Biochemical properties, enterohaemolysin production and plasmid carriage of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains.
Thirty-eight strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were characterised in terms of biochemical properties, enterohaemolysin production and plasmid carriage. A wide variation in the biochemical properties was observed among the STEC, with 14 distinct biotypes identified. Biotype 1 was the most common, found in 29% of the strains. Enterohaemolysin production was detected in 29% of the strains. Most of the bacterial strains (95%) carried one or more plasmids and considerable heterogeneity in size and combinations was observed. Seven distinct plasmid profiles were identified. The most common profile, characterised by the presence of a single plasmid of ~90 kb, was found in 50% of these strains. These data indicate extensive diversity among STEC strains. No correlation was found among biotype, serotype, enterohaemolysin production and plasmid profile.
Souza
Mario R S M
MR
Departamento de Patologia Médica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Klassen
Giseli
G
Toni
Fabiana De
FD
Rigo
Liu U
LU
Henkes
Caroline
C
Pigatto
Caroline P
CP
Dalagassa
Cibelle de Borba
Cde B
Fadel-Picheth
Cyntia M T
CM
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C066219:enterohemolysin