title: Clonal diversity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O103:H2/H(-) in Germany.
abstract: Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli O103:H2/H(-) belong to the third most frequently isolated EHEC serotypes in Germany following isolates of O157:H7/H(-) and O26:H11/H(-). A total of 145 respective E. coli 103 isolates from single cases of diarrhoea and haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in 1997-2000 were characterised by a range of molecular subtyping methods (PFGE, P-gene profiling, ribotyping, electrotyping) and phage typing in order to analyse their genetic relatedness and the practicability for new epidemiological tracing back. All isolates cluster into a distinct EHEC subgroup and reveal a high clonal diversity together with a considerable stability. Since strains of this serotype rank up to the third most frequently isolated EHEC in Germany a large population of this serotype, and therefore, a great supply of such strains may exist in this country.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre of Salmonella and other enterics, Robert Koch Institute, Bereich Wernigerode, Burgstr. 37, D-38855 Wernigerode, Germany.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prager
authors.forename: Almut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liesegang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rabsch
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fruth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tschäpe
mesh_terms: D002999:Clone Cells; D003090:Coliphages / Q000145:classification; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D021521:Ribotyping; D012703:Serotyping; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D022621:Shiga Toxin