[Study of diarrhea-inducing strains of Escherichia coli mainly isolated in Kanto area between June and September 1996].
A total of 21,609 faecal specimens obtained from patients with diarrhea mainly in Kanto area between June and September 1996 were investigated to identify the causative pathogens for diarrhea. One-hundred fifty-seven strains of Escherichia coli of 29 different O-serotypes were isolated as the causative pathogens, which were previously recognized to induce severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Of these, 114 strains, in which the possibility of enterohemorrhagic E. coli due to their O-serotypes was predicted, were examined for the producibility of Vero toxins. Twenty-six (76.5%) of the 34 strains of E. coli O157 produced the Vero toxins, and other 8 strains were the non-producers. Twenty of the 26 producers produced both VT1 and VT2, whereas the other 6 strains produced VT2 only. Furthermore, 4 strains of E. coli O26, and 1 strain each of E. coli O125 and O126 produced Vero toxins. Thirty-two of the 114 strains, isolated from the patients with diarrhea and selected as the enterohemorrhagic E. coli according to the specific O-serotypes, were actually confirmed produce Vero toxins. Thirty-four strains of E. coli O157 tested were susceptible to all antibiotics such as ampicillin, doxycylin, levofloxacin, fosfomycin, chloramphenicol and polymyxin B, and no strains resistant to levofloxacin, polymyxin B and fosfomycin were found.
Kobayashi
I
I
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Mitsubishi Kagaku Bio Clinical Laboratory, Inc.
Osawa
H
H
Harada
T
T
Saika
T
T
Kanayama
A
A
Muraoka
H
H
Uchino
U
U
Hasegawa
M
M
Sato
Y
Y
Numata
K
K
Hashiguchi
N
N
Nishida
M
M
D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1