In vitro effects of sub-inhibitory concentrations of amoxicillin on physiological responses and virulence determinants in a commensal strain of Escherichia coli.

For the first time, the effects of AMX sub-MICs on a commensal E. coli strain were described. The results corroborate on how antibiotics can act as stimulatory molecules and determine the pathogenicity of commensal bacteria in vivo that can disseminate resistance to other intestinal pathogens or microbes.