Abstract
From August 1996 to May 1997, six verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) strains were isolated from stool specimens of adults suffering from hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). All the isolates were stx2 positive and belonged to different serotypes: O6:H4, O91:H10, O91:H21, O rough:H16, OX3:H-, and O nontypeable: H-. The enterohemolysin (Ehly)-encoding genes were detected in two isolates, and none of the isolates harbors the intimin (Eae)-encoding gene. These findings suggest that stx2-positive non-O157:H7 VTEC is a major cause of HUS in adults and that several sources of pathogens are responsible for local endemic infections.
MeSH terms
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Adhesins, Bacterial*
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Bacterial Toxins / biosynthesis*
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Bacterial Toxins / genetics
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Bacterial Typing Techniques
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Carrier Proteins*
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DNA, Bacterial / analysis
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Escherichia coli / classification
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Escherichia coli / genetics
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Escherichia coli / metabolism
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Escherichia coli / pathogenicity*
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Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology*
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Escherichia coli Proteins*
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Feces / microbiology
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Hemolysin Proteins / genetics
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Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / diagnosis
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Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / microbiology*
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Humans
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Middle Aged
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Serotyping
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Shiga Toxin 1
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Virulence
Substances
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Adhesins, Bacterial
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
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Bacterial Toxins
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Carrier Proteins
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DNA, Bacterial
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Escherichia coli Proteins
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Hemolysin Proteins
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Shiga Toxin 1
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enterohemolysin
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eaeA protein, E coli