NAME: Escherichia coli, enteroinvasive
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: EIEC, bacillary dysentery
CHARACTERISTICS: Gram negative rod; motile, aerobic; serotyping
PATHOGENICITY: Disease localized primarily in the colon (invasion of epithelial cells of colon, similar to dysentery; shigella-like disease); fever; mucoid, occasionally bloody diarrhea; generally self-limiting; most severe form may result in hypotension with severe toxemia; sometimes associated with food poisoning
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Usually sporadic, particularly in under-developed countries; may cause common source outbreaks
HOST RANGE: Human
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Appears to have low infectious dose, may be similar to that of Shigella spp.,10 organisms by ingestion
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Fecal-oral route; fecal contamination of water, food or fomites; poor sanitation and hygiene
INCUBATION PERIOD: 12-72 hours
COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable during duration of fecal excretion (several weeks)
RESERVOIR: Infected persons
ZOONOSIS: No
VECTORS: None
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to ampicillin
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to many disinfectants - 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, glutaraldehyde, iodines, phenolics, formaldehyde
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by moist heat (121° C for at least 15 min) and dry heat (160-170° C for at least 1 hour
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives well in contaminated feces, food, soil or water
SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by examination of stool specimens; demonstration of invasiveness of isolates in tissue culture
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Therapy generally not necessary as illness is short-lived; electrolyte fluid therapy if excessive diarrhea; antibiotic therapy in severe cases
IMMUNIZATION: None
PROPHYLAXIS: Not usually administered
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 3 reported cases of laboratory infections with E. coli
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Feces; contaminated food, water, fomites
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Ingestion
SPECIAL HAZARDS: None
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices containment equipment and facilities for activities involving cultures and infected clinical materials
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when contact with infectious materials is unavoidable
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Good personal hygiene and frequent handwashing
SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 1% sodium hypochlorite, starting at perimeter and working towards the centre; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) before clean up
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal; steam sterilization, chemical disinfection
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled
Date prepared: January, 2000
Prepared by: Office of Laboratory Security, PHAC
Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.
Copyright ©
Health Canada, 2001