Abstract
The species of E. coli is probably the most studied species of all known bacteria, and as a consequence an impressive amount of information is available about it. The species is, however, also very diverse, as it comprises both commensal, benign (probiotic) and pathogenic strains. Naturally, the latter are mostly studied for their pathogenic potential, but a surprising array of methods and investigations have been applied to the commensal and probiotic representatives of this species. The best-known example of the latter is E. coli Nissle 1917, which has been subject to a lot of research.The properties of that strain have been reviewed elsewhere, but here all peer-reviewed publications dealing with a lesser known probiotic representative of the species are summarized, works performed with Symbioflor® E. coli. This probiotic product is produced by SymbioPharm GmbH (Herborn, Germany) and is marketed for prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome).
Publication language: English