We recently described a novel megaplasmid-encoded adhesin produced by certain Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) strains that lack the locus for enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island. This adhesin, designated Saa (STEC autoagglutinating adhesin), may be a marker for a subset of LEE-negative STEC strains capable of causing severe gastrointestinal and systemic diseases in humans. In this study, we developed a pentavalent PCR assay for the detection of saa as well as other proven and putative STEC virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eae, and ehxA). The five primer pairs used in the assay do not interfere with each other and generate amplification products of 119, 180, 255, 384, and 534 bp.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.40.1.271-274.2002 | DOI Listing |
J Med Microbiol
January 2025
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Diarrhoeagenic (DEC) pathotypes are defined by genes located on mobile genetic elements, and more than one definitive pathogenicity gene may be present in the same strain. In August 2022, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) surveillance systems detected an outbreak of hybrid Shiga toxin-producing /enterotoxigenic (STEC-ETEC) serotype O101:H33 harbouring both Shiga toxin () and heat-stable toxin (). These hybrid strains of DEC are a public health concern, as they are often associated with enhanced pathogenicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpidemiol Infect
January 2025
Gastrointestinal Infections and Food Safety (One Health) Division, Clinical and Public Health Group, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
In July 2022, a genetically linked and geographically dispersed cluster of 12 cases of Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) O103:H2 was detected by the UK Health Security Agency using whole genome sequencing. Review of food history questionnaires identified cheese (particularly an unpasteurized brie-style cheese) and mixed salad leaves as potential vehicles. A case-control study was conducted to investigate exposure to these products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: When haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and renal failure are present, a thrombotic microangiopathic (TMA) condition should be suspected. We describe the various differential diagnoses of primary TMA syndromes, their clinical findings, clinical workup and treatment.
Case Presentation: A previously healthy man in his fifties was hospitalised with anaemia, thrombocytopenia, bilirubinaemia and acute renal failure.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
In integrated crop-livestock systems, livestock graze on cover crops and deposit raw manure onto fields to improve soil health and fertility. However, enteric pathogens shed by grazing animals may be associated with foodborne pathogen contamination of produce influenced by fecal-soil microbial interactions. We analyzed 300 fecal samples (148 from sheep and 152 from goats) and 415 soil samples (272 from California and 143 from Minnesota) to investigate the effects of grazing and the presence of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) or generic E.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Microbiol
January 2025
Field Service - South East and London, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) infections are of public health concern as STEC can cause large national foodborne outbreaks of severe gastrointestinal disease, particularly in the young and elderly. In recent years, the implementation of PCR by diagnostic microbiology laboratories has improved the detection of STEC, and there has been an increase in notifications of cases of non-O157 STEC. However, the extent this increase in caseload can be attributed to the improved detection by PCR, or a true increase in non-O157 STEC infections, is unknown.
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