Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Meat Safety and Quality » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #201836
Title: Molecular Serotyping of Escherichia coli O111:H8

Author
item Durso, Lisa
item Bono, James - Jim
item Keen, James

Submitted to: Journal of Microbiological Methods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2007
Publication Date: 6/1/2007
Citation: Durso, L.M., Bono, J.L., Keen, J.E. 2007. Molecular Serotyping of Escherichia coli O111:H8. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 69:381-383.

Interpretive Summary: Serotyping is the gold standard for distinguishing between different Escherichia coli bacteria, but it is expensive, and can only be performed in a limited number of reference laboratories. Because accurate Escherichia coli serotyping is critical for pathogen diagnosis and surveillance, we developed a molecular serotyping assay for a particular serotype of E. coli, called E. coli O111:H8, that causes several kinds of human disease, including bloody diarrhea. Traditional serotyping is based on the presence of specific proteins. The molecular serotyping procedure uses a relatively common and cost-effective test for the genes that code for the proteins. The molecular serotyping assay provides a reliable, cost-effective test using readily available laboratory equipment.

Technical Abstract: Accurate Escherichia coli serotyping is critical for pathogen diagnosis and surveillance of non-O157 shiga-toxigenic strains, however, few laboratories have this capacity. The molecular serotyping protocol described in this paper targets the somatic and flagellar antigens of E. coli O111:H8 used in traditional serotyping, and can be performed routinely in the laboratory.