. 1986)
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