The aim of this work was to adapt described MLVA protocols to the molecular typing and characterization of VTEC O157:H7 isolates from Argentina. Nine VNTR loci were amplified by PCR showing diversity values from 0.49 to 0.73. Nine MLVA profiles were observed and the cluster analysis indicated both unrelated and closely related VTEC O157:H7 strains. In spite of the limited number of isolates stu...

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen. We report here the high-quality draft whole-genome sequences of five STEC strains isolated from clinical cases in the United States. This report is for STEC of serotypes O55:H7, O79:H7, O91:H14, O153:H2, and O156:H25.

We present here the draft genome sequences of five Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains which tested positive in a primary subAB screening. Assembly and annotation of the draft genomes revealed that all strains harbored the recently described allelic variant subAB2-3 Based on the sequence data, primers were designed to identify and differentiate this variant.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are emerging food-borne pathogens causing life-threatening diseases and food-borne outbreaks. A better understanding of their evolution provides a framework for developing tools to control food safety. We obtained 15 genomes of non-O157 STEC strains, including O26, O111, and O103 strains. Phylogenetic trees revealed a close relation...

Healthy cattle are the main reservoir of STEC although they are also carried by sheep and other animals. The infectious dose for human infection has been estimated to be <100 bacteria. Transmission to humans occurs through either consumption of contaminated food or water, or exposure to a contaminated environment involving direct or indirect contact with animals or their faeces. The low infecti...

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Non-O157 shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, or O145 are both considered adulterated in non-intact beefs. Forty to fifty-eight percent of U.S. consumers prefer to order beef steaks of medium rare to rare status. From 2000 to 2007, undercooked non-intact beef products have been involved in several outbreaks in the United States...

Although the United States produces 203 million lb (ca. 92.1 kg) of domestic lamb and mutton each year, thorough studies of the microbiological safety during lamb processing are lacking. To address this missing information, a total of 2,548 sponge samples from pelts, preevisceration carcasses, and postintervention carcasses were collected from multiple large commercial lamb processing plants to...

To evaluate the potential public health risk caused by secondary Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in Japan, we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of STEC isolated from healthy adults during 2010-2012. Although prevalence among healthy adults was high, most STEC organisms displayed characteristics rarely found in isolates from symptomatic patients.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are the most virulent diarrheagenic E. coli known to date. They can be spread with alarming ease via food as exemplified by a large sprout-borne outbreak of STEC O104:H4 in 2011 that was centered in northern Germany and affected several countries. Effective control of such outbreaks is an important public health task and necessitates early outbreak ...

We surveyed laboratories in Washington State, USA, and found that increased use of Shiga toxin assays correlated with increased reported incidence of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections during 2005-2010. Despite increased assay use, only half of processed stool specimens underwent Shiga toxin testing during 2010, suggesting substantial underdetection of non-O157 S...