title: Human infections with non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Switzerland, 2000-2009.
abstract: We characterized 97 non-O157 Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli strains isolated from human patients during 2000-2009 from the national reference laboratory in Switzerland. These strains belonged to 40 O:H serotypes; 4 serotypes (O26:H11/H-, O103:H2, O121:H19, and O145:H28/H-) accounted for 46.4% of the strains. Nonbloody diarrhea was reported by 23.2% of the patients, bloody diarrhea by 56.8%. Hemolytic uremic syndrome developed in 40.0% of patients; serotype O26:H11/H- was most often associated with this syndrome. Forty-five (46.4%) strains carried stx2 genes only, 36 strains (37.1%) carried stx1, and 16 (16.5%) strains carried stx1 and stx2. Genes encoding enterohemolysin and intimin were detected in 75.3% and 70.1% of the strains, respectively. Resistance to ≥1 antimicrobial agent was present in 25 isolates. High genetic diversity within strains indicates that non-O157 stx-producing E. coli infections in Switzerland most often occurred as single cases.
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Käppeli
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hächler
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giezendanner
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beutin
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012703:Serotyping; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2