An outbreak (?) caused by Escherichia coli O126:K71:H5 in premature infants.
The strain E. coli O126:K71:H5 was recovered during a 6 week period, from stool samples of 13 premature infants hospitalized in the Premature Infants Nursery Unit. Of a total of 147 tested stool samples, 69 were positive. This strain was also recovered for a long period from the respiratory tract of one of the infants. The strain had a low virulence for the infants. No clear relationship could be demonstrated between clinical status and recovery of the strain. The strain did not possess any of the well defined pathogenic mechanisms, namely enterotoxins LT and ST, and invasiveness. The production of a thermolabile substance toxic for Vero cells was demonstrated. The strain possessed both guinea pig mannose-sensitive and human mannose resistant hemagglutinins. In spite of the production of thermolabile toxic substance for Vero cells and in spite of its contagiousness and intestinal tract colonization capacity, the strain displayed the characteristics of an opportunistic pathogen rather than classic EPEC.
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007557:Israel
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003603:Cytotoxins; D004768:Enterotoxins