J Vet Sci.  2012 Jun;13(2):139-144. 10.4142/jvs.2012.13.2.139.

Molecular characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains isolated from different sources and geographic regions

• Regua-Mangia AH
• Gonzalez A
• Cerqueira
• Andrade JR

• KMID: 1376187
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2012.13.2.139

Abstract

Escherichia (E.) coli serotype O157:H7 is a globally distributed human enteropathogen and is comprised of microorganisms with closely related genotypes. The main reservoir for this group is bovine bowels, and infection mainly occurs after ingestion of contaminated water and food. Virulence genetic markers of 28 O157:H7 strains were investigated and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) was used to evaluate the clonal structure. O157:H7 strains from several countries were isolated from food, human and bovine feces. According to MLEE, O157:H7 strains clustered into two main clonal groups designated A and B. Subcluster A1 included 82% of the O157:H7 strains exhibiting identical MLEE pattern. Most enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7 strains from Brazil and Argentina were in the same MLEE subgroup. Bovine and food strains carried virulence genes associated with EHEC pathogenicity in humans.

Keyword

enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; molecular characterization; O157:H7; virulence

MeSH Terms

Animals
Argentina/epidemiology
Brazil/epidemiology
Cattle
Cattle Diseases/epidemiology/*microbiology
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli/genetics/*isolation & purification/pathogenicity
Escherichia coli O157/*genetics/*isolation & purification/pathogenicity
Food Microbiology
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial/physiology
Genetic Markers
Humans
Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
Shiga Toxin 1/genetics/metabolism
Shiga Toxin 2/genetics/metabolism
Virulence

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Isoenzymatic relationships among the Escherichia coli O157 strains.

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