With that being said, there are a multitude of virulence factors associated with E. coli. Several traits have been added to this bacteria, such as genes that code for a toxin, virulent enzymes, and traits that help bacteria avoid phagocytosis, all of which began from the transfer of genes to nearby bacteria (1,3). The most common virulence factor is associated with processes of adding DNA from other bacteria (1). Antigens such as the O and H antigens, which are found in the cell membrane and flagella, lead to different strains of E. coli (1). In addition, E. coli have fimbria which are hair like structures that enable them to attach to the intestine and eventually form a biofilm which then begins to multiply (3). Without fimbria, this attachment …show more content…
There are over 500 strains of E. coli, and many can cause urinary tract infections, gastroentinitis, neonatal meningitis and some strains produce enterotoxins that cause traveler’s diarrhea (1,2,3). Insidious E.coli strands can be obtained from society in an abundance of ways. To begin with, improper food handling can cause contamination. Simple steps such as not washing hands, unsanitary cooking utensils, foods left out too long, and foods that are not cooked at the right temperature or are left out too long are all ways that one can obtain E.coli, not just in a restaurant, but in one’s own home (2). Also, someone can get E.coli through person to person. If someone had just had a recent bowel movement, the bacteria spreads as they touch their surroundings (2). Finally, animals have a high risk for infection and can pass on diseases when touched (1). Normally, E. coli is treated through healthy practices such as hydration, rest, and proper hand hygiene (2,3). Needless to say, E.coli is a prevalent microbe that continues to evolve and change to the medication it is exposed to. There are plenty of benfits to E. coli and there are some strains that can be detrimental to our
ABSTRACT: Water samples from local ponds and lakes and snow runoff were collected and tested for coliform as well as Escherichia coli. Humans as well as animals come into contact with these areas, some are used for recreational activities such as swimming and some are a source of drinking water for both animals and humans The main goal of this experiment was to see which lakes, snow run off and ponds tested positive for coliform or Escherichia coli and to come up with some reasoning as to why. It was found that the more remote pond with less contact contained the most Escherichia coli. However, another lake that many swim in and use as their drinking water indeed tested positive for a small amount of Escherichia coli. The two samples from the snow showed negative results for both coliform and Escherichia coli and the two more public ponds that aren’t as commonly used as a source of human drinking water but animal drinking water tested in the higher range for coliforms but in the little to no Escherichia coli range. It was concluded that the remote pond should be avoided as it’s not a safe source of drinking water for humans or animals. Other than that, the the other ponds are likely to be safe from Escherichia coli, but coliforms are a risk factor.
Background Information and Research: Inserting a gene from the Aequorea victoria jelly fish into the DNA of rabbits, pigs, and mice genetically modifies them to glow-in-the-dark. The production of specific genes are coded by genes. This particular type of jelly fish naturally glows in the dark because a gene coded for a green fluorescent protein (GFP). The goal of genetically modifying organisms is to have the modified organism produce a protein that has been coded by the inserted gene thus causing the modified organism to express the new trait. Genetically modifying organisms is important because it has had health benefits in the development of vaccines. E.coli is a rod-shaped bacteria that is a part of the Escherichia genus and is commonly found in the intestines. When demonstrating how to genetically modify an organism, E.coli bacteria is commonly used because it is a simple organism whose process for protein production, gene expression, is the same as a complex organisms’ process. In this experiment, a GFP was inserted into E.coli as well as a gene that causes E.coli’s resistance to ampicillin. Half of the agar plates that the bacteria was growing on had ampicillin. Ampicillin kills E.coli, so the successfully modified bacteria will have been grown on those ampicillin plates. Plasmids contain genes that are resistant to antibiotic ampicillin; scientists have used plasmids in the manipulation of genes. Plasmids were used because it is resistant to the ampicillin used, so if the bacteria was
E. coli are bacteria that can cause an infection in various parts of your body, including your intestines. E. coli bacteria normally live in the intestines of people and animals. Most types of E. coli do not cause infections, but some produce a poison (toxin) that can cause diarrhea. Depending on the toxin, this can cause mild or severe diarrhea.
Escherichia coli, which is the most common bacillus of the human intestine is only about two micrometers long. Propelled by long whip like threads called flagellum, which is a singular flagellum, an E coli can move about ten times its own length in one second. Swimming seems easy for a creature virtually unaffected by a gravitational forces and moving through a easily yielding and supporting fluid. Howard C. Berg demonstrated how flagella operate compared to the bacterium that move in water to try and swim through asphalt. The bacteria cannot move because if its flagella stops moving it comes to an abrupt stop within about a millionth of its body length. The flagella works good in some circumstances. Berg modified the microscope to track individual
Viruses in the ocean, as products of human activities, are potentially dangerous contaminants of many coastal waters. Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of man and warm- and cold-blooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food. A specific subgroup of this collection is the fecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being Escherichia coli or E.Coli. These organisms may be separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the fecal material or warm-blooded animals. Fecal Coliform is the bacterium that forms in water from fece of humans and other warm-blooded animals. These types of feces can enter directly by animals, such as birds, by discharging into river. Feces also enter water by agricultural and storm run off carrying animal waste, and human sewage discharge.(www.stale.ky.us) The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in aquatic environments indicates that the water has been contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals. Fecal coliform is not dangerous itself. Its the pathogens that may be found along with fecal coliform that is harmful. Human pathogenic viruses are not only found in the millions of gallons of variously treated human wastes dumped directly into coastal waters from sewage outfalls, but also from runoff from numberous storm drain sewers. Fecal coliform measures are important because they can help determine the probability of contracting a disease from the water. So, the more fecal coliform, the higher the probability of a disease causing bacteria being found in the water.
E. Coli and other foodborne illnesses are something that should be of major concern to everybody, becasue nobody is safe from it. It is not something that can be prevented or
During the event of a communicable disease outbreak, as a human services administrator, I would take all of the necessary steps to communicate to youths, parents and medical staff in a timely and efficient manner. My priority would be to isolate the disease as much as possible and to assist those that have been infected with getting the treatment that they need (Graham-Clay, 2005). In the event that there is an outbreak of a disease such as E-coli within a local high school, I would begin by notifying the medical staff immediately. Considering the fact that Ecoli is a food borne illness, it is considered to be a public health crisis and should be handled as such. There are three recognized phases of a crisis: prevention, preparedness, and recovery. Each of these phases requires planned communication strategies. An outbreak often creates a high-emotion, low-trust situation (Heymann, 2004).
E. Coli 0157, written by Mary Heersink, is a nerve-racking, adrenaline-filled story of a mother's experience with a then unknown deadly bacteria. The book brings up many reactions in its readers, especially the questioning of the practice of doctors in hospitals. The reader's knowledge base of scientific procedures in emergency centers was widened as well as the knowledge of how to the human body reacts to different agents in its system.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an extremely dangerous pathogen that lives in the ocean. Vibrio is known to be an extremely motile and are used to various environments with fluctuating calcium concentrations (Gode-Potratz, Chodur, McCarter). Vibrio’s ability to move extremely efficiently and be able to survive in multiple environments allows for this pathogen to be extremely flexible and infect individuals multiple ways. Thus that is why Vibrio is the leading cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis worldwide (Gode-Potratz, Chodur, McCarter). Vibrio’s ability to be diverse and unique with its outer membrane proteins is what allows it to be a good test subject in understanding how genes are turned on and off in various environments. Therefore, if we
Reidl J. and Klose K. 2002. Vibrio cholerae and cholera: out of the water and into the host. FEMS Microbiology Reviews 26, 125-139. Rertieved from: http://ezproxy.library.nu.edu.kz:2126/doi/10.1111/j.1574-6976.2002.tb00605.x/pdf
E. coli or Escherichia coli is a prokaryotic cell found the in lower digestive track of mammals and other warm blooded animals. E. coli is an easy bacteria to work with as it doubles quickly and is relatively easy to grow; millions of cells can be grown in several hours (Biotechnology Learning Hub 2014). E. coli is an ideal bacterium in the lab because it does not require its temperature to be too hot, too cold, or too precise (Biotechnology Learning Hub 2014). A general warm temperature is perfect for this bacterium. E. coli is also easy to care for it does not need a specific type of nutrient, in a lab setting it can be feed any agar, making the bacteria over all cheaper to care for. Strains of E. coli can also operate in aerobic or anaerobic environments (Koh et al. 2007).
E. Coli is a class of bacteria that is often found in the intestines of humans beings and animals. Most strains of E. Coli are harmless but they are few that can cause intense stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to kidney failure. The Taco Bell E. Coli outbreak began in November 2006 in New Jersey. This outbreak sickened seventy-one individuals mainly in the NorthEast. Taco Bell originally blamed the E. Coli outbreak on the green onions they were currently serving; this was inaccurate. The actual culprit was the lettuce they served to customers. In this crisis, it was imperative for Taco Bell to respond to the public’s demands in a timely manner which they struggled to accomplish. In this essay, I will analyze how Taco Bell navigated and communicated in this crisis.
Bacterial cells, like plant cells, are surrounded by a cell wall. However, bacterial cell walls are made up of polysaccharide chains linked to amino acids, while plant cell walls are made up of cellulose, which contains no amino acids. Many bacteria secrete a slimy capsule around the outside of the cell wall. The capsule provides additional protection for the cell. Many of the bacteria that cause diseases in animals are surrounded by a capsule. The capsule prevents the white blood cells and antibodies from destroying the invading bacterium. Inside the capsule and the cell wall is the cell membrane. In aerobic bacteria, the reactions of cellular respiration take place on fingerlike infoldings of the cell membrane. Ribosomes are scattered throughout the cytoplasm, and the DNA is generally found in the center of the cell. Many bacilli and spirilla have flagella, which are used for locomotion in water. A few types of bacteria that lack flagella move by gliding on a surface. However, the mechanism of this gliding motion is unknown. Most bacteria are aerobic, they require free oxygen to carry on cellular respiration. Some bacteria, called facultatibe anaerobes can live in either the presence or absence of free oxygen. They obtain energy either by aerobic respiration when oxygen is present or by fermentation when oxygen is absent. Still other bacteria cannot live in the presence of oxygen. These are called obligate anaerobes. Such bacteria obtain energy only fermentation. Through fermentation, different groups of bacteria produce a wide variety of organic compounds. Besides ethyl alcohol and lactic acid, bacterial fermentation can produce acetic acid, acetone, butyl alcohol, glycol, butyric acid, propionic acid, and methane, the main component of natural gas. Most bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria are either saprophytes or parasites. Saprophytes feed on the remains of dead plants and animals, and ordinarily do not cause disease. They release digestive enzymes onto the organic matter. The enzymes breakdown the large food molecules into smaller molecules, which are absorbed by the bacterial cells. Parasites live on or in living organisms, and may cause disease. A few types of bacteria are Autotrophic, they can synthesize the organic nutrients they require from inorganic substances. Autotrophic bacteria are either photosynthetic or Chemosynthetic. The photosynthetic bacteria contain chlorophyll that are different from the plant chlorophyll. In bacterial photosynthesis, hydrogen is obtained by the splitting of compounds other than water.
Produced by the bacteria, vibrio cholerae that creates a toxin that affects the absorption of water in the small intestine, Cholera is an infectious disease. The majority of the bacteria is wiped out by gastric acid when ingested, while the surviving bacteria settle in the small intestine and begin making the toxin that produces the symptoms of Cholera. The toxin created by the bacteria, Vibrio Cholerae, is a exotoxin. Vibrio Cholerae is a member of the Vibrionaceae family of curved gram-negative rods. They are found in coastal waters and estuaries, and tend to grow best in the company of salt. However, they can develope in lower salinity when it is warmer and contains sufficient organic materials. (Harris, LaRocque, Qadri, Ryan, Calderwood/ 2012)
Food borne illnesses are caused by consuming contaminated foods or beverages. There are many different disease-causing microbes, or pathogens. In addition, poisonous chemicals, or other harmful substances can cause food borne illnesses if they are present in food. More than two hundred and fifty different food borne illnesses have been described; almost all of these illnesses are infections. They are caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can be food borne. (Center 1)