Escherichia
/ (ˌɛʃəˈrɪkɪə) /
noun
a genus of Gram-negative rodlike bacteria that are found in the intestines of humans and many animals, esp E. coli, which is sometimes pathogenic and is widely used in genetic research
Word Origin for Escherichia
C19: named after Theodor
Escherich (1857–1911), German paediatrician who first described
E. coli
Medical definitions for escherichia
Escherichia
[ ĕsh′ə-rĭk′ē-ə ]
n.
A genus of aerobic, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria widely found in nature; one species, Escherichia coli, which normally occurs in human and animal intestines, can cause urogenital tract infections and diarrhea in infants and adults.