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Alhadlaq MA, Aljurayyad OI, Almansour A, Al-Akeel SI, Alzahrani KO, Alsalman SA, Yahya R, Al-Hindi RR, Hakami MA, Alshahrani SD, Alhumeed NA, Al Moneea AM, Al-Seghayer MS, AlHarbi AL, Al-Reshoodi FM, Alajel S. Overview of pathogenic Escherichia coli, with a focus on Shiga toxin-producing serotypes, global outbreaks (1982-2024) and food safety criteria. Gut Pathog 2024; 16:57. [PMID: 39370525 PMCID: PMC11457481 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-024-00641-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Classification of pathogenic E. coli has been focused either in mammalian host or infection site, which offers limited resolution. This review presents a comprehensive framework for classifying all E. coli branches within a single, unifying figure. This approach integrates established methods based on virulence factors, serotypes and clinical syndromes, offering a more nuanced and informative perspective on E. coli pathogenicity. The presence of the LEE island in pathogenic E. coli is a key genetic marker differentiating EHEC from STEC strains. The coexistence of stx and eae genes within the bacterial genome is a primary characteristic used to distinguish STEC from other pathogenic E. coli strains. The presence of the inv plasmid, Afa/Dr adhesins, CFA-CS-LT-ST and EAST1 are key distinguishing features for identifying pathogenic E. coli strains belonging to EIEC, DAEC, ETEC and EAEC pathotypes respectively. Food microbiological criteria differentiate pathogenic E. coli in food matrices. 'Zero-tolerance' applies to most ready-to-eat (RTE) foods due to high illness risk. Non-RTE foods' roles may allow limited E. coli presence, which expose consumers to potential risk; particularly from the concerning Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains, which can lead to life-threatening complications in humans, including haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and even death in susceptible individuals. These findings suggest that decision-makers should consider incorporating the separate detection of STEC serotypes into food microbiological criteria, in addition to existing enumeration methods. Contamination of STEC is mainly linked to food consumption, therefore, outbreaks of E. coli STEC has been reviewed here and showed a link also to water as a potential contamination route. Since their discovery in 1982, over 39,787 STEC cases associated with 1,343 outbreaks have been documented. The majority of these outbreaks occurred in the Americas, followed by Europe, Asia and Africa. The most common serotypes identified among the outbreaks were O157, the 'Big Six' (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145), and other serotypes such as O55, O80, O101, O104, O116, O165, O174 and O183. This review provides valuable insights into the most prevalent serotypes implicated in STEC outbreaks and identifies gaps in microbiological criteria, particularly for E. coli non-O157 and non-Big Six serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Othman I Aljurayyad
- Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Botany and Microbiology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | | | | | - Reham Yahya
- Clinical Infection and Microbiology Basic Sciences Department, King Saudi Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, P.O. Box 3661, 11481, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rashad R Al-Hindi
- Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Saleh D Alshahrani
- Department of Public Health Department, Ministry of Interior, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Kalalah AA, Koenig SSK, Bono JL, Bosilevac JM, Eppinger M. Pathogenomes and virulence profiles of representative big six non-O157 serogroup Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1364026. [PMID: 38562479 PMCID: PMC10982417 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1364026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) of non-O157:H7 serotypes are responsible for global and widespread human food-borne disease. Among these serogroups, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 account for the majority of clinical infections and are colloquially referred to as the "Big Six." The "Big Six" strain panel we sequenced and analyzed in this study are reference type cultures comprised of six strains representing each of the non-O157 STEC serogroups curated and distributed by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) as a resource to the research community under panel number ATCC MP-9. The application of long- and short-read hybrid sequencing yielded closed chromosomes and a total of 14 plasmids of diverse functions. Through high-resolution comparative phylogenomics, we cataloged the shared and strain-specific virulence and resistance gene content and established the close relationship of serogroup O26 and O103 strains featuring flagellar H-type 11. Virulence phenotyping revealed statistically significant differences in the Stx-production capabilities that we found to be correlated to the strain's individual stx-status. Among the carried Stx1a, Stx2a, and Stx2d phages, the Stx2a phage is by far the most responsive upon RecA-mediated phage mobilization, and in consequence, stx2a + isolates produced the highest-level of toxin in this panel. The availability of high-quality closed genomes for this "Big Six" reference set, including carried plasmids, along with the recorded genomic virulence profiles and Stx-production phenotypes will provide a valuable foundation to further explore the plasticity in evolutionary trajectories in these emerging non-O157 STEC lineages, which are major culprits of human food-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar A. Kalalah
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Sara S. K. Koenig
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - James L. Bono
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | - Joseph M. Bosilevac
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | - Mark Eppinger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
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Zarei O, Shokoohizadeh L, Hossainpour H, Alikhani MY. The Prevalence of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Raw Chicken Meat Samples. Int J Microbiol 2021; 2021:3333240. [PMID: 34987586 PMCID: PMC8723884 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3333240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is known as a crucial zoonotic food-borne pathogen. A total of 257 raw chicken meat samples were collected from different markets in Hamadan, west of Iran, from January 2016 to May 2017. MATERIALS AND METHODS The samples were cultured in selective and differential culture media, and the virulence genes of E. coli isolates were analyzed by PCR assay. The antibiotic resistance patterns of E. coli isolates were determined by the disk diffusion method. The genetic relatedness of the E. coli O157 isolates was analyzed by ERIC-PCR. RESULTS In total, 93 (36% ± 3.12) of the isolates were identified as E. coli in this study. Based on serological and microbiological tests, 36 (38.7% ± 9.9), 7 (7.5% ± 5.35), and 12 (12.9% ± 6.81) of the E. coli isolates were characterized as STEC, enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and attaching and effacing E. coli (AEEC) strains, respectively. A high level of resistance to nalidixic acid (91.4% ± 5.7), tetracycline (89.2% ± 6.31), ampicillin (82.8% ± 7.67), and trimotoprime-sulfametoxazole (71% ± 9.22) was detected among the E. coli isolates. The analysis of the ERIC-PCR results showed five different ERIC types among the E. coli O157 isolates. CONCLUSIONS Based on our findings, control and check-up of poultry meats should be considered as a crucial issue for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Zarei
- Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Leili Shokoohizadeh
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Hadi Hossainpour
- Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Yousef Alikhani
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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