Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1987 Dec;99(3):613–624. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800066462

Properties of strains of Escherichia coli belonging to serogroup O157 with special reference to production of Vero cytotoxins VT1 and VT2.

S M Scotland 1, G A Willshaw 1, H R Smith 1, B Rowe 1
PMCID: PMC2249237  PMID: 3322851

Abstract

Fifty-four strains of Escherichia coli belonging to serogroup O157 were examined for the production of Vero cytotoxins VT1 and VT2, and for other properties such as plasmid content, resistance to antimicrobial agents and colicin production. Twenty-six strains from cases of diarrhoea, haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome in humans produced VT. By serum neutralization tests and hybridization with DNA probes for VT1 or VT2, three classes were recognized which produced either VT1 alone or VT2 alone or both VT1 and VT2. These strains were of H type 7 or non-motile. The strains producing VT were sensitive to all the antimicrobial agents tested, and all carried at least one plasmid which had a molecular weight of c. 60 X 10(6). Seven strains of porcine origin and 21 strains of human origin did not produce VT or hybridize with either DNA probe. None of these strains was of H type 7. Of the 21 human VT- strains, 17 were of extra-intestinal origin and 18 were of H type 45. Twenty-three of the 28 VT-strains were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent.

Full text

PDF
616

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Birnboim H. C., Doly J. A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA. Nucleic Acids Res. 1979 Nov 24;7(6):1513–1523. doi: 10.1093/nar/7.6.1513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Borczyk A. A., Karmali M. A., Lior H., Duncan L. M. Bovine reservoir for verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7. Lancet. 1987 Jan 10;1(8524):98–98. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)91928-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Day N. P., Scotland S. M., Cheasty T., Rowe B. Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with human infections in the United Kingdom. Lancet. 1983 Apr 9;1(8328):825–825. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91887-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dean A. G., Ching Y. C., Williams R. G., Harden L. B. Test for Escherichia coli enterotoxin using infant mice: application in a study of diarrhea in children in Honolulu. J Infect Dis. 1972 Apr;125(4):407–411. doi: 10.1093/infdis/125.4.407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Farmer J. J., 3rd, Davis B. R. H7 antiserum-sorbitol fermentation medium: a single tube screening medium for detecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with hemorrhagic colitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1985 Oct;22(4):620–625. doi: 10.1128/jcm.22.4.620-625.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Furowicz A. J., Orskov F. Two new Escherichia coli O antigens, O150 and O157, and one new K antigen, K92, in strains isolated from veterinary diseases. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1972;80(3):441–444. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1972.tb00058.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gransden W. R., Damm M. A., Anderson J. D., Carter J. E., Lior H. Further evidence associating hemolytic uremic syndrome with infection by Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7. J Infect Dis. 1986 Sep;154(3):522–524. doi: 10.1093/infdis/154.3.522. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Johnson W. M., Lior H., Bezanson G. S. Cytotoxic Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with haemorrhagic colitis in Canada. Lancet. 1983 Jan 1;1(8314-5):76–76. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91616-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Karch H., Heesemann J., Laufs R., O'Brien A. D., Tacket C. O., Levine M. M. A plasmid of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is required for expression of a new fimbrial antigen and for adhesion to epithelial cells. Infect Immun. 1987 Feb;55(2):455–461. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.2.455-461.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Karmali M. A., Petric M., Lim C., Fleming P. C., Arbus G. S., Lior H. The association between idiopathic hemolytic uremic syndrome and infection by verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli. J Infect Dis. 1985 May;151(5):775–782. doi: 10.1093/infdis/151.5.775. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Konowalchuk J., Speirs J. I., Stavric S. Vero response to a cytotoxin of Escherichia coli. Infect Immun. 1977 Dec;18(3):775–779. doi: 10.1128/iai.18.3.775-779.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. March S. B., Ratnam S. Sorbitol-MacConkey medium for detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with hemorrhagic colitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1986 May;23(5):869–872. doi: 10.1128/jcm.23.5.869-872.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Martin M. L., Shipman L. D., Wells J. G., Potter M. E., Hedberg K., Wachsmuth I. K., Tauxe R. V., Davis J. P., Arnoldi J., Tilleli J. Isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from dairy cattle associated with two cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Lancet. 1986 Nov 1;2(8514):1043–1043. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)92656-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Neill M. A., Agosti J., Rosen H. Hemorrhagic colitis with Escherichia coli O157:H7 preceding adult hemolytic uremic syndrome. Arch Intern Med. 1985 Dec;145(12):2215–2217. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Newland J. W., Strockbine N. A., Miller S. F., O'Brien A. D., Holmes R. K. Cloning of Shiga-like toxin structural genes from a toxin converting phage of Escherichia coli. Science. 1985 Oct 11;230(4722):179–181. doi: 10.1126/science.2994228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. O'Brien A. D., LaVeck G. D. Purification and characterization of a Shigella dysenteriae 1-like toxin produced by Escherichia coli. Infect Immun. 1983 May;40(2):675–683. doi: 10.1128/iai.40.2.675-683.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. O'Brien A. D., Newland J. W., Miller S. F., Holmes R. K., Smith H. W., Formal S. B. Shiga-like toxin-converting phages from Escherichia coli strains that cause hemorrhagic colitis or infantile diarrhea. Science. 1984 Nov 9;226(4675):694–696. doi: 10.1126/science.6387911. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. O'Brien A. O., Lively T. A., Chen M. E., Rothman S. W., Formal S. B. Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains associated with haemorrhagic colitis in the United States produce a Shigella dysenteriae 1 (SHIGA) like cytotoxin. Lancet. 1983 Mar 26;1(8326 Pt 1):702–702. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91987-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pai C. H., Gordon R., Sims H. V., Bryan L. E. Sporadic cases of hemorrhagic colitis associated with Escherichia coli O157:H7. Clinical, epidemiologic, and bacteriologic features. Ann Intern Med. 1984 Dec;101(6):738–742. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-101-6-738. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pugsley A. P. Escherichia coli K12 strains for use in the identification and characterization of colicins. J Gen Microbiol. 1985 Feb;131(2):369–376. doi: 10.1099/00221287-131-2-369. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ratnam S., March S. B. Sporadic occurrence of hemorrhagic colitis associated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Newfoundland. CMAJ. 1986 Jan 1;134(1):43-5, 49. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Remis R. S., MacDonald K. L., Riley L. W., Puhr N. D., Wells J. G., Davis B. R., Blake P. A., Cohen M. L. Sporadic cases of hemorrhagic colitis associated with Escherichia coli O157:H7. Ann Intern Med. 1984 Nov;101(5):624–626. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-101-5-624. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Riley L. W., Remis R. S., Helgerson S. D., McGee H. B., Wells J. G., Davis B. R., Hebert R. J., Olcott E. S., Johnson L. M., Hargrett N. T. Hemorrhagic colitis associated with a rare Escherichia coli serotype. N Engl J Med. 1983 Mar 24;308(12):681–685. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198303243081203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Ryan C. A., Tauxe R. V., Hosek G. W., Wells J. G., Stoesz P. A., McFadden H. W., Jr, Smith P. W., Wright G. F., Blake P. A. Escherichia coli O157:H7 diarrhea in a nursing home: clinical, epidemiological, and pathological findings. J Infect Dis. 1986 Oct;154(4):631–638. doi: 10.1093/infdis/154.4.631. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Scotland S. M., Smith H. R., Rowe B. Two distinct toxins active on Vero cells from Escherichia coli O157. Lancet. 1985 Oct 19;2(8460):885–886. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)90146-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Smith H. R., Day N. P., Scotland S. M., Gross R. J., Rowe B. Phage-determined production of vero cytotoxin in strains of Escherichia coli serogroup O157. Lancet. 1984 Jun 2;1(8388):1242–1243. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)91729-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Smith H. R., Rowe B., Gross R. J., Fry N. K., Scotland S. M. Haemorrhagic colitis and Vero-cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli in England and Wales. Lancet. 1987 May 9;1(8541):1062–1065. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)90485-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Spika J. S., Parsons J. E., Nordenberg D., Wells J. G., Gunn R. A., Blake P. A. Hemolytic uremic syndrome and diarrhea associated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a day care center. J Pediatr. 1986 Aug;109(2):287–291. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(86)80386-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Strockbine N. A., Marques L. R., Newland J. W., Smith H. W., Holmes R. K., O'Brien A. D. Two toxin-converting phages from Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain 933 encode antigenically distinct toxins with similar biologic activities. Infect Immun. 1986 Jul;53(1):135–140. doi: 10.1128/iai.53.1.135-140.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Taylor C. M., White R. H., Winterborn M. H., Rowe B. Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome: clinical experience of an outbreak in the West Midlands. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Jun 7;292(6534):1513–1516. doi: 10.1136/bmj.292.6534.1513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Wells J. G., Davis B. R., Wachsmuth I. K., Riley L. W., Remis R. S., Sokolow R., Morris G. K. Laboratory investigation of hemorrhagic colitis outbreaks associated with a rare Escherichia coli serotype. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Sep;18(3):512–520. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.3.512-520.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Willshaw G. A., Smith H. R., Anderson E. S. Application of agarose gel electrophoresis to the characterization of plasmid DNA in drug-resistant enterobacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1979 Sep;114(1):15–25. doi: 10.1099/00221287-114-1-15. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Willshaw G. A., Smith H. R., Scotland S. M., Field A. M., Rowe B. Heterogeneity of Escherichia coli phages encoding Vero cytotoxins: comparison of cloned sequences determining VT1 and VT2 and development of specific gene probes. J Gen Microbiol. 1987 May;133(5):1309–1317. doi: 10.1099/00221287-133-5-1309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Willshaw G. A., Smith H. R., Scotland S. M., Rowe B. Cloning of genes determining the production of vero cytotoxin by Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1985 Nov;131(11):3047–3053. doi: 10.1099/00221287-131-11-3047. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Wilson R. A., Francis D. H. Fimbriae and enterotoxins associated with Escherichia coli serogroups isolated from pigs with colibacillosis. Am J Vet Res. 1986 Feb;47(2):213–217. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES