Variants of eae and stx genes of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from calves.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the subtypes of stx and eae genes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) from calves and to ascertain the typical and atypical nature of EPEC.


RESULTS
One hundred and eighty-seven faecal samples from 134 diarrhoeic and 53 healthy calves were investigated for the presence of stx, eae and ehxA virulence genes by polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subtype analysis of stx(1) exhibited stx(1c) in 13 (31.70%) isolates, while that of stx(2) revealed stx(2c) in eight (24.24%) and stx(2d) in two (6.06%) isolates. Subtyping of eae gene showed the presence of eae-beta, eae-eta and eae-zeta in two, three and four isolates respectively. None of the E. coli isolates possessed stx(2e), stx(2f), eae-alpha, eae-delta, eae-epsilon and eae-xi. All EPEC isolates were atypical.


CONCLUSIONS
stx(1), stx(1c), stx(2), stx(2c), stx(2d), eae-beta, eae-eta and eae-zeta subtypes are prevalent in STEC and EPEC isolates in India.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first subtype analysis of stx(2) and eae genes of animal E. coli isolates in India and emphasizes the need to investigate their transmission to humans.
Wani
S A
SA
Bacteriology Laboratory, Division of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, SK University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama (Alusteng), Srinagar, India. shakilwani@gmail.com
Hussain
I
I
Nabi
A
A
Fayaz
I
I
Nishikawa
Y
Y
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007194:India; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C036507:Hlya protein, E coli; C073819:eaeA protein, E coli; D022621:Shiga Toxin