Table 1.

16S rRNA sequence similarity between closely related Shigella serogroups, serotypes and virotypes of Escherichia coli

	E. coli ATCC 25922	EPEC	EHEC	STEC	EIEC	S. dysenteriae	S. flexneri 2a	S. flexneri 5a	S. flexneri	S. boydii	S. sonnei
E. coli ATCC 25922	100
EPEC	98.89	100
EHEC	99.04	98.89	100
STEC	98.97	98.55	99.42	100
EIEC	99.63	98	98.41	98.47	100
S. dysenteriae	98.97	98.2	98.92	98.99	98.72	100
S. flexneri 2a	99.63	98.06	98.91	98.97	99.53	98.86	100
S. flexneri 5a	99.63	98	98.84	99.03	99.07	98.92	99.55	100
S. flexneri	99.78	98.2	98.99	99.13	99.6	99.13	99.73	99.8	100
S. boydii	99.56	98	98.8	98.87	99.66	98.79	99.93	99.47	99.66	100
S. sonnei	99.56	97.93	98.78	98.97	99	98.86	99.49	99.68	99.73	99.4	100

EHEC, enterohaemorrhagic E. coli; EIEC, enteroinvasive E. coli; EPEC, enteropathogenic E. coli; STEC, Shiga toxin–producing E. coli.