Seitenhistorie

Bacteria

Escherichia coli (RG1)

Strain/Type

Escherichia coli B- and K12-derived strains:

Host tropism

Humans, various animal species.

Route of Transmission

Transmission takes place percutaneously (through the skin) .Transmission takes place and orally (by ingestion).The main transmission route of enteropathogenic E. coli is by the faecal-oral route, either from human to human or via foods or bodies of water contaminated by faecal matter.

Extraintestinal E. coli may also penetrate through injured skin.

Zoonosis (transmission between animals and humans): Yes

Animal to human transmission is possible in principle. However, humans are the primary (or sole) known reservoir for typical EPEC and EIEC. The extent to which animal to human transmission plays a role is unclear.

The main transmission route of enteropathogenic E. coli is by the faecal-oral route, either from human to human or via foods or bodies of water contaminated by faecal matter.

Extraintestinal E. coli may also penetrate through injured skin.

Characteristics e.g. sensitizing or toxic effects, resistance to antibiotics

Pathogenicity:

Human-pathogenic (causes diseases in humans).

Animal-pathogenic (causes diseases in animals).

Pathogenic to humans and various vertebrates such as cattle, pigs, domestic cats, and poultry. Young children and elderly individuals are especially affected. Contact with the pathogen does not result in clinically manifest illness in every case. Humans and animals may excrete pathogenic E. coli without any visible signs of disease. Taking proton pump inhibitors (gastric acid inhibitors) favours the development of clinically manifest E. coli infections in humans (this applies to all diarrhoeal pathogens).

Toxigenicity/Toxin formation:

Unlike enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC, VTEC, STEC), other E. coli do not produce cytotoxins (Shiga

toxins).

Nonetheless, various other pathovars (especially including ETEC, EaggEC) form heat-resistant enterotoxins (EAST) whose role in diarrhoeal diseases is not yet fully explained.

Resistences:

Multiple resistances to antibiotics are observed frequently. However, since treatment with antibiotics plays virtually no role in the treatment of E. coli-related diarrhoeal disease, the development of antibiotic resistances is secondary.

This is unlike infections with extraintestinal E. coli, especially in meningitis, sepsis or urinary tract infection, which are generally treated with antibiotics. Here, the development of resistances, also to reserve antibiotics such as colistin, is alarming.

Note TA:

Types of which strains are known which have been handled safely over many years in technical applications. These proven strains can therefore be assigned to risk group 1 according to the classification criteria. The "TA" tag lays no claim of completeness, however. Strains with the features of "TA" may therefore also arise in species not bearing this tag.

Note ht:

Approved as biological safety measure if taken as recipient organism for genetic engineering?

Check in the ZKBS datbase for each strain: https://www.zkbs-online.de/ZKBS/EN/Databases/Recipient%20strains%20for%20biological%20safety%20measures_Strains/Recipient%20strains%20for%20biological%20safety%20measures_node.html

Genetically modified (GenTSV)

If yes, documentation in Formblatt Z needed: Formblatt Z (S1 & S2) & Project Applications (S2)

Risk group (BioStoffV)

1

Risk assessment

Risk accessment based on TRBA (Technical Rule for Biological Agents) 466 "Classification of prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) into risk groups": https://www.baua.de/DE/Angebote/Rechtstexte-und-Technische-Regeln/Regelwerk/TRBA/TRBA-466.html

and the "Statement of the ZKBS on the suitability of Escherichia coli K12-derived strains as part of biological safety measures according to § 8 para. 1 GenTSV" and the "Stellungnahme der ZKBS zur Einstufung von Escherichia coli C als Spender- und Empfängerorganismus bei gentechnischen Arbeiten zu Forschungszwecken".

Operation instructions (mandatory for RG2 and higher)

https://bioagent.dguv.de/data?name=822327

Occupational health care (according to ArbMedVV)

Optional health care:
In the case of tasks specifically involving contact and tasks involving incidental contact with biological agents classed as Risk Group 2 under the Biological Agents Ordinance (Biostoffverordnung, BioStoffV) or which involve a comparable risk, the employer must offer an optional health care. This does not apply when on account of the risk assessment and on account of the protective measures taken it can be assumed that there is no risk of infection.
An optional health care must also be offered if as a result of the exposure to biological agents
- a serious infectious illness is to be expected and post-exposure prophylatic measures are possible, or
- an infection has resulted.

Vaccination:

No approved vaccine is available.

Storage location of aliquots in the Biolab (just click Bearbeiten in the right corner of the header to add or change information in the table and use the menue in the left header to e.g. add a row)

see specific strains.

Background

Cultivation and freezing protocols

Data sheets, further information