Enterohemorrhagic microorganisms are those that, as part of their pathogenesis, cause bloody diarrhea

Diarrhea

Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...

 and colitis

Colitis

In medicine, colitis refers to an inflammation of the colon and is often used to describe an inflammation of the large intestine .Colitides may be acute and self-limited or chronic, i.e...

. While many pathogens are enterohemorrhagic, most cases observed are derived of E. coli

Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...

serotype O157:H7

Escherichia coli O157:H7

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an enterohemorrhagic strain of the bacterium Escherichia coli and a cause of foodborne illness. Infection often leads to hemorrhagic diarrhea, and occasionally to kidney failure, especially in young children and elderly persons...

. The E. coli O104:H4

Escherichia coli O104:H4

Escherichia coli O104:H4 is a rare enterohemorrhagic strain of the bacterium Escherichia coli, and the cause of the 2011 Escherichia coli O104:H4 outbreak...

 strain identified as the cause of the 2011 outbreak in Germany is also enterohemorrhagic. These enterohemorrhagic E. coli strain

Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli

Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli comprise strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli that, when infecting humans, have been linked with the severe complication hemolytic-uremic syndrome . They are known by a number of names, including enterohemorrhagic E. coli , Shiga-like toxin-producing E...

s, collectively also known as EHEC, release verotoxin, which further can cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome , abbreviated HUS, is a disease characterized by hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure and a low platelet count . It predominantly, but not exclusively, affects children. Most cases are preceded by an episode of diarrhea caused by E. coli O157:H7, which is acquired as a...

.