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Intestinal Bacteria Infection

Many types of bacteria live in the intestines of humans and animals without causing disease. But there are other types or strains of bacteria that are pathogenic and can cause infection when they colonize the intestine. Hand washing is the best way to prevent infection from bacteria.

  1. Escherichia Coli

    • There are five classes of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that are recognized to cause intestinal infections: enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). ETEC is characterized by diarrhea without inflammation and fever, and usually is seen in infants and travelers. EIEC causes a dysentery-like diarrhea (mucus and blood are present) with severe inflammation and fever. EPEC causes watery and sometimes bloody diarrhea with some inflammation and no fever, and is most commonly seen in infants. EAEC most commonly infects young children and causes persistent, non-bloody diarrhea with no inflammation and no fever. EHEC causes large amounts of bloody discharge and an intense inflammation in children.

    Salmonella

    • Salmonella enterica causes food poisoning with inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever with high fever, headache, coughing, intestinal hemorrhaging and pinkish-red spots on the skin.

    Shigella

    • Shigella dysenteriae causes dysentery with fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Shigella sonnei causes bloody stools, diarrhea, fever, fatigue, cramping and a constant feeling of needing to empty the bowls. Shigella boydii causes stomach cramps, fever, mucus in the feces and bloody diarrhea. Shigella flexneri causes abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea with mucus and blood.

    Bacillus anthracis

    • Bacillus anthracis can infect the intestines by ingestion of meat from infected animals that is poorly cooked. Intestinal anthrax is frequently fatal.

    Clostridium

    • Clostridium difficile causes inflammation of the colon (often with abdominal pain and episodes of constipation and diarrhea) and pseudomembranous colitis. Clostridium botulinum in infants causes constipation, weak sucking ability and general weakness.

    Vibrio

    • Vibrio cholerae causes massive watery diarrhea, dehydration, acidosis and shock.

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