HealthAugust 21, 2026
enterotoxigenic
EN-ter-oh-tok-SIJ-eh-nik
Definition
Referring to a type of bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli (ETEC), that produces toxins which cause the intestines to secrete fluid, resulting in diarrhea.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'entero-' (intestine) and 'toxigenic' (producing poison or toxin), a term created in microbiology to describe pathogens that act by secreting toxins within the gut.
In the news
The article classifies ETEC as one of the four major diarrhea-causing pathogens analyzed in the GEMS and VIDA studies to understand how climate factors influence disease risk.
Climate Change Predicted to Drive Changes in Diarrheal Disease Prevalence in Several Countries in Africa
Read the full article ↗The University of Maryland, Baltimore