NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Where do you get e-coli from feces or urine?
The organism E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a microorganism that can be normally found in the colon of most healthy people. In fact, a significant portion of feces is made up of bacteria (e.g., E. coli and other bacteria), so it would be normal to find E. coli in feces. On the other hand, the bladder does not usually have bacteria present. When bacteria are present, it is usually an indication that there is an infection present. E. coli is a common cause of urinary tract (bladder) infections, but it does not usually live in the bladder.
Stephen Kralovic, MD
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati