title: A new Shiga toxin 2 variant (Stx2f) from Escherichia coli isolated from pigeons.
abstract: We have isolated Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains from the feces of feral pigeons which contained a new Stx2 variant gene designated stx(2f). This gene is most similar to sltIIva of patient E. coli O128:B12 isolate H.I.8. Stx2f reacted only weakly with commercial immunoassays. The prevalence of STEC organisms carrying the stx(2f) gene in pigeon droppings was 12.5%. The occurrence of a new Stx2 variant in STEC from pigeons enlarges the pool of Stx2 variants and raises the question whether horizontal gene transfer to E. coli pathogenic to humans may occur.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie der Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheef
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caprioli
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wieler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karch
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D022603:Shiga Toxins
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D022603:Shiga Toxins