title: Use of virulence determinants and seropathotypes to distinguish high- and low-risk Escherichia coli O157 and non-O157 isolates from Europe.
abstract: The presence of 10 virulence genes was examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 365 European O157 and non-O157 Escherichia coli isolates associated with verotoxin production. Strain-specific PCR data were analysed using hierarchical clustering. The resulting dendrogram clearly separated O157 from non-O157 strains. The former clustered typical high-risk seropathotype (SPT) A strains from all regions, including Sweden and Spain, which were homogenous by Cramer's V statistic, and strains with less typical O157 features mostly from Hungary. The non-O157 strains divided into a high-risk SPTB harbouring O26, O111 and O103 strains, a group pathogenic to pigs, and a group with few virulence genes other than for verotoxin. The data demonstrate SPT designation and selected PCR separated verotoxigenic E. coli of high and low risk to humans; although more virulence genes or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis will need to be included to separate high-risk strains further for epidemiological tracing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Food Safety, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Food Safety, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Food Safety, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tozzoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency, London UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: SVA, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aspan
authors.affiliation: Statens Serum Institut, Department of Microbiological Surveillance and Research, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Food Safety Laboratory, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fach
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Carlos III, National Center of Microbiology, Laboratory of Enterobacteraceae, Campylobacter and Vibrio, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrera-León
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Food Safety, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Food Safety, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: LA Ragione
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013552:Swine; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins