E. coli O157:H7 and other enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) typically cause acute bloody diarrhea, which can be severe and may lead to hemolytic uretic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that can be fatal.  Exposure to E. coli O157:H7 most often occurs through consumption of undercooked ground beef or raw vegetables including, as reported here, the Romaine lettuce that was linked to a multistate outbreak last year.

Although E. coli are sensitive to most commonly used antibiotics, treatment of infections is limited to hydration, dialysis, or other supportive care because no antibiotics have been shown to alleviate symptoms or prevent development of HUS.  Some antibiotics, in fact, are suspected of increasing the release of enterotoxins and the risk of HUS.  A study of Aurodox, however, found that this secondary metabolite produced by a common soil bacterium may be a candidate for anti-virulence therapy for treatment of E. coli O157:H7 and other EHEC infections.  The study, “Characterisation of the mode of action of Aurodox, a Type III Secretion System inhibitor from Streptomyces goldiniensis” in Infection and Immunity (2018), found that Aurodox reduces the ability of E. coli to bind to human cells and, unlike antibiotics, does not induce the protein in E. coli that triggers toxin production.

The ultimate goal of preventing the contamination of food with E. coli and other pathogens in the first place is many years if not decades away from fruition.  In the meantime, a treatment that could reduce the pathogenicity of E. coli O157:H7 and other EHEC could save the save lives of individuals who become infected, including children and the elderly who are the populations most at risk for fatal complications.