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Association of putative pathogenicity genes with adherence characteristics and fimbrial genotypes in typical enteroaggregative Escherichia coli from patients with and without diarrhoea in the United Kingdom

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare genotypic characteristics seen in typical EAggEC isolated during a study of intestinal infectious disease from cases and controls, and to identify which genes, or combinations of genes, were most associated with diarrhoeal disease. We also investigated the association of genotype with certain characteristics, such as presence of fimbrial genes and adherence to Hep-2 cells. The aafC gene, encoding the usher for AAFII, was the only gene significantly associated with patients with diarrhoea (P < 0.005), and the aggC gene, which encodes the usher for AAFI, was the only gene significantly associated with the healthy control group (P < 0.002). Putative virulence genes significantly associated with aggregative adherence included aafC, aggR, pet, pic and astA. The shf, pet and astA genes were all more likely to be associated with type II fimbriae than with type I. We conclude that in addition to presence and absence of certain genes, studies of EAggEC pathogenicity should investigate the combinations and associations of putative virulence factors.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Judith Evans, Judith Lee and Doreen Bassett for their contribution to this project. This study was funded by the Food Standards Agency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2QG, UK

    C. Jenkins

  2. Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK

    H. Chart, G. A. Willshaw & T. Cheasty

  3. Yorkshire and Humber, Leeds Health Protection Agency Laboratory, Bridle Path, York Road, Leeds, LS15 7TR, UK

    D. S. Tompkins

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  1. C. Jenkins
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Correspondence to C. Jenkins.

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Jenkins, C., Chart, H., Willshaw, G.A. et al. Association of putative pathogenicity genes with adherence characteristics and fimbrial genotypes in typical enteroaggregative Escherichia coli from patients with and without diarrhoea in the United Kingdom. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 26, 901–906 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0388-z

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