The Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) O113:H21 strain 98NK2, which was responsible for an outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome, secretes a highly potent and lethal subtilase cytotoxin that is unrelated to any bacterial toxin described to date. It is the prototype of a new family of AB 5 toxins, comprising a single 35-kilodalton (kD) A subunit and a pentamer of 13-kD B subunits. The A sub...

Sporadic infection with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in New Mexico increased from 0.9 cases per 100,000 population (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-1.36) in 2004 to 1.7 (95% CI 1.14-2.26) in 2007. Non-O157 STEC was more common in nonwhite residents, children <5 years of age, and urban residents.

Escherichia coli is suspected to be involved with Crohn's disease. Adherence and invasion to epithelial cells are properties commonly observed in these bacteria. Here, we present a draft genome sequence of E. coli D92/09, a multidrug-resistant strain, which besides showing these properties produces Shiga cytotoxin-1 and possibly other toxins.

To the Editor: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause diarrhea by producing either a heatlabile enterotoxin, a heat-stable enterotoxin (ST), or both. Consequently, ETEC can be identified either by detecting the enterotoxin in the culture fluid by immunologic assays or by detecting enterotoxin-coding genes with DNA probes or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. For many clinical...

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a Shiga-toxigenic pathogen capable of inducing severe forms of enteritis (e.g., hemorrhagic colitis) and extraintestinal sequelae (e.g., hemolytic-uremic syndrome). The molecular basis of colonization of human and animal hosts by EHEC is not yet completely understood, and an improved understanding of EHEC mucosal adherence may lead to the development...

To determine the fate of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) non-O 157 in composted manure from naturally colonized cattle, fresh manure was obtained from three cows carrying non-O157 STEC strains possessing the stx2 gene. Two composting systems were used: a 0.6m deep cave opened in the soil and an one meter high solid manure heap in a pyramidal architecture. Every day, for the 10 first day...

Escherichia coli is a pathogen of major importance in swine and public health. To determine the prevalence of Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), samples were collected from the feces and carcasses of swines. In total, 441 samples were collected in four samplings, of which 141 samples tested positive for either the stx1, stx2, and/or eae genes. From the positive ...