Q: What is bacteria E. coli? How it effects the body? What are the causes, symptoms and cure?

A:There is a bacterium called E. coli (Escherichia coli is the complete biological name). It is a part of the normal bowel flora in the intestines. It can cause opportunistic infections anywhere in the body. Though is a part of normal flora of the stools, some types like the EPEC (Enteropathogenic), ETEC (Enterotoxigenic), EIEC (Enteroinvasive), EAggEC Enteroaggregative), EAdhEC (Enteroadherent) strains can be responsible for diarrhoea and loose motions. It can also be responsible for infections at almost any site in the body. The cause of the infection may be multifactorial, but access to sterile body sites due to breach of the body's defences may be the underlying cause. The symptoms would depend on the site affected. If necessary, antibiotics may be needed to eradicate the infection. The duration of treatment would depend on the clinical features and presentation.