In this Article

• What is E. coli?
• Which kinds of E. coli can cause disease?
• In whom does EIEC cause disease?
• What does it take to be infected?
• What does EIEC do after entering the bowels?
• How long is the incubation period?
• What are the main features of EIEC disease?
• How is the laboratory diagnosis made?
• Is food associated with EIEC?
• How about food handlers?
• How is diarrhea due to EIEC treated?
• How can EIEC disease be prevented?
• E. coli (EIEC) At A Glance
• Enteroinvasive E. Coli Glossary
• Enteroinvasive E. Coli Index

How can EIEC disease be prevented?

In traveling to developing countries, the best way to avoid EIEC disease is to:

• Be careful about what fluids you drink
• Drink mineral and other processed water
• Drink bottled beverages
• Drink fruit juices
• Be careful about what foods you eat
• Eat breads
• Eat only fruits and vegetables that can be peeled
• Eat foods that are served steaming hot

EIEC is one of the many reasons that restaurants often have a sign reminding employees to wash their hands before leaving the restroom.

The best way to prevent EIEC disease in infants is to keep the child on the breast as long as possible while paying proper attention to personal hygiene and handling of food and water.

Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) At A Glance

• Enteroinvasive E.coli (EIEC) are a class of bacteria that can adhere to and invade the intestinal wall, kill intestinal cells, and produce inflammation in the colon (colitis).
• EIEC causes fever, toxicity, cramping abdominal pain, and watery or bloody diarrhea.
• The cornerstone of EIEC therapy is the replacement of fluids and electrolytes (sodium and other ions) lost in the diarrhea.
• Antibiotics are used to treat EIEC infection.
• The ideal approach to EIEC is to avoid exposure to it.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, Bactrim, Septra - Read bout Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim; cotrimoxazole (Bactrim, Septra), a drug prescribed for UTIs, ear infections, pneumonia and other infections. Side effects, drug interactions, dosage, and pregnancy information is included.
• Diarrhea - Read the causes of diarrhea including infections, parasites, food poisoning, medications, IBS, IBD, cancer, endocrine disease, fat malabsorption, laxative abuse and more.
• Colitis - Learn about the types of colitis, an inflammation of the inner lining of the colon causing rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, abdominal spasm.

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