Molecular epidemiological study of a mass outbreak caused by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H45.
We made a molecular analysis of O157:H45 Escherichia coli isolated from a mass outbreak that occurred in Obihiro City. Using DNA analysis, we confirmed this infection case as a mass outbreak. Although the isolates expressed O157 antigen, they did not produce Vero toxin. We concluded they were enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) because they had a bfp gene and an EAF plasmid, and further they exhibited local adherence to HEp-2 cells. We believe this is the first report of a mass outbreak by O157 EPEC, and we suggest that PCR using eae- and bfp-specific primers and HEp-2 adherence assay are useful to identify EPEC.
Makino
S
S
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. smakino@obihiro.ac.jp
Asakura
H
H
Shirahata
T
T
Ikeda
T
T
Takeshi
K
K
Arai
K
K
Nagasawa
M
M
Abe
T
T
Sadamoto
T
T
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured