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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,...