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

does this have anything to do with transduction?  (not sure, i think transduction can only be between a virus and a bacteria, but shigela and e coli are not viruses....)

anonymous · Answer

I've been asking this question since 6pm yesterday, apparently this is the unanswerable question???

shrutipande9 · Answer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepsis check this.

anonymous · Answer

What you're referring to is most likely toxic shock syndrome.

The cell wall of E. coli contains a molecule called lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, which is a potent simulator of the immune system.  LPS is so powerful in stimulating the immune system that if your immune system is exposed to a high enough dose of LPS in a short period of time, the immune system produces an inflammatory immune response so powerful that it could be potentially life threatening.  

In your scenario, what may have happened is a dose of antibiotics was given that killed all the E. coli causing the septicemia and lysed upon death, releasing all their LPS to the host immune system at once.

anonymous · Answer

THANK YOU, it is the shiga-like endotoxin that caused her death.