Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC): Epidemiology, Source, and Routes of Infection

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is a diverse group of enteric pathogens transmitted through interconnected human, animal, food, and environmental systems. The major pathotypes, including enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC/EHEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), vary in their host range, virulence mechanisms, persistence, and routes of dissemination. Infections can cause acute or persistent diarrhea, malnutrition, systemic complications, and hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly among young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. DEC may be introduced into communities through contaminated water, food, agricultural products, animal contact, wildlife, and inadequately managed waste. Despite advances in molecular surveillance, the relative importance of different reservoirs and transmission routes remains difficult to determine, especially where multiple sources overlap and data from clinical, food, veterinary, and environmental surveillance systems are not integrated.Recent research has demonstrated that DEC can persist and circulate across farms, slaughterhouses, food-processing facilities, wastewater networks, recreational waters, and natural ecosystems. Whole-genome sequencing, metagenomics, microbial source tracking, and quantitative risk assessment are increasingly being used to link strains recovered from patients with those identified in animals, foods, and environmental samples. Studies have also shown that biofilms, seasonal conditions, farming practices, animal movements, and water reuse can influence bacterial survival and dissemination. However, important gaps remain in distinguishing contamination from true transmission, identifying the most consequential routes of human exposure, and understanding how DEC adapts while moving between reservoirs. Fragmented surveillance, inconsistent sampling strategies, and limited data from low- and middle-income settings continue to constrain effective prevention. A more coordinated approach is therefore needed to connect transmission ecology, source attribution, pathogen biology, and practical interventions at critical points along the farm-to-fork and environment-to-human pathways.This Research Topic aims to clarify how DEC is introduced, maintained, and transmitted across human, animal, food, and environmental reservoirs. It will support research that identifies transmission links, evaluates exposure pathways, improves source attribution, and determines where interventions can most effectively interrupt dissemination. Contributions may also examine how virulence, persistence, and antimicrobial resistance influence transmission without making resistance the sole focus of investigation. To gather further insights within the boundaries of DEC source attribution, transmission ecology, environmental persistence, and prevention, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Source attribution of DEC infections using genomic, metagenomic, microbial, or epidemiological methods.o Transmission pathways linking clinical cases with food, water, animals, agriculture, and wildlife.o Persistence and survival of DEC in soil, water, sediments, biofilms, wastewater, and processing environments.o Farm-to-fork transmission, food-chain contamination, and critical control points.o Animal reservoirs, wildlife interfaces, animal movements, and zoonotic spillover.o Waterborne transmission, sanitation systems, wastewater reuse, and recreational-water exposure.o Seasonal, climatic, and land-use factors affecting DEC dissemination.o Host exposure patterns, behavioral risk factors, and community-level transmission.o Integrated One Health surveillance and harmonization of clinical, veterinary, food, and environmental data.o Genomic epidemiology and real-time investigation of outbreaks and cross-sectoral transmission.o Intervention strategies targeting reservoirs, food and water systems, sanitation, biofilms, and high-risk interfaces.o Risk communication, prevention practices, and evaluation of source-control measures.o The role of virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants in persistence, fitness, and transmission. Topic editors: Dr. Md. Shafiullah Parvej, Waleed Younis, Mustafa Sadek Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85412/diarrheagenic-escherichia-coli-dec-epidemiology-source-and-routes-of-infection