For travelers, few things can derail a long-awaited trip faster than the sudden, urgent onset of diarrhea. As recent food safety events, including an E. coli outbreak in Washington state linked to Twin Sisters Creamery , have reminded the public, certain strains of this common bacterium pose a significant health risk. For international travelers, the most likely bacterial culprit is a specific pathotype known as Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). It is the most common bacterial cause of traveler’s diarrhea, responsible for approximately 30% of cases , making it a frequent and unwelcome souvenir for visitors to many parts of the world.

This pathogen operates with a simple but effective two-step mechanism, using sticky filaments to cling to the human gut and powerful toxins to trigger

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