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.
Departamento de Patologia Médica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Mario R S M
MR
Souza
Giseli
G
Klassen
Fabiana De
FD
Toni
Liu U
LU
Rigo
Caroline
C
Henkes
Caroline P
CP
Pigatto
Cibelle de Borba
Cde B
Dalagassa
Cyntia M T
CM
Fadel-Picheth
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