Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli from humans and animals differ in major phenotypical traits and virulence genes.
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is characterized by the expression of the aggregative adherence pattern to cultured epithelial cells. In this study, we determined the phenotypic and genotypic relationships among 86 EAEC strains of human and animal (calves, piglets and horses) feces. Serotypes and the presence of EAEC virulence markers were determined, and these results were associated with ribotyping. Strains harboring aggR (typical EAEC) of human origin were found carrying several of the searched markers, while atypical EAEC harbored none or a few markers. The strains of animal origin were classified as atypical EAEC (strains lacking aggR) and harbored only irp2 or shf. Strains from humans and animals belonged to several different serotypes, although none of them prevailed. Sixteen ribotypes were determined, and there was no association with virulence genes profiles or serotypes. Relationship was not found among the strains of this study, and the assessed animals may not represent a reservoir of human pathogenic typical EAEC.
Uber
Ana Paula
AP
Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Trabulsi
Luiz R
LR
Irino
Kinue
K
Beutin
Lothar
L
Ghilardi
Angela C R
AC
Gomes
Tânia A T
TA
Liberatore
Ana Maria A
AM
de Castro
Antônio F P
AF
Elias
Waldir P
WP
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D035942:Iron Regulatory Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D021521:Ribotyping; D012703:Serotyping; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
C088603:AggR protein, E coli; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D037521:Virulence Factors; D035942:Iron Regulatory Protein 2