Escherichia coli clinical presentation

The degradation of phenylmercuric acetate to benzene, methylmercuric chloride to methane, and ethylmercuric chloride to ethane and Hg + is apparently carried out by different enzymes from the plasmid-carrying Escherichia coli strain K12 (R831) (Schottel 1978) and Pseudomonas sp. Resistance to organic mercury compounds has also been found in clinical isolates of nontuber-culous, rapidly growing mycobacteria (Steingrube et al. 1991) and can present a challenge in the clinical environment. 

Endometritis in mares may be associated with at least four clinical s)mdromes. It can be caused by sexually transmitted infections, such as Taylorella equigenitalis (contagious equine metritis). Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Pseudomonas and Klebsiella spp. may also be present in the fecal and genital flora. Chronic uterine infection with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus and Escherichia coli are often associated with contamination of the uterus by fecal and genital flora. 

Food-bome pathogens include naturally occurring bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli, which cause disease by their presence in the gastrointestinal tract. The pathophysiology and clinical presentation of these are well described in the wider literature. However, they are also relevant from a biological weapons perspective due to the capacity to cause widespread illness by the intentional release of organisms into food and on to food preparation areas. 

---