title: VTEC O117:K1:H7. A new clonal group of E. coli associated with persistent diarrhoea in Danish travellers.
abstract: 20 patients were infected with a new group of verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) strains of serotype O117:K1:H7 during a 5-y period. The main symptoms were persistent watery diarrhoea with abdominal cramps; 2 persons of the 20 were healthy carriers. The duration of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients was median 11 weeks with 80% being ill for more than 30 d. In 19 cases the infection was acquired during travel (Asia, Africa and Cuba), and 1 case was laboratory acquired. All strains were positive for the vtx1 gene and negative for the vtx2, the eae, the saa and the ehxA genes. 13 strains (65%) were resistant to 4 or more antimicrobial agents. By PFGE using the restriction enzyme XbaI, the strains were clonally related, but not identical. O117:K1:H7 is a clonal group of VTEC that should be considered in patients returning from Africa and Asia with long-lasting watery diarrhoea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology Mycology and Parasitology Copenhagen Denmark.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fussing
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerner-Smidt
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scheutz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014195:Travel