scholarly journals Characterization of Shiga Toxin 2a Encoding Bacteriophages Isolated From High-Virulent O145:H25 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silje N. Ramstad ◽  
Yngvild Wasteson ◽  
Bjørn-Arne Lindstedt ◽  
Arne M. Taxt ◽  
Jørgen V. Bjørnholt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Integration Site ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
High Sequence Identity ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
Sequence Identity ◽  
Diarrhea Case ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Uremic Syndrome

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) may cause severe disease mainly due to the ability to produce Shiga toxins (Stx) encoded on bacteriophages. In Norway, more than 30% of the reported cases with STEC O145:H25 develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and most cases, with known travel history, acquired the infection domestically. To describe phage characteristics associated with high virulence, we extracted the Stx2a phage sequences from eight clinical Norwegian O145:H25 STEC to conduct in-depth molecular characterization using long and short read sequencing. The Stx2a phages were annotated, characterized, and compared with previously published Stx2a phages isolated from STEC of different serotypes. The Norwegian O145:H25 Stx2a phages showed high sequence identity (>99%) with 100% coverage. The Stx2a phages were located at the integration site yciD, were approximately 45 kbp long, and harbored several virulence-associated genes, in addition to stx2a, such as nanS and nleC. We observed high sequence identity (>98%) and coverage (≥94%) between Norwegian O145:H25 Stx2a phages and publicly available Stx2a phages from O145:H25 and O145:H28 STEC, isolated from HUS cases in the USA and a hemorrhagic diarrhea case from Japan, respectively. However, low similarity was seen when comparing the Norwegian O145:H25 Stx2a phage to Stx2a phages from STEC of other serotypes. In all the Norwegian O145:H25 STEC, we identified a second phage or remnants of a phage (a shadow phage, 61 kbp) inserted at the same integration site as the Stx2a phage. The shadow phage shared similarity with the Stx2a phage, but lacked stx2a and harbored effector genes not present in the Stx2a phage. We identified a conserved Stx2a phage among the Norwegian O145:H25 STEC that shared integration site with a shadow phage in all isolates. Both phage and shadow phage harbored several virulence-associated genes that may contribute to the increased pathogenicity of O145:H25 STEC.

scholarly journals Genotypic Characterization of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli in Beef Abattoirs of Argentina

2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 2008-2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. O. MASANA ◽  
B. A. D'ASTEK ◽  
P. M. PALLADINO ◽  
L. GALLI ◽  
L. L. DEL CASTILLO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Pattern Analysis ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Lower Proportion ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Sporadic Cases

The non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) contamination in carcasses and feces of 811 bovines in nine beef abattoirs from Argentina was analyzed during a period of 17 months. The feces of 181 (22.3%) bovines were positive for non-O157 STEC, while 73 (9.0%) of the carcasses showed non-O157 STEC contamination. Non-O157 STEC strains isolated from feces (227) and carcasses (80) were characterized. The main serotypes identified were O178:H19, O8:H19, O130:H11, and O113:H21, all of which have produced sporadic cases of hemolytic-uremic syndrome in Argentina and worldwide. Twenty-two (7.2%) strains carried a fully virulent stx/eae/ehxA genotype. Among them, strains of serotypes O103:[H2], O145:NM, and O111:NM represented 4.8% of the isolates. XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern analysis showed 234 different patterns, with 76 strains grouped in 30 clusters. Nine of the clusters grouped strains isolated from feces and from carcasses of the same or different bovines in a lot, while three clusters were comprised of strains distributed in more than one abattoir. Patterns AREXSX01.0157, AREXBX01.0015, and AREXPX01.0013 were identified as 100% compatible with the patterns of one strain isolated from a hemolytic-uremic syndrome case and two strains previously isolated from beef medallions, included in the Argentine PulseNet Database. In this survey, 4.8% (39 of 811) of the bovine carcasses appeared to be contaminated with non-O157 STEC strains potentially capable of producing sporadic human disease, and a lower proportion (0.25%) with strains able to produce outbreaks of severe disease.

scholarly journals Contribution and Interaction of Shiga Toxin Genes to Escherichia coli O157:H7 Virulence

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian A.M. Tarr ◽  
Taryn Stokowski ◽  
Smriti Shringi ◽  
Phillip I. Tarr ◽  
Stephen B. Freedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Additive Interaction ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Shiga Toxin Genes

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is the predominant cause of diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) worldwide. Its cardinal virulence traits are Shiga toxins, which are encoded by stx genes, the most common of which are stx1a, stx2a, and stx2c. The toxins these genes encode differ in their in vitro and experimental phenotypes, but the human population-level impact of these differences is poorly understood. Using Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophage insertion typing and real-time polymerase chain reaction, we genotyped isolates from 936 E. coli O157:H7 cases and verified HUS status via chart review. We compared the HUS risk between isolates with stx2a and those with stx2a and another gene and estimated additive interaction of the stx genes. Adjusted for age and symptoms, the HUS incidence of E. coli O157:H7 containing stx2a alone was 4.4% greater (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.3%, 9.1%) than when it occurred with stx1a. When stx1a and stx2a occur together, the risk of HUS was 27.1% lower (95% CI −87.8%, −2.3%) than would be expected if interaction were not present. At the population level, temporal or geographic shifts toward these genotypes should be monitored, and stx genotype may be an important consideration in clinically predicting HUS among E. coli O157:H7 cases.

scholarly journals Variability in the Occupancy of Escherichia coli O157 Integration Sites by Shiga Toxin-Encoding Prophages

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 433
Author(s):  
Scott T. Henderson ◽  
Pallavi Singh ◽  
David Knupp ◽  
David W. Lacher ◽  
Galeb S. Abu-Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Expected Number ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
Multiple Loci ◽  
Integration Sites ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Pcr Assays ◽  
N 93

Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains often produce Shiga toxins encoded by genes on lambdoid bacteriophages that insert into multiple loci as prophages. O157 strains were classified into distinct clades that vary in virulence. Herein, we used PCR assays to examine Shiga toxin (Stx) prophage occupancy in yehV, argW, wrbA, and sbcB among 346 O157 strains representing nine clades. Overall, yehV was occupied in most strains (n = 334, 96.5%), followed by wrbA (n = 213, 61.6%), argW (n = 103, 29.8%), and sbcB (n = 93, 26.9%). Twelve occupancy profiles were identified that varied in frequency and differed across clades. Strains belonging to clade 8 were more likely to have occupied sbcB and argW sites compared to other clades (p < 0.0001), while clade 2 strains were more likely to have occupied wrbA sites (p < 0.0001). Clade 8 strains also had more than the expected number of occupied sites based on the presence of stx variants (p < 0.0001). Deletion of a 20 kb non-Stx prophage occupying yehV in a clade 8 strain resulted in an ~18-fold decrease in stx2 expression. These data highlight the complexity of Stx prophage integration and demonstrate that clade 8 strains, which were previously linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome, have unique Stx prophage occupancy profiles that can impact stx2 expression.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of the Abilities of Shiga Toxins 1 and 2 To Bind to and Influence Neutrophil Apoptosis

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 760-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Flagler ◽  
Jane E. Strasser ◽  
Claudia L. Chalk ◽  
Alison A. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Human Neutrophils ◽  
Neutrophil Apoptosis ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
Activated Neutrophils ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Intestinal Pathogen ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Life Threatening Complication

ABSTRACT Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), the life-threatening complication following infection by the intestinal pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7, is due to the ability of the pathogen to produce toxins in the Shiga toxin (Stx) family. Activated neutrophils are observed in HUS patients, yet it is unclear whether Stx exerts a direct effect on neutrophils or whether the toxin acts indirectly. The effect of Stx1 and Stx2 on human neutrophils was examined. Neither Stx1 nor Stx2 altered the rate of neutrophil apoptosis. Minimal binding of either toxin to neutrophils was observed, and the toxin was easily eluted from the cells. Stx1 and Stx2 were found to circulate in the plasma of mice following intravenous injection, and both toxins were cleared rapidly from the blood. Together these results suggest that neither Stx1 nor Stx2 interacts directly with neutrophils.

scholarly journals Molecular Analysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Patients and Dairy Samples in France

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 2118-2128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Pradel ◽  
Yolande Bertin ◽  
Christine Martin ◽  
Valérie Livrelli
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Raw Milk ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Catalase Peroxidase ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Plasmid Profiling

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) has been associated with food-borne diseases ranging from uncomplicated diarrhea to hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). While most outbreaks are associated with E. coli O157:H7, about half of the sporadic cases may be due to non-O157:H7 serotypes. To assess the pathogenicity of STEC isolated from dairy foods in France, 40 strains isolated from 1,130 raw-milk and cheese samples were compared with 15 STEC strains isolated from patients suffering from severe disease. The presence of genes encoding Shiga toxins (stx 1, stx 2, and variants), intimin (eae and variants), adhesins (bfp, efa1), enterohemolysin (ehxA), serine protease (espP), and catalase-peroxidase (katP) was determined by PCR and/or hybridization. Plasmid profiling, ribotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used to further compare the strains at the molecular level. A new stx 2 variant, stx 2-CH013, associated with an O91:H10 clinical isolate was identified. The presence of the stx 2, eae, and katP genes, together with a combination of several stx 2 variants, was clearly associated with human-pathogenic strains. In contrast, dairy food STEC strains were characterized by a predominance of stx 1, with a minority of isolates harboring eae, espP, and/or katP. These associations may help to differentiate less virulent STEC strains from those more likely to cause disease in humans. Only one dairy O5 isolate had a virulence gene panel identical to that of an HUS-associated strain. However, the ribotype and PFGE profiles were not identical. In conclusion, most STEC strains isolated from dairy products in France showed characteristics different from those of strains isolated from patients.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization Reveals Similar Virulence Gene Content in Unrelated Clonal Groups of Escherichia coli of Serogroup O174 (OX3)

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (4) ◽  
pp. 1344-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L. Tarr ◽  
Adam M. Nelson ◽  
Lothar Beutin ◽  
Katharina E. P. Olsen ◽  
Thomas S. Whittam
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Gene Profiling ◽  
Gene Content ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Enterocyte Effacement

ABSTRACT Most severe illnesses that are attributed to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are caused by isolates that also carry a pathogenicity island called the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). However, many cases of severe disease are associated with LEE-negative strains. We characterized the virulence gene content and the evolutionary relationships of Escherichia coli isolates of serogroup O174 (formerly OX3), strains of which have been implicated in cases of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. A total of 56 isolates from humans, farm animals, and food were subjected to multilocus virulence gene profiling (MVGP), and a subset of 16 isolates was subjected to multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA). The MLSA revealed that the O174 isolates fall into four separate evolutionary clusters within the E. coli phylogeny and are related to a diverse array of clonal groups, including enteropathogenic E. coli 2 (EPEC 2), enterohemorrhagic E. coli 2 (EHEC 2), and EHEC-O121. Of the 15 genes that we surveyed with MVGP, only 6 are common in the O174 strains. The different clonal groups within the O174 serogroup appear to have independently acquired and maintained similar sets of genes that include the Shiga toxins (stx 1 and stx 2) and two adhesins (saa and iha). The absence of certain O island (OI) genes, such as those found on OI-122, is consistent with the notion that certain pathogenicity islands act cooperatively with the LEE island.

Development of candidate vaccines against infection caused by shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli. Part 1

Bacteriology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-70
Author(s):  
E.A. Svetoch ◽  
◽  
I.A. Dyatlov ◽  
N.N. Kartsev ◽  
B.V. Eruslanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Hemorrhagic Colitis ◽  
Protective Properties ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Immunodominant Antigens

Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains cause serious and life-threatening diseases, hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Antibacterial etiotropic therapy against these diseases are not recommended. There are no vaccines against human HA and HUS. The review provides materials on the design of various types of candidate vaccines against STEC strains and assessment of their immunogenic and protective properties in experiments on laboratory and farm animals. The prospects for the use of inactivated corpuscular and live (vector) vaccines, lipopolysaccharide vaccines, DNA vaccines and nanovaccines, vaccines based on bacterial cell membranes (ghost), as well as vaccines created by reverse vaccinology methods in practice are considered. Key words: STEC, hemorrhagic colitis, immunodominant antigens, shiga toxins, EspA, EspB, Tir, intimine, IgG, sIgA

Development of candidate vaccines against infection caused by shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli. Part 2

Bacteriology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-59
Author(s):  
E.A. Svetoch ◽  
◽  
I.A. Dyatlov ◽  
N.N. Kartsev ◽  
B.V. Eruslanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Secretory Iga ◽  
Hemorrhagic Colitis ◽  
Subunit Vaccines ◽  
Shiga Toxins ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
Uremic Syndrome

Prevention and treatment of hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) continues to be a public health concern. The main reason for the problem is the lack of vaccines and lack of evidence for using of antibacterial etiotropic drugs to treat this infection. A promising scientific approach to create specific agents against STEC infection is the development of subunit recombinant vaccines. The analysis of experimental studies presented in this review shows that effective subunit vaccines against STEC infection can be created on the basis of known immunogenic determinants of HC and HUS causative agents – EspA, EspB, and Tir proteins, intimin, as well as H7 antigen of E. coli O157:H7 and nontoxic proteins of Shiga toxins Stx1 and Stx2 A and B subunits. Using these epitopes, three types of subunit vaccines are designed: antibacterial vaccine, vaccine protecting the macroorganism from systemic intoxication caused by Shiga toxins, and vaccines that simultaneously induce the antibacterial and antitoxic immunity. Since the epitopes listed above are weak immunogenic, to increase their immunogenicity, complex chimeric antigenic structures containing protein inducers are constructed that significantly increase the immune response to target specific epitopes. Mineral adjuvants are also widely used to increase the immunogenicity of STEC epitopes. All three types of created candidate subunit vaccines, at subcutaneous, intramuscular and intranasal application induce production of specific IgG and secretory IgA antibodies in animals and protect them from the infection caused by the STEC strains. Key words: STEC, hemorrhagic colitis, immunodominant antigens, Shiga toxins, EspA, EspB, Tir, intimine, IgG, sIgA

scholarly journals Whole-genome characterization of hemolytic uremic syndrome-causing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in Sweden

Virulence ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1296-1305
Author(s):  
Ying Hua ◽  
Milan Chromek ◽  
Anne Frykman ◽  
Cecilia Jernberg ◽  
Valya Georgieva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Genome Characterization ◽  
Uremic Syndrome

scholarly journals An Atypical Case of Shiga Toxin Producing-Escherichia Coli Hemolytic and Uremic Syndrome (STEC-HUS) in a Lung Transplant Recipient

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Louis Manière ◽  
Camille Domenger ◽  
Boubou Camara ◽  
Diane Giovannini ◽  
Paolo Malvezzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Kidney Function ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Lactate Dehydrogenase Level ◽  
Fresh Frozen Plasma ◽  
First Case ◽  
Maintenance Immunosuppression ◽  
Fresh Frozen ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Frozen Plasma

We herein describe the first case of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) which was related to Shiga toxin producing-Escherichia Coli Hemolytic and Uremic Syndrome (STEC-HUS) after lung transplantation. His maintenance immunosuppression relied on tacrolimus plus mycophenolic acid. TMA was treated with plasma exchanges (PE) (fresh frozen plasma substitution). After five days of PE, platelets count and lactate dehydrogenase level normalized, whereas hemoglobin continued to gradually decrease and no improvement in kidney function was observed. After seven PE sessions, all TMA biological signs resolved. However, kidney function did not improve, and the patient still required chronic dialysis.

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