Taxonomically, <em>Escherichia coli </em>is categorized as belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria, class Gammaproteobacteria, family Enterobacteriaceae, order Enterobacteriales, and genus Escherichia (named after its discoverer, Theodor Escherich).
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are typically found in warm-blooded organisms' lower intestines. The majority of E. coli strains are not harmful, but some can seriously poison food.
A Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is capable of causing severe foodborne illness.
Raw or undercooked ground meat products, raw milk, and fecal contamination of vegetables are the most common causes of STEC outbreaks.
The illness is usually self-limiting, but it can progress to a potentially fatal condition like haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), especially in young children and the elderly.
