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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Meat Safety and Quality » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #241539
Title: Diverse Genetic Markers Concordantly Identify Bovine Origin Escherichia coli O157 Genotypes Underrepresented in Human Disease

Author
item WHITWORTH, JOSHUA - Washington State University
item ZHANG, YUBEI - Washington State University
item Bono, James - Jim
item PLEYDELL, EVE - Massey University
item FRENCH, NIGEL - Massey University
item BESSER, THOMAS - Washington State University

Submitted to: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2009
Publication Date: 1/1/2010
Citation: Whitworth, J., Zhang, Y., Bono, J., Pleydell, E., French, N., Besser, T. 2010. Diverse Genetic Markers Concordantly Identify Bovine Origin Escherichia coli O157 Genotypes Underrepresented in Human Disease. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 76(1):361-365.

Interpretive Summary: Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure in humans. It is normally carried in the intestines of cattle where it does not cause any disease. Several different tests detect different strain types of E. coli O157:H7 that are present in cattle intestines--but rarely are found in human disease, suggesting that not all strains of this bacterium have the ability to cause human disease. The goal of this research was to determine if the various tests that identify strain types that rarely cause human disease agree when they are applied to E. coli O157:H7 of diverse origins. The results clearly show that the tests agree on identification of both the strain types typical of human disease and that are commonly isolated from cattle, but that rarely cause human disease. These results are important because they clarify which tests can be used to determine whether or not any particular E. coli O157:H7 strain is a likely cause of human disease.

Technical Abstract: Genetic markers previously reported to occur at significantly different frequencies in isolates of Escherichia coli O157:H7 obtained from cattle and from clinically affected humans are congruent and delineate at least five groups. Isolates in three of these groups consistently carry one or more markers rarely found among clinical isolates.