The Latin American region has been at the forefront in combating infections caused by Escherichia coli strains in humans, animals, and the environment. The continuous emergence and evolution of pathogenic E. coli strains associated with human and animal infections have demonstrated that (i) groups of related pathogenic E. coli are responsible for most infections caused by this bacterial species; (ii) diverse virulence phenotypes expressed during infection defined each one of these pathogroups; (iii) the geographical distribution of pathogroups in Latin America and the evolution of new isolates was defined by the dominant pathogroup and presence of distinct virulence strains; (iv) acquisition of mobile elements or accumulation of point mutations accelerate the development of antibiotic resistance in some of these strains.  The Latin American Coalition for Escherichia coli Research (LACER), a multidisciplinary network of over seventy research groups in eleven Latin American countries and the USA, was established in 2009 to apply One Health principles in defining and combating this pathogen. The previous edition of this text, Escherichia coli in the Americas (c. 2016) was the culmination of their wisdom about E. coli, from its role as a commensal bacterium to its characteristics as a pathogen causing disease in animals and humans.  This new edition presents recent advances and contextualizes all aspects of E. coli in a One Health perspective, from the environment, to animals, to humans. It addresses E. coli interactions with host microbiota, CNS, and phages. It includes cutting edge insights on hybrid strains, molecular mechanisms of virulence and pathogenesis, resistance, domestic and wild reservoirs, disease surveillance in Latin America, genomic analysis, food safety, and new therapies. Crucially, it also provides translations and analysis of key reports on Escherichia coli published in Spanish and Portuguese. This book serves as a critical resource for scientists in industry and academia, clinicians managing associated infections, and trainees and students studying basic and clinical aspects of E. coli pathogenesis. 

Bacterial diarrheal diseases remain an important leading cause of preventable death, especially among children under five in developing countries. In the American continent, diarrheal disease and other health complications caused by Escherichia coli constitute a major public health problem, and, therefore, several research groups have dedicated their effort to understand this pathogen and provide feasible solutions to prevent, treat and reduce E. coli infections. The Latin American Coalition for Escherichia coli Research (LACER) was created as a multidisciplinary network of international research groups working with E. coli with the ultimate goal of advancing understanding of E. coli, and to prepare the next generation of American E. coli investigators. As such, this book compiles the knowledge of these investigators about E. coli, a commensal bacteria living inside its host, and a pathogen causing disease in animals and humans. Escherichia coli in the Americas contains a series of 15 chapters written by experts, covering basic concepts regarding the different categories of E. coli, including their environmental niche, virulence mechanisms, host reservoir, and disease outcomes, as well as diagnosis, vaccine development and treatment. This book's target audience include trainees and students learning about the basic and clinical aspects of E. coli pathogenesis, as well as experts around the globe who wish to learn more about this pathogen and the public health impact this bacteria has in America.