scholarly journals Recent Advances in Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Research in Latin America

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Torres ◽  
Maria Amaral ◽  
Leticia Bentancor ◽  
Lucia Galli ◽  
Jorge Goldstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
E Coli

Pathogenic Escherichia coli are known to be a common cause of diarrheal disease and a frequently occurring bacterial infection in children and adults in Latin America. Despite the effort to combat diarrheal infections, the south of the American continent remains a hot spot for infections and sequelae associated with the acquisition of one category of pathogenic E. coli, the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). This review will focus on an overview of the prevalence of different STEC serotypes in human, animals and food products, focusing on recent reports from Latin America outlining the recent research progress achieved in this region to combat disease and endemicity in affected countries and to improve understanding on emerging serotypes and their virulence factors. Furthermore, this review will highlight the progress done in vaccine development and treatment and will also discuss the effort of the Latin American investigators to respond to the thread of STEC infections by establishing a multidisciplinary network of experts that are addressing STEC-associated animal, human and environmental health issues, while trying to reduce human disease. Regardless of the significant scientific contributions to understand and combat STEC infections worldwide, many significant challenges still exist and this review has focus in the Latin American efforts as an example of what can be accomplished when multiple groups have a common goal.

scholarly journals Recycling of Shiga Toxin 2 Genes in Sorbitol-Fermenting Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:NM

2007 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Mellmann ◽  
Shan Lu ◽  
Helge Karch ◽  
Jian-guo Xu ◽  
Dag Harmsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Integration Site ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Blot Hybridization ◽  
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin 2

ABSTRACT Using colony blot hybridization with stx 2 and eae probes and agglutination in anti-O157 lipopolysaccharide serum, we isolated stx 2-positive and eae-positive sorbitol-fermenting (SF) enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:NM (nonmotile) strains from initial stool specimens and stx-negative and eae-positive SF E. coli O157:NM strains from follow-up specimens (collected 3 to 8 days later) from three children. The stx-negative isolates from each patient shared with the corresponding stx 2-positive isolates fliC H7, non-stx virulence traits, and multilocus sequence types, which indicates that they arose from the stx 2-positive strains by loss of stx 2 during infection. Analysis of the integrity of the yecE gene, a possible stx phage integration site in EHEC O157, in the consecutive stx 2-positive and stx-negative isolates demonstrated that yecE was occupied in stx 2-positive but intact in stx-negative strains. It was possible to infect and lysogenize the stx-negative E. coli O157 strains in vitro using an stx 2-harboring bacteriophage from one of the SF EHEC O157:NM isolates. The acquisition of the stx 2-containing phage resulted in the occupation of yecE and production of biologically active Shiga toxin 2. We conclude that the yecE gene in SF E. coli O157:NM is a hot spot for excision and integration of Shiga toxin 2-encoding bacteriophages. SF EHEC O157:NM strains and their stx-negative derivatives thus represent a highly dynamic system that can convert in both directions by the loss and gain of stx 2-harboring phages. The ability to recycle stx 2, a critical virulence trait, makes SF E. coli O157:NM strains ephemeral EHEC that can exist as stx-negative variants during certain phases of their life cycle.

scholarly journals Hemolysin-Producing Strains among Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Children under 2 Years Old with Diarrheal Disease

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1022
Author(s):  
Anca Mare ◽  
Adrian Man ◽  
Felicia Toma ◽  
Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea ◽  
Răzvan Lucian Coșeriu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Diarrheagenic Escherichia Coli ◽  
O Antigens ◽  
Hlya Gene ◽  
High Diversity

Even if serotyping based on O antigens is still routinely used by most laboratories for the detection of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, this method can provide false-positive reactions, due to the high diversity of O antigens. Molecular methods represent a valuable tool that clarifies these situations. In the Bacteriology Laboratory of Mureș County Hospital, between May 2016 and July 2019, 160 diarrheagenic E. coli strains were isolated from children under 2 years old with diarrheic disease. The strains were identified as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)/enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) via agglutination with polyvalent sera. STEC strains were serotyped using monovalent sera for serogroup O157. Simplex PCR was performed on the strains to determine the presence of the hlyA gene, and, for the positive ones, the hemolytic activity was tested. Antibiotic susceptibility of the identified diarrheagenic E. coli strains was also investigated. STEC strains were the most frequently identified (49.1%), followed by EPEC (40.2%). The hlyA gene was identified in 12 cases, representing 18.2% of the STEC strains. Even if the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains represented only 10%, a relevant percentage of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains (24%) was identified.

scholarly journals Multiepitope Fusion Antigen Induces Broadly Protective Antibodies That Prevent Adherence of Escherichia coli Strains Expressing Colonization Factor Antigen I (CFA/I), CFA/II, and CFA/IV

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaosai Ruan ◽  
David E. Knudsen ◽  
Katie M. Wollenberg ◽  
David A. Sack ◽  
Weiping Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Colonization Factor ◽  
Protective Antibodies ◽  
Factor Antigen ◽  
Fusion Antigen

ABSTRACTDiarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years and continues to be a major threat to global health. EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC) strains are the most common bacteria causing diarrhea in developing countries. ETEC strains are able to attach to host small intestinal epithelial cells by using bacterial colonization factor antigen (CFA) adhesins. This attachment helps to initiate the diarrheal disease. Vaccines that induce antiadhesin immunity to block adherence of ETEC strains that express immunologically heterogeneous CFA adhesins are expected to protect against ETEC diarrhea. In this study, we created a CFA multiepitope fusion antigen (MEFA) carrying representative epitopes of CFA/I, CFA/II (CS1, CS2, and CS3), and CFA/IV (CS4, CS5, and CS6), examined its immunogenicity in mice, and assessed the potential of this MEFA as an antiadhesin vaccine against ETEC. Mice intraperitoneally immunized with this CFA MEFA exhibited no adverse effects and developed immune responses to CFA/I, CFA/II, and CFA/IV adhesins. Moreover, after incubation with serum of the immunized mice, ETEC orE. colistrains expressing CFA/I, CFA/II, or CFA/IV adhesins were significantly inhibited in adherence to Caco-2 cells. Our results indicated this CFA MEFA elicited antibodies that not only cross-reacted to CFA/I, CFA/II and CFA/IV adhesins but also broadly inhibited adherence ofE. colistrains expressing these seven adhesins and suggested that this CFA MEFA could be a candidate to induce broad-spectrum antiadhesin protection against ETEC diarrhea. Additionally, this antigen construction approach (creating an MEFA) may be generally used in vaccine development against heterogenic pathogens.

scholarly journals Molecular Subtyping and Genetic Analysis of the Enterohemolysin Gene (ehxA) from Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (20) ◽  
pp. 6360-6369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian L. Cookson ◽  
Jenny Bennett ◽  
Fiona Thomson-Carter ◽  
Graeme T. Attwood
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Subtype C ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pcr Rflp ◽  
Subtype A ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

ABSTRACT Analyses of the distribution of virulence factors among different Escherichia coli pathotypes, including Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), may provide some insight into the mechanisms by which different E. coli strains cause disease and the evolution of distinct E. coli types. The aim of this study was to examine the DNA sequence of the gene for enterohemolysin, a plasmid-encoded toxin that readily causes the hemolysis of washed sheep erythrocytes, and to assess the distribution of enterohemolysin subtypes among E. coli isolates from various human and animal sources. The 2,997-bp ehxA gene was amplified from 227 (63.8%) of 356 stx- and/or eae-positive E. coli strains isolated from cattle and sheep and from 24 (96.0%) of 25 STEC strains isolated from humans with diarrheal disease. By using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of ehxA, six distinct PCR-RFLP types (A to F) were observed, with strains of subtypes A and C constituting 91.6% of all the ehxA-positive strains. Subtype A was associated mainly with ovine strains with stx only (P < 0.001), and subtype C was associated with bovine eae-positive strains (P < 0.001). Eleven ehxA alleles were fully sequenced, and the phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of three closely related (>95.0%) ehxA sequence groups, one including eae-positive strains (subtypes B, C, E, and F) and the other two including mainly eae-negative STEC strains (subtypes A and D). In addition to being widespread among STEC strains, stx-negative, eae-positive strains (atypical enteropathogenic E. coli strains) isolated from cattle and sheep have similar ehxA subtypes and hemolytic activities.

scholarly journals A One Health Comparative Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Generic and Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-Resistant Escherichia coli from Beef Production, Sewage and Clinical Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emelia H. Adator ◽  
Claudia Narvaez-Bravo ◽  
Rahat Zaheer ◽  
Shaun R. Cook ◽  
Lisa Tymensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
One Health ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Municipal Sewage ◽  
Multi Drug Resistance ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Processing ◽  
Extended Spectrum

This study aimed to compare antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant and generic Escherichia coli from a One Health continuum of the beef production system in Alberta, Canada. A total of 705 extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (ESCr) were obtained from: cattle feces (CFeces, n = 382), catch basins (CBasins, n = 137), surrounding streams (SStreams, n = 59), beef processing plants (BProcessing, n = 4), municipal sewage (MSewage; n = 98) and human clinical specimens (CHumans, n = 25). Generic isolates (663) included: CFeces (n = 142), CBasins (n = 185), SStreams (n = 81), BProcessing (n = 159) and MSewage (n = 96). All isolates were screened for antimicrobial susceptibility to 9 antimicrobials and two clavulanic acid combinations. In ESCr, oxytetracycline (87.7%), ampicillin (84.4%) and streptomycin (73.8%) resistance phenotypes were the most common, with source influencing AMR prevalence (p < 0.001). In generic E. coli, oxytetracycline (51.1%), streptomycin (22.6%), ampicillin (22.5%) and sulfisoxazole (14.3%) resistance were most common. Overall, 88.8% of ESCr, and 26.7% of generic isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance (MDR). MDR in ESCr was high from all sources: CFeces (97.1%), MSewage (96.9%), CHumans (96%), BProcessing (100%), CBasins (70.5%) and SStreams (61.4%). MDR in generic E. coli was lower with CFeces (45.1%), CBasins (34.6%), SStreams (23.5%), MSewage (13.6%) and BProcessing (10.7%). ESBL phenotypes were confirmed in 24.7% (n = 174) ESCr and 0.6% of generic E. coli. Prevalence of bla genes in ESCr were blaCTXM (30.1%), blaCTXM-1 (21.6%), blaTEM (20%), blaCTXM-9 (7.9%), blaOXA (3.0%), blaCTXM-2 (6.4%), blaSHV (1.4%) and AmpC β-lactamase blaCMY (81.3%). The lower AMR in ESCr from SStreams and BProcessing and higher AMR in CHumans and CFeces likely reflects antimicrobial use in these environments. Although MDR levels were higher in ESCr as compared to generic E. coli, AMR to the same antimicrobials ranked high in both ESCr and generic E. coli sub-populations. This suggests that both sub-populations reflect similar AMR trends and are equally useful for AMR surveillance. Considering that MDR ESCr MSewage isolates were obtained without enrichment, while those from CFeces were obtained with enrichment, MSewage may serve as a hot spot for MDR emergence and dissemination.

scholarly journals Prevalence and molecular characterisation of shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli in raw milk cheeses from Lazio region, Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selene Marozzi ◽  
Paola De Santis ◽  
Sarah Lovari ◽  
Roberto Condoleo ◽  
Stefano Bilei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Raw Milk ◽  
Foodborne Diseases ◽  
Control Plan ◽  
Lazio Region ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Regional Control ◽  
Unpasteurized Milk

In recent years, the incidence of foodborne diseases caused by shiga toxin-producing <em>Escherichia coli</em> (STEC) has increased globally. For this reason, within the specific regional control plan for the detection of STEC in food products in Italy, the presence of STEC in unpasteurized milk cheeses was investigated. In total 203 samples obtained from March 2011 to December 2013 were analysed, with two standard methods (ISO 16654:2001 and ISO 13136:2012). Two strains of <em>E. coli</em> O157 were isolated (2/161, 1.2%) but did not carry any virulence-associated genes and 22 <em>stx</em>-positive samples (22/146, 15.1%) were detected in enrichment cultures, mostly from ovine cheeses. Only two strains isolated from different ovine cheeses carried <em>stx</em> gene and none of these was <em>eae</em>-positive. This study confirms the presence of <em>stx</em>-positive <em>E. coli</em> and suggests that this type of food cannot be excluded as a potential vehicle of STEC.

Potential Public Health Significance of Non-Escherichia coli Coliforms in Food

1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT M. TWEDT ◽  
BRENDA K. BOUTIN
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Potential Health Hazard ◽  
Health Significance

Several coliform species other than Escherichia coli are often associated with and possibly responsible for acute and chronic diarrheal disease. Recent evidence suggests that non-Escherichia coli coliforms may be capable of colonizing the human intestine and producing enterotoxin(s) in high-yield. Whether these organisms are newly capable of causing disease because of infestation with extrachromosomal factors mediating pathogenicity or simply because of inherent pathogenic capabilities that have gone unrecognized, they pose a potential health hazard. Food, medical, and public health microbiologists should be aware that the non-E. coli coliforms contaminating foods may be potential enteropathogens. This possibility may make determination of their pathogenic capabilities even more important than identification of their taxonomic characteristics.

scholarly journals Novel Hybrid of Typical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Shiga-Toxin-Producing E. coli (tEPEC/STEC) Emerging From Pet Birds

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosely Martins Gioia-Di Chiacchio ◽  
Marcos Paulo Vieira Cunha ◽  
Lilian Rose Marques de Sá ◽  
Yamê Minieiro Davies ◽  
Camila Bueno Pacheco Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pet Birds

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Colony Check Assay for the Identification of Serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 Colonies Isolated on Plating Media

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (7) ◽  
pp. 1212-1218 ◽  
Author(s):  
BURTON BLAIS ◽  
MYLÈNE DESCHÊNES ◽  
GEORGE HUSZCZYNSKI ◽  
MARTINE GAUTHIER
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Enrichment Broth ◽  
Substrate Solution ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Assay Performance

A simple immunoenzymatic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) colony check (ECC) assay was developed for the presumptive identification of priority EHEC colonies isolated on plating media from enrichment broth cultures of foods. With this approach, lipopolysaccharide extracted from a colony is spotted on the grid of a polymyxin-coated polyester cloth strip, and bound E. coli serogroup O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 antigens are subsequently detected by sequential reactions with a pool of commercially available peroxidase-conjugated goat antibodies and tetramethylbenzidine substrate solution. Each strip can accommodate up to 15 colonies, and test results are available within 30 min. Assay performance was verified using colonies from a total of 73 target EHEC isolates covering the range of designated priority serogroups (all of which were reactive), 41 nontarget E. coli isolates including several nontarget Shiga toxin–producing E. coli serogroups (all unreactive), and 33 non–E. coli strains (all unreactive except two bacterial strains possessing O-antigenic structures in common with those of the priority EHEC). The ECC assay was reactive with target colonies grown on several types of selective and nonselective plating media designed for their cultivation. These results support the use of the ECC assay for high-throughput screening of colonies isolated on plating media for detecting priority EHEC strains in foods.

Ability ofEscherichia coliO157:H7 isolates to colonize the intestinal tract of conventional adult CD1 mice is transient

2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Wayne Conlan ◽  
Sonia L Bardy ◽  
Rhonda KuoLee ◽  
Ann Webb ◽  
Malcolm B Perry
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Intestinal Tract ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Intestinal Colonization ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cd1 Mice ◽  
A Current

In an attempt to improve upon a current mouse model of intestinal colonization by Escherichia coli O157:H7 used in this laboratory for vaccine development, nine clinical isolates of the pathogen were screened for their ability to persist in the intestinal tract of conventional adult CD-1 mice. None of the test isolates of E. coli O157:H7 were capable of colonizing these mice for a period of more than two weeks. Most of the isolates appeared to be benign for the experimental host, but one isolate was lethal. This virulence correlated with the ability of the latter isolate to produce large quantities of Shiga-like toxin 2 in vitro.

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