Figure 1.

Characteristics of the ETEC infection. ETEC is the major enteric pathogen that account for the diarrhea that occurs in travelers and children in developing countries. ETEC infection is caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water, ETEC through the gastrointestinal tract, and eventually colonization in the small intestine. When ETEC is exposed in the small intestine, it colonizes intestinal epithelial cells via CFs, and ETEC proliferates on the intestinal epithelial after colonization. ETEC produces and delivers heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins to exert toxic effect. Image created with BioRender.