Genomic epidemiology of the Escherichia coli O104:H4 outbreaks in Europe, 2011.

ABSTRACT: The degree to which molecular epidemiology reveals information about the sources and transmission patterns of an outbreak depends on the resolution of the technology used and the samples studied. Isolates of Escherichia coli O104:H4 from the outbreak centered in Germany in May-July 2011, and the much smaller outbreak in southwest France in June 2011, were indistinguishable by standard tests. We report a molecular epidemiological analysis using multiplatform whole-genome sequencing and analysis of multiple isolates from the German and French outbreaks. Isolates from the German outbreak showed remarkably little diversity, with only two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found in isolates from four individuals. Surprisingly, we found much greater diversity (19 SNPs) in isolates from seven

SUBMITTER: Grad YH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3286951 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature