title: Whole-Genome Characterization and Strain Comparison of VT2f-Producing Escherichia coli Causing Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.
abstract: Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections in humans cause disease ranging from uncomplicated intestinal illnesses to bloody diarrhea and systemic sequelae, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Previous research indicated that pigeons may be a reservoir for a population of verotoxigenic E. coli producing the VT2f variant. We used whole-genome sequencing to characterize a set of VT2f-producing E. coli strains from human patients with diarrhea or HUS and from healthy pigeons. We describe a phage conveying the vtx2f genes and provide evidence that the strains causing milder diarrheal disease may be transmitted to humans from pigeons. The strains causing HUS could derive from VT2f phage acquisition by E. coli strains with a virulence genes asset resembling that of typical HUS-associated verotoxigenic E. coli.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Grande
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Michelacci
authors: Roslen
authors: R
authors: Bondì
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Gigliucci
authors: Eelco
authors: E
authors: Franz
authors: Mahdi Askari
authors: MA
authors: Badouei
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Schlager
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Minelli
authors: Rosangela
authors: R
authors: Tozzoli
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Caprioli
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Morabito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D065288:Serogroup; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000821:virology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D000073336:Whole Genome Sequencing
chemical_list: D022641:Shiga Toxin 2
keywords: Escherichia coli; HUS; VT2f-producing; VTEC; bacteria; enteric infections; evolution; hemolytic uremic syndrome; variant verotoxigenic Escherichia coli; virulence; whole-genome characterization; zoonoses