If a patient who was in the hospital for septicemia from E.coli, then had a blood test that showed the E. coli was gone, however she ended up getting really sick and died. What is the process that produced the toxin (not sure which toxin, is it Shiga?) that caused her death.

Question

If a patient who was in the hospital for septicemia from E.coli, then had a blood test that showed the E. coli was gone, however she ended up getting really sick and died.  What is the process that produced the toxin (not sure which toxin, is it Shiga?) that caused her death.

anonymous · Answer

I do not understand the process that produced the toxin, I just know that E. coli produces the shiga toxin, and is the shiga toxin antibiotic resistant? (not sure if the right answer is shiga) Anyone know?  Thank you so much :)

anonymous · Answer

ooh does it have anything to do with her immune system being compromised?

anonymous · Answer

Does it also have to do with opportunistic pathogens, they used the genetic material from the E.coli??

anonymous · Answer

Is it transformation? "Transformation: when a recipient cell takes up DNA from the environment (such as DNA released from a dead organism)??

thomaster · Answer

Antibiotics do not fight toxin, they only fight the bacteria (which may produce the toxin) Maybe this article will help: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1111&context=usuhs

anonymous · Answer

thank you so much

anonymous · Answer

So then "what is the process that produced the toxin?"

anonymous · Answer

Does this have to do with transduction??