AUTHOR=Braz Vânia Santos , Melchior Karine , Moreira Cristiano Gallina 

TITLE=Escherichia coli as a Multifaceted Pathogenic and Versatile Bacterium

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2020.548492

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2020.548492

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Genetic plasticity promotes evolution and a vast diversity in <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> varying from avirulent to highly pathogenic strains, including the emergence of virulent hybrid microorganism. This ability also contributes to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. These hybrid pathogenic <italic>E. coli</italic> (HyPEC) are emergent threats, such as O104:H4 from the European outbreak in 2011, aggregative adherent bacteria with the potent Shiga-toxin. Here, we briefly revisited the details of these <italic>E. coli</italic> classic and hybrid pathogens, the increase in antimicrobial resistance in the context of a genetically empowered multifaceted and versatile bug and the growing need to advance alternative therapies to fight these infections.</p>