This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Zhang, W.-L.
Right arrow Articles by Karch, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zhang, W.-L.
Right arrow Articles by Karch, H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2000, p. 2134-2140, Vol. 38, No. 6
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Molecular Characteristics and Epidemiological Significance of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O26 Strains

Wen-Lan Zhang,1 Martina Bielaszewska,2 Almut Liesegang,3 Helmut Tschäpe,3 Herbert Schmidt,1 Martin Bitzan,4 and Helge Karch1,*

Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie der Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg,1 and Robert Koch Institut, Bereich Wernigerode, 38855 Wernigerode,3 Germany; Institute for Medical Microbiology, Charles University, Prague, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic2; and Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-10814

Received 5 November 1999/Returned for modification 21 February 2000/Accepted 20 March 2000

Fifty-five Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 and O26:H- strains isolated from humans between 1965 and 1999 in Germany and the Czech Republic were investigated for their chromosomal and plasmid characteristics. All motile (n = 23) and nonmotile (n = 32) STEC O26 strains were shown to possess the identical flagellin subunit-encoding gene (fliC). We observed a striking recent shift of the stx genotype from stx1 to stx2 among the STEC O26 isolates. While stx1 was the exclusive genotype identified in our collection until 1994, 94% of the isolates obtained after 1997 possessed stx2 either alone (71%) or together with stx1 (23%). Plasmid profiling demonstrated a remarkable heterogeneity with respect to plasmid sizes and combinations. Southern blot analysis of plasmid DNA with probes specific to potential accessory virulence genes revealed considerable additional variability in gene composition and arrangement. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) differentiated 16 subgroups among the 55 STEC O26 strains. Using these techniques we demonstrate the emergence of a new clonal subgroup characterized by PFGE pattern A and a unique combination of virulence markers including stx2 and a single, approximately 90-kb plasmid harboring the enterhemorrhagic E. coli hlyA and etp genes. The proportion of PFGE subgroup A strains among STEC O26 isolates rose from 30% in 1996 to more than 50% in 1999. Four clusters of infections with the clonal subgroup A were identified. We conclude that the STEC serogroup O26 is diverse and that pathogenic clonal subgroups can rapidly emerge during short intervals. The extensive genetic diversity of STEC O26 provides a basis for molecular subtyping of this important non-O157 STEC serogroup.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie der Universität Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany. Phone: 49-931-201-5162. Fax: 49-931-201-5166. E-mail: hkarch{at}hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2000, p. 2134-2140, Vol. 38, No. 6
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Geue, L., Klare, S., Schnick, C., Mintel, B., Meyer, K., Conraths, F. J. (2009). Analysis of the Clonal Relationship of Serotype O26:H11 Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Isolates from Cattle. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 6947-6953 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Karama, M., Johnson, R. P., Holtslander, R., Gyles, C. L. (2008). Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Verotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli O103:H2 Isolates from Cattle and Humans. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 3569-3575 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Aktan, I., Carter, B., Wilking, H., La Ragione, R. M., Wieler, L., Woodward, M. J., Anjum, M. F. (2007). Influence of geographical origin, host animal and stx gene on the virulence characteristics of Escherichia coli O26 strains. J Med Microbiol 56: 1431-1439 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cookson, A. L., Bennett, J., Thomson-Carter, F., Attwood, G. T. (2007). Molecular Subtyping and Genetic Analysis of the Enterohemolysin Gene (ehxA) from Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6360-6369 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bielaszewska, M., Prager, R., Kock, R., Mellmann, A., Zhang, W., Tschape, H., Tarr, P. I., Karch, H. (2007). Shiga Toxin Gene Loss and Transfer In Vitro and In Vivo during Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26 Infection in Humans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 3144-3150 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Milnes, A. S., Pritchard, G. C., Sprigings, K., Futter, R., Willshaw, G. A. (2006). Verocytotoxin-producing E coli O26 infection in calves. Vet Rec. 159: 159-159 [Full Text]  
  • Vaz, T. M. I., Irino, K., Nishimura, L. S., Cergole-Novella, M. C., Guth, B. E. C. (2006). Genetic Heterogeneity of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 1976 through 2003, as Revealed by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis.. J. Clin. Microbiol. 44: 798-804 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pearce, M. C., Evans, J., McKendrick, I. J., Smith, A. W., Knight, H. I., Mellor, D. J., Woolhouse, M. E. J., Gunn, G. J., Low, J. C. (2006). Prevalence and Virulence Factors of Escherichia coli Serogroups O26, O103, O111, and O145 Shed by Cattle in Scotland. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 653-659 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sonntag, A.-K., Bielaszewska, M., Mellmann, A., Dierksen, N., Schierack, P., Wieler, L. H., Schmidt, M. A., Karch, H. (2005). Shiga Toxin 2e-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Humans and Pigs Differ in Their Virulence Profiles and Interactions with Intestinal Epithelial Cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 8855-8863 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gilmour, M. W., Cote, T., Munro, J., Chui, L., Wylie, J., Isaac-Renton, J., Horsman, G., Tracz, D. M., Andrysiak, A., Ng, L.-K. (2005). Multilocus Sequence Typing of Escherichia coli O26:H11 Isolates Carrying stx in Canada Does Not Identify Genetic Diversity. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 5319-5323 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Durso, L. M., Bono, J. L., Keen, J. E. (2005). Molecular Serotyping of Escherichia coli O26:H11. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 4941-4944 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Creuzburg, K., Kohler, B., Hempel, H., Schreier, P., Jacobs, E., Schmidt, H. (2005). Genetic structure and chromosomal integration site of the cryptic prophage CP-1639 encoding Shiga toxin 1. Microbiology 151: 941-950 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sonntag, A.-K., Prager, R., Bielaszewska, M., Zhang, W., Fruth, A., Tschape, H., Karch, H. (2004). Phenotypic and Genotypic Analyses of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O145 Strains from Patients in Germany. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 954-962 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pearce, M. C., Jenkins, C., Vali, L., Smith, A. W., Knight, H. I., Cheasty, T., Smith, H. R., Gunn, G. J., Woolhouse, M. E. J., Amyes, S. G. B., Frankel, G. (2004). Temporal Shedding Patterns and Virulence Factors of Escherichia coli Serogroups O26, O103, O111, O145, and O157 in a Cohort of Beef Calves and Their Dams. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1708-1716 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • DebRoy, C., Roberts, E., Kundrat, J., Davis, M. A., Briggs, C. E., Fratamico, P. M. (2004). Detection of Escherichia coli Serogroups O26 and O113 by PCR Amplification of the wzx and wzy Genes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1830-1832 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jenkins, C., Willshaw, G. A., Evans, J., Cheasty, T., Chart, H., Shaw, D. J., Dougan, G., Frankel, G., Smith, H. R. (2003). Subtyping of virulence genes in verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) other than serogroup O157 associated with disease in the United Kingdom. J Med Microbiol 52: 941-947 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Anjum, M. F., Lucchini, S., Thompson, A., Hinton, J. C. D., Woodward, M. J. (2003). Comparative Genomic Indexing Reveals the Phylogenomics of Escherichia coli Pathogens. Infect. Immun. 71: 4674-4683 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Friedrich, A. W., Borell, J., Bielaszewska, M., Fruth, A., Tschape, H., Karch, H. (2003). Shiga Toxin 1c-Producing Escherichia coli Strains: Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization and Association with Human Disease. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 2448-2453 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bettelheim, K. A. (2003). Non-O157 Verotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli: A Problem, Paradox, and Paradigm. Exp. Biol. Med. 228: 333-344 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ludwig, K., Sarkim, V., Bitzan, M., Karmali, M. A., Bobrowski, C., Ruder, H., Laufs, R., Sobottka, I., Petric, M., Karch, H., Muller-Wiefel, D. E. (2002). Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection and Antibodies against Stx2 and Stx1 in Household Contacts of Children with Enteropathic Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40: 1773-1782 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Seah, J. N., Kwang, J. (2001). Mapping of Escherichia coli H27-Specific Epitope from H-Specific Polypeptides. CVI 8: 1126-1130 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McNally, A., Roe, A. J., Simpson, S., Thomson-Carter, F. M., Hoey, D. E. E., Currie, C., Chakraborty, T., Smith, D. G. E., Gally, D. L. (2001). Differences in Levels of Secreted Locus of Enterocyte Effacement Proteins between Human Disease-Associated and Bovine Escherichia coli O157. Infect. Immun. 69: 5107-5114 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Eklund, M., Scheutz, F., Siitonen, A. (2001). Clinical Isolates of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli: Serotypes, Virulence Characteristics, and Molecular Profiles of Strains of the Same Serotype. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 2829-2834 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pradel, N., Boukhors, K., Bertin, Y., Forestier, C., Martin, C., Livrelli, V. (2001). Heterogeneity of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Patients, Cattle, and Food Samples in Central France. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2460-2468 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nagy, G., Dobrindt, U., Kupfer, M., Emody, L., Karch, H., Hacker, J. (2001). Expression of Hemin Receptor Molecule ChuA Is Influenced by RfaH in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Strain 536. Infect. Immun. 69: 1924-1928 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bielaszewska, M., Schmidt, H., Liesegang, A., Prager, R., Rabsch, W., Tschäpe, H., Cízek, A., Janda, J., Bláhová, K., Karch, H. (2000). Cattle Can Be a Reservoir of Sorbitol-Fermenting Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H- Strains and a Source of Human Diseases. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 3470-3473 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»