How did my daughter get e-coli in the gallbladder?

Not unusual: Usually in the course where the gallbladder becomes inflamed due to the presence of stones in the gallbladder, e. Coli (and other intestinal bacteria) may come up the GI tract and reside in the stagnant bile. The presence of stones also makes colonization of the gallbladder more likely. This will resolve when the gallbladder is removed.

Common: E coli is a common bacteria found in bile, but it does not contribute to illness unless that biliary tree is not draining properly or there are stones in the system that promote bacterial overgrowth. When there are stones and in particular when there is obstruction of the system, the bacteria cannot clear and the very bacteria that are natural to our intestinal tract become problematic.