Prevalence of eae and shiga toxin genes among Escherichia coli strains isolated from healthy calves.
Strains of Escherichia coli (n = 390) isolated from 132 healthy, 4-8-week old calves, were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the eae (intimin) gene and shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2). All strains were also analysed for F5, F17 and F41 fimbriae and for the heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (STI and STII) genetic markers. Overall, the eae gene was detected in 84 (21.5%) of the strains tested. Only 21 (5.4%) isolates were positive for stx1 (18 strains) or stx2 (three strains); nine of the stx1-positive isolates also possessed the eae gene. A high percentage (29.2%) of the isolates tested expressed F17 but no enterotoxin genes were detected. None of the eae- or stx-positive strains belonged to the O157 serogroup.
National Veterinary Research Institute, Department of Microbiology, Pulawy, Poland.
J
J
Osek
S
S
Winiarczyk
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000235:genetics*
D022621:Shiga Toxin