E. coli
Colorized scanning electron micrograph depicting a number of Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria of the strain O157:H7, magnification 6,836×.
E. coli
bacteria
Also known as: Escherichia coli
E. coli, (Escherichia coli), species of bacterium that normally inhabits the large intestine and lower intestinal tract of humans and other animals. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a prokaryotic bacterium; most strains are harmless and form part of the community of microorganisms known as the gut microbiota. Some strains, however, have acquired mutations and or genes that encode disease-causing traits can lead to strains that cause diarrhea by giving off toxins, invading the intestinal lining,...