Special Issue: Pathogenic Escherichia coli: Infections and Therapies
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Escherichia coli is a facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium from the
Enterobacteriaceae family that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded
animals shortly after birth, and it is a lifelong colonizer of adults. This species persists as
a harmless commensal in the mucous layer, interacting with the host in a mutualistic
manner. However, there are certain strains with pathogenic properties that can cause
disease, and, in turn, nonpathogenic intestinal E. coli can eventually cause or contribute to
disease in compromised hosts