UK epidemic Escherichia coli strains A-E, with CTX-M-15 beta-lactamase, all belong to the international O25:H4-ST131 clone.
OBJECTIVE
Uropathogenic and invasive Escherichia coli O25:H4-ST131 isolates producing CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes have recently been shown to be disseminated across the globe. In the UK, many CTX-M-15 ESBL-producing E. coli strains have been previously defined as belonging to the epidemic strains A-E, as determined by PFGE. The present study was carried out to define the relationship between these two groups of pathogenic E. coli.


METHODS
Multilocus sequence typing and PFGE were used for molecular characterization of a collection of 61 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from across the UK.


RESULTS
Strains A to E all belonged to the ST131 clone, further underscoring the epidemiological importance of this lineage.


CONCLUSIONS
The future spread of the ST131 clone, and its UK variants, should be monitored closely and the pathogenic mechanisms explaining their success should be investigated.
Lau
Siu Ha
SH
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Clinical Sciences Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester M13 9WL, UK.
Kaufmann
Mary E
ME
Livermore
David M
DM
Woodford
Neil
N
Willshaw
Geraldine A
GA
Cheasty
Tom
T
Stamper
Katie
K
Reddy
Suganya
S
Cheesbrough
John
J
Bolton
Frederick J
FJ
Fox
Andrew J
AJ
Upton
Mathew
M
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C473109:beta-lactamase CTX-M-15; D001618:beta-Lactamases