title: Subtyping of virulence genes in verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) other than serogroup O157 associated with disease in the United Kingdom.
abstract: Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) causes a wide spectrum of disease in humans, from mild diarrhoea to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The verocytotoxin (vtx) and intimin (eae) genes of VTEC strains, other than those of serogroup O157, were subtyped to identify common properties that may be associated with increased pathogenicity. Strains were isolated from patients with HUS, those with diarrhoea or from asymptomatic individuals. Strains of VTEC that carried vtx(2) gene subtypes vtx(2) and vtx(2c) were most commonly associated with HUS, whereas strains from patients with less severe disease and from the healthy control group were more likely to have vtx(1c) or vtx(2d) genes. The eae gene was detected more frequently in strains isolated from HUS patients than in those associated with cases of diarrhoea; beta-intimin was the most common intimin subtype in strains isolated from both groups of patients. None of the strains from the healthy control group carried the eae gene.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Willshaw
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheasty
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chart
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dougan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK 2Scottish Agricultural College, Veterinary Science Division, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Rd, Inverness, IV2 4JZ, UK 3Centre for Tropical and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK 4Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Flowers Building, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006801:Humans; D012703:Serotyping; D022603:Shiga Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D022603:Shiga Toxins; C073819:eaeA protein, E coli