The common ovine Shiga toxin 2-containing Escherichia coli serotypes and human isolates of the same serotypes possess a Stx2d toxin type.

ABSTRACT: Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) has been reported as the main Shiga toxin associated with human disease. In addition, the Stx2 toxin type can have a profound impact on the degree of tissue damage in animal models. We have characterized the stx(2) subtype of 168 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates of which 146 were derived from ovine sources (principally feces and meat) and 22 were isolated from humans. The ovine STEC isolates were of serotypes that have been shown to occur commonly in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy sheep. The major stx(2) subtype in the ovine isolates was shown to be stx(2d-Ount) (119 of 146 [81.5%]) and was predominantly associated with serotypes O75:H(-)/H8/H40, O91:H(-), O123:H(-), O128:H2, and OR:H2. However, 17 of 18 (94.4%) ovine isolates of serotype O

SUBMITTER: Ramachandran V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC88051 | biostudies-literature | 2001 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature