Clonal diversity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O103:H2/H(-) in Germany.
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.
Prager
Rita
R
National Reference Centre of Salmonella and other enterics, Robert Koch Institute, Bereich Wernigerode, Burgstr. 37, D-38855 Wernigerode, Germany.
Liesegang
Almut
A
Voigt
W
W
Rabsch
W
W
Fruth
Angelika
A
Tschäpe
H
H
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
D022621:Shiga Toxin