At a very high magnification of 25,920X, twice that of PHIL 10570 and 10571, this scanning electron micrograph (SEM) revealed some of the morphologic details displayed a single Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterium. This bacterium was a member of the strain, 0:169 H41 ETEC (Enterotoxigenic E. coli).
What is ETEC?
ETEC was first recognized as a cause of human diarrheal illness in the 1960s. It have since emerged as a major bacterial cause of diarrhea among travelers and children in the developing world. ETEC is increasingly recognized as an important cause of foodborne illness in developed nations, such as the United States.
ETEC produces two toxins, a heat-stable toxin (known as ST) and a heat-labile toxin (LT). Although different strains of ETEC can secrete either one or both of these toxins, the illness caused by each toxin is similar.