Fimbriation and curliation in Escherichia coli O157

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serotypes, particularly E. coli O157:H7, possess a variety of fimbrial and afimbrial adhesins which have emerged as important contributors to intestinal colonization. E. coli O157:H7 possesses two chromosomal operons encoding long polar fimbriae (Lpf), which have been found to influence adherence in vitro and colonization in vivo. In a recent Infection and Immunity paper, we further explored the role of Lpf in E. coli O157:H7 intestinal colonization by using the infant rabbit model of STEC infection. We found that an E. coli O157:H7 Lpf-deficient mutant was outcompeted in the rabbit intestine by its parental strain, which may suggest that Lpf contributes to colonization. In contrast, the Lpf-deficient mutant showed an increased adherence to cultured intestinal epithelial cells, and we discovered that this strain overexpressed curli fibers. In this addendum article, we provide a continued perspective on the predicted roles of Lpf and curli, both in vivo and in vitro.     

Ferrets as a model system for renal disease secondary to intestinal infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli

Ferrets were evaluated as a possible small animal model for the development of colitis and/or signs of the hemolytic uremic syndrome after oral infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7 or other Shiga toxin--producing E. coli (STEC). Ferrets treated with streptomycin (Stm) had higher counts of E. coli O157:H7 strain 86-24 Stm-resistant (Stm(r)) or O91:H21 strain B2F1 Stm(r) in their stools than non--Stm-treated animals. None of the animals displayed evidence of colitis, but Stm-treated animals fed strain 86-24 Stm(r) exhibited weight loss significantly greater than that exhibited by ferrets fed an isogenic mutant negative for the adhesin intimin. Moreover, 11 (23%) of the 47 Stm-treated ferrets inoculated with 86-24 Stm(r) or B2F1 Stm(r) developed hematuria and/or histological damage to glomeruli or thrombocytopenia, compared with 0 of 14 uninfected control animals receiving Stm in water. Thus, the ferret may serve as a model for renal disease secondary to intestinal infection with STEC.     

非O157产志贺毒素大肠埃希菌研究进展

产志贺毒素大肠埃希菌(Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli,STEC)是一类能产生一种或一种以上志贺毒素的大肠埃希菌的总称,包括400余种血清型,其中以O157∶H7血清型为主。近年来,非O157STEC在世界范围内引起散发感染和暴发的报道明显增加,但由于非O157STEC血清型多样,菌株间表型差异较大,目前尚无一种有效的能用于所有非O157STEC菌株分离的方法,因此非O157STEC的流行情况可能被低估。本文就非O157STEC的病原学、致病机制、流行病学特征、实验室诊断、治疗和预防等方面的研究进展做一简要综述。     

Commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli use a common pilus adherence factor for epithelial cell colonization

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is a food-borne pathogen that causes hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome. Colonization of the human gut mucosa and production of potent Shiga toxins are critical virulence traits of EHEC. Although EHEC O157:H7 contains numerous putative pili operons, their role in the colonization of the natural bovine or accidental human hosts remains largely unknown. We have identified in EHEC an adherence factor, herein called E. coli common pilus (ECP), composed of a 21-kDa pilin subunit whose amino acid sequence corresponds to the product of the yagZ (renamed ecpA) gene present in all E. coli genomes sequenced to date. ECP production was demonstrated in 121 (71.6%) of a total of 169 ecpA+ strains representing intestinal and extraintestinal pathogenic as well as normal flora E. coli. High-resolution ultrastructural and immunofluorescence studies demonstrated the presence of abundant peritrichous fibrillar structures emanating from the bacterial surface forming physical bridges between bacteria adhering to cultured epithelial cells. Isogenic ecpA mutants of EHEC O157:H7 or fecal commensal E. coli showed significant reduction in adherence to cultured epithelial cells. Our data suggest that ECP production is a common feature of E. coli colonizing the human gut or other host tissues. ECP is a pilus of EHEC O157:H7 with a potential role in host epithelial cell colonization and may represent a mechanism of adherence of both pathogenic and commensal E. coli.     

牛源大肠杆菌O157∶H7的分离鉴定及其生物学特性研究

目的 为了解郑州地区牛携带大肠杆菌O157∶H7的情况。方法 应用本实验室已建立的大肠杆菌 O157∶H7多重PCR方法对其进行了检测,并对临床分离的动物源大肠杆菌O157∶H7的生物学特性及携带的毒力基因情况进行了分析。结果 所采集的样品中共分离鉴定出2株大肠杆菌 O157∶H7,分别命名为L1和L2,其检出率为1.4%;临床分离菌株的生化试验结果均符合大肠杆菌的常规生化特性;L1和L2菌株的生长曲线一致,均比标准株的迟缓期短,较早进入对数生长期;L1菌株在48 h可形成成熟完整的生物被膜,L2菌株在36 h形成成熟完整的生物被膜;L1和L2菌株均携带有hlyA和eaeA毒力基因,同时L1还携带Stx2毒力基因。结论 该结果为大肠杆菌O157∶H7流行病学调查提供了相关数据,对郑州地区大肠杆菌O157∶H7有效的监测奠定了基础。     

Bacterial genetic determinants of non-O157 STEC outbreaks and hemolytic-uremic syndrome after infection

Although O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are the predominant cause of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) in the world, non-O157:H7 serotypes are a medically important cause of HUS that are underdetected by current diagnostic approaches. Because Shiga toxin is necessary but not sufficient to cause HUS, identifying the virulence determinants that predict severe disease after non-O157 STEC infection is of paramount importance. Disease caused by O157:H7 STEC has been associated with a 26-gene pathogenicity island known as O island (OI) 122. To assess the public-health significance of this pathogenicity island, we examined the association between OI122 genes and outbreaks and HUS after non-O157 STEC infection. We found that a subset of OI122 genes is independently associated with outbreaks and HUS after infection with non-O157 STEC. The presence of multiple virulence genes in non-O157 serotypes strengthened this association, which suggests that the additive effects of a variable repertoire of virulence genes contribute to disease severity. In vivo, Citrobacter rodentium mutants lacking outbreak- and HUS-associated genes were deficient for virulence in mice; in particular, nleB mutant bacteria were unable to cause mortality in mice. The present study shows that virulence genes associated epidemiologically with outbreaks and HUS after non-O157 STEC infection are pivotal to the initiation, progression, and outcome of in vivo disease.     

霍乱弧菌和大肠杆菌O157∶H7检测芯片的制备

目的设计和制备快速检测霍乱弧菌和大肠杆菌O157∶H7基因芯片。方法选择霍乱弧菌特异的编码外膜蛋白的ompW基因和毒素ctxA基因以及大肠杆菌O157∶H7特异的编码菌体抗原rfbE、鞭毛抗原fliC和毒素SLT1、SLT2基因,设计引物和探针,并制备检测芯片,通过两次PCR扩增,制备荧光标记的靶序列,并与芯片进行杂交,检测霍乱弧菌和大肠杆菌O157∶H7。结果所有霍乱弧菌和大肠杆菌O157:H7菌株在采用单一和多重PCR两种方法制备的荧光标记靶序列与芯片杂交,均在芯片相应探针处出现阳性信号,非霍乱弧菌和非O157:H7菌株杂交结果均为阴性。结论基因芯片可以快速检测霍乱弧菌的O157∶H7。     

广西畜禽大肠杆菌O157∶H7流行病学调查

目的为了掌握广西畜禽大肠杆菌O157∶H7的流行病学情况。方法应用细菌分离、生化特性鉴定、血清凝集反应和PCR鉴定等方法在2007-2010年广西200多个畜禽养殖场进行畜禽大肠杆菌O157∶H7的流行病学调查。对采集的2 915份样本进行了大肠杆菌O157∶H7的分离鉴定、致病性试验、药物敏感试验以及毒力基因检测。有5份样本经细菌培养特性、生化特性、血清凝集反应和PCR鉴定为大肠杆菌O157∶H7,样本细菌分离率为0.17%。小白鼠致病性试验显示分离菌株的毒力各有差别,对小白鼠的致死率在33.4%～100%之间。药敏结果表明分离菌株对阿莫西林、氨苄西林、多粘菌素B、罗红霉素、利福平和林可霉素不敏感。毒力基因的检测结果表明,5株分离菌株携带的毒力基因略有差异,并与其致病性强弱有一定的相关性。结论大肠杆菌O157∶H7主要在猪群传播,具有一定的毒力,对常用抗生素耐药。     

Intimin type influences the site of human intestinal mucosal colonisation by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7.

BACKGROUND: Enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) Escherichia coli epithelial cell adhesion is characterised by intimate attachment, and attaching and effacing (A/E) lesion formation. This event is mediated in part by intimin binding to another bacterial protein, Tir (translocated intimin receptor), which is exported by the bacteria and integrated into the host cell plasma membrane. Importantly, EPEC (O127:H6) and EHEC (O157:H7) express antigenically distinct intimin types known as intimin alpha and gamma, respectively. EHEC (O157:H7) colonises human intestinal explants although adhesion is restricted to the follicle associated epithelium of Peyer's patches. This phenotype is also observed with EPEC O127:H6 engineered to express EHEC intimin gamma. AIMS: To investigate the influence of intimin on colonisation of human intestine by E coli O157:H7, and intimin types on tissue tropism in humans. METHODS: Human intestinal in vitro organ culture with wild type and mutant strains of O157:H7 were employed. RESULTS: Introducing a deletion mutation in the eae gene encoding intimin gamma in EHEC (O157:H7) caused the strain (ICC170) to fail to colonise human intestinal explants. However, colonisation of Peyer's patches and A/E lesion formation were restored with intimin gamma expression from a plasmid (ICC170 (pICC55)). In contrast, complementing the mutation with intimin alpha resulted in a strain (ICC170 (pCVD438)) capable of colonising and producing A/E lesions on both Peyer's patch and other small intestinal explants. CONCLUSION: Intimin is necessary for human intestinal mucosal colonisation by E coli O157:H7. Intimin type influences the site of colonisation in a Tir type independent mechanism; intimin gamma appears to restrict colonisation to human follicle associated epithelium.     

Computational prediction and experimental validation of novel markers for detection of STEC O157:H7

AIM:To identify and assess the novel makers for detection of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 with an integrated computational and experimental approach. METHODS:High-throughput NCBI blast (E-value cutoff e-5) was used to search homologous genes among all sequenced prokaryotic genomes of each gene encoded in each of the three strains of STEC O157:H7 with complete genomes,aiming to find unique genes in O157:H7 as its potential markers. To ensure that the identified markers from the three...     

Preparation of immunomagnetic iron-dextran nanoparticles and application in rapid isolation of E.coli O157：H7 from foods

AIM: To prepare a kind of magnetic iron-dextran nanoparticles that was coated with anti-E.coli O157:H7 IgG, analyze its application conditions, and try to use it to isolate E.coli O157:H7 from foods. METHODS: Magnetic iron-dextran nanoparticles were prepared by the reaction of a mixture of ferric and ferrous ions with dextran polymers under alkaline conditions. The particles were coated with antiserum against E.coli O157:H7 by the periodate oxidation-borohydride reduction procedure. The oxidation time, amount of antibody coating the particles, amount of nanoparticles, incubation time and isolation time were varied to determine their effects on recovery of the organisms. Finally, the optimum conditions for isolating E.coli O157:H7 from food samples were established. RESULTS: E.coli O157:H7 can be isolated from samples within 15 min with the sensitivity of 10(1) CFU/mL or even less. In the presence of 10(8) CFU/mL of other organisms, the sensitivity is 10(1)-10(2) CFU/mL. Nonspecific binding of other bacteria to the particles was not observed. Two and a half hours of enrichment is enough for the particles to detect the target from the food samples inoculated with 1 CFU/g. CONCLUSION: Isolation of target bacteria by immunomagnetic nanoparticles is an efficient method with high sensitivity and specificity. The technique is so simple that it can be operated in lab and field even by untrained personnel.     

陕西省O157出血性大肠杆菌分布研究

目的了解陕西省家禽家畜O157大肠杆菌带菌和致病力情况以及市售食品的污染状况,分析对人群可能造成的威胁。方法根据我省不同地域选择监测点,采集监测点内养殖场或个体养殖户养殖的动物粪便1657份;集贸市场和超市销售的7类食品样品877份进行O157大肠杆菌监测,应用PCR技术对分离菌株进行毒力基因检测和流行病学分析。结果从动物粪便中分离出64株O157大肠杆菌,总带菌率3.86%,其中奶牛带菌率最高,达10.89%。从食品样品中分离出6株,总污染率0.68%。70株分离菌通过PCR检测发现,大多数O157大肠杆菌不携带H7鞭毛素fliCH7基因以及stx1、stx2、eaeA、hlyA4种毒力基因,含有fliCH7基因的9株菌则全部携带有stx2、eaeA、hlyA毒力基因,表现为fliCH7基因与已知毒力基因的相关性及分离菌株毒力基因图谱的一致性。结论陕西省猪、牛、鸡动物存在有O157大肠杆菌,并且食品已受到污染,所显示的毒力基因图谱单一,提示陕西省存在有O157大肠杆菌感染的威胁,有造成O157大肠杆菌流行或局部暴发流行的可能。     

Preparation of immunomagnetic iron-dextran nanopartides and application in rapid isolation of E.coli O157:H7 from foods

AIM: To prepare a kind of magnetic iron-dextran nanopartides that was coated with anti-E.coli O157:H7 IgG, analyze its application conditions, and try to use it to isolate E.coli O157:H7 from foods. METHODS: Magnetic iron-dextran nanopartides were prepared by the reaction of a mixture of ferric and ferrous ions with dextran polymers under alkaline conditions. The particles were coated with antiserum against E.coli O157: H7 by the periodate oxidation-borohydride reduction procedure. The oxidation time, amount of antibody coating the particles, amount of nanoparticles, incubation time and isolation time were varied to determine their effects on recovery of the organisms. Finally, the optimum conditions for isolating E.coli O157:H7 from food samples were established. RESULTS: E.coli O157:H7 can be isolated from samples within 15 min with the sensitivity of 101 CFU/mL or even less. In the presence of 108 CFU/mL of other organisms, the sensitivity is 101-102 CFU/mL. Nonspecific binding of other bacteria to the particles was not observed. Two and a half hours of enrichment is enough for the particles to detect the target from the food samples inoculated with 1 CFU/g. CONCLUSION: Isolation of target bacteria by immuno magnetic nanoparticles is an efficient method with high sensitivity and specificity. The technique is so simple that it can be operated in lab and field even by untrained personnel.     

Quorum sensing controls expression of the type III secretion gene transcription and protein secretion in enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and enteropathogenic E. coli cause a characteristic histopathology in intestinal cells known as attaching and effacing. The attaching and effacing lesion is encoded by the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island, which encodes a type III secretion system, the intimin intestinal colonization factor, and the translocated intimin receptor protein that is translocated from the bacterium to the host epithelial cells. Using lacZ reporter gene fusions, we show that expression of the LEE operons encoding the type III secretion system, translocated intimin receptor, and intimin is regulated by quorum sensing in both enterohemorrhagic E. coli and enteropathogenic E. coli. The luxS gene recently shown to be responsible for production of autoinducer in the Vibrio harveyi and E. coli quorum-sensing systems is responsible for regulation of the LEE operons, as shown by the mutation and complementation of the luxS gene. Regulation of intestinal colonization factors by quorum sensing could play an important role in the pathogenesis of disease caused by these organisms. These results suggest that intestinal colonization by E. coli O157:H7, which has an unusually low infectious dose, could be induced by quorum sensing of signals produced by nonpathogenic E. coli of the normal intestinal flora.     

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in Montana: bacterial genotypes and clinical profiles

The diseases and virulence genes associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are characterized incompletely. We analyzed, by polymerase chain reaction, 82 STEC isolates collected prospectively in Montana and profiled associated illnesses by patient chart review. All E. coli O157:H7 contained stx2-group genes, as well as eae, iha, espA, and ehxA; 84% contained stx1. Non-O157:H7 STEC less frequently contained stx1 (P=.046), stx2 (P<.001), iha (P<.001), eae, and espA (P=.039 for both), were isolated less often from patients treated in emergency departments (P=.022), and tended to be associated less frequently with bloody diarrhea (P=.061). There were no significant associations between stx genotype and bloody diarrhea, but isolates containing stx2c or stx(2d-activatable) were recovered more often from patients who underwent diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (P=.033). Non-O157:H7 STEC are more heterogeneous and cause bloody diarrhea less frequently than do E. coli O157:H7. Bloody diarrhea cannot be attributed simply to the stx genotype of the infecting organism.     

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 target Peyer's patches in humans and cause attaching/effacing lesions in both human and bovine intestine

BACKGROUND: Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) constitute a significant risk to human health worldwide, and infections, particularly with serogroup O157:H7, are associated with consumption of a variety of food and water vehicles, particularly food of bovine origin. EHEC cause acute gastroenteritis, bloody diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic colitis; up to 10% of cases develop severe complications, including the haemolytic uraemic syndrome, with a 5% case fatality. A virulence characteristic of enteropathogenic E coli, the attaching/effacing lesion, is considered to be important in EHEC. However, although EHEC produce this lesion on cultured human cells, this has not been demonstrated on human intestinal mucosal surfaces. In addition, the initial site(s) of colonisation of EHEC in humans is not known. AIMS: To assess the association of EHEC O157:H7 with paediatric and bovine intestine using in vitro organ culture and determine if attaching/effacing lesions occur. METHODS: Ultrastructural analysis of in vitro intestinal organ cultures of human small and large intestine was used to investigate adhesion of O157:H7 EHEC to intestinal surfaces. Bovine intestinal organ culture was used to examine the pathology produced by the same EHEC strain in cattle. RESULTS: The study showed that EHEC O157:H7 adhered to human intestinal mucosa. Binding and attaching/effacing lesion formation of O157:H7 in humans was restricted to follicle associated epithelium of Peyer's patches. The same strain caused attaching/effacing lesions on bovine mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: O157:H7 targets follicle associated epithelium in humans where it causes attaching/effacing lesions. The same human isolate can cause attaching/effacing lesions in cattle, indicating that similar pathogenic mechanisms operate across human and bovine species     

Quinolone antibiotics induce Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages, toxin production, and death in mice

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cause significant disease; treatment is supportive and antibiotic use is controversial. Ciprofloxacin but not fosfomycin causes Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophage induction and enhanced Shiga toxin (Stx) production from E. coli O157:H7 in vitro. The potential clinical relevance of this was examined in mice colonized with E. coli O157:H7 and given either ciprofloxacin or fosfomycin. Both antibiotics caused a reduction in fecal STEC. However, animals treated with ciprofloxacin had a marked increase in free fecal Stx, associated with death in two-thirds of the mice, whereas fosfomycin did not. Experiments that used a kanamycin-marked Stx2 prophage demonstrated that ciprofloxacin, but not fosfomycin, caused enhanced intraintestinal transfer of Stx2 prophage from one E. coli to another. These observations suggest that treatment of human STEC infection with bacteriophage-inducing antibiotics, such as fluoroquinolones, may have significant adverse clinical consequences and that fluoroquinolone antibiotics may enhance the movement of virulence factors in vivo.     

抗出血性大肠杆菌Ο157∶H7单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

目的制备抗出血性大肠杆菌Ο157∶H7(E.coliΟ157∶H7)特异性单克隆抗体(MAbs)。方法福尔马林灭活的E.coliΟ157∶H7免疫BALB/c小鼠,利用细胞融合技术建立分泌抗E.coliΟ157∶H7MAbs的杂交瘤细胞株,对配对较好的6株MAbs用ELISA法测定其免疫球蛋白类及亚类,用ELISA法、凝集法和Westernblot鉴定MAbs的特异性。结果6株MAbs免疫球蛋白均为小鼠IgM。这些MAbs均能与27个E.coliΟ157∶H7菌株发生凝集反应,与部分弗劳地杆菌发生凝集反应,与11株鼠伤寒沙门氏菌、7株伤寒杆菌、2株痢疾杆菌、致病性大肠杆菌、产毒性大肠杆菌、侵袭性大肠杆菌、出血性大肠杆菌Ο26∶H11和Ο111、肠集聚性大肠杆菌、42株非定血清型大肠杆菌、霍乱弧菌Ο1群和Ο139群不发生凝集反应;ELISA结果显示6株MAbs与粪链球菌、变形杆菌、粘质沙雷氏菌、肺炎克雷伯杆菌均无交叉反应;ELISA和Westernblot结果显示,3株MAbs针对E.coliΟ157∶H77酚相脂多糖。结论6株MAbs具有较高的特异性,有可能用于制备检测E.coliΟ157∶H7的病原检测试剂。     

O157大肠埃希菌食品分离株的特征研究

目的掌握福建省E.coliO157∶H7和O157∶H?食品分离株的毒力基因携带状况、PFGE分型特征、抗生素的药敏谱以及产志贺毒素的E.coliO157∶H7菌株的细胞毒性状况。方法分离菌株经VITEK全自动生化系统鉴定;O157和H7单克隆诊断血清凝集;PCR法检测O157、H7抗原基因及毒力因子基因;菌株的分型用PFGE方法进行;采用CLSI推荐的K-B法对菌株进行15种抗生素的药敏试验;对产志贺毒素的分离株用Vero细胞和Cyto Tox 96R○试剂盒进行细胞毒性检测。结果2株E.coliO157∶H7,其O157、H7及Stx2、Hly、eaeA毒力基因均阳性,Stx1基因均阴性;另3株E.coliO157∶H?,其O157基因阳性,H7和Stx1、Stx2、Hly、eaeA毒力基因均阴性;5株菌的PFGE带型各不相同,2株E.coliO157∶H7的同源性较高,达81%;菌株对15种常用抗生素较为敏感,链霉素、甲氧苄啶敏感率稍低为40%,其余敏感率达60%～100%。2株产志贺毒素的菌株对Vero细胞有毒性作用,细菌细胞比位50:1时细胞毒性百分比分别为61.25%和67.80%。结论本省在外环境动物性食品中存在产志贺毒素的E.coliO157∶H7菌株,提示应加强E.coliO157∶H7的监测,预防该菌在本省人间的感染和流行。     

贵州省首次从腹泻病例中检出肠出血性大肠杆菌O157∶H7

目的 从贵州省1例腹泻病例的粪便标本中分离鉴定O157肠出血性大肠杆菌并对其进行毒力基因检测。方法 收集腹泻病例的粪便标本,mEC肉汤增菌后,采用O157胶体金进行初筛,阳性者增菌液经免疫磁珠富集后进行肠出血性大肠杆菌的分离,对分离株进行系统生化鉴定,O157、H7诊断血清凝集,应用特异性PCR进行rfbE和fliC基因鉴定,以及stx1、stx2、eaeA和hlyA 4种毒力基因检测。结果 腹泻病例粪便标本经mEC肉汤增菌后,检测O157胶体金阳性;增菌液经免疫磁珠富集后培养出可疑菌落,经系统生化鉴定为大肠杆菌,血清型为O157∶H7;PCR检测O抗原特异性rfbE基因和H7特异性fliC基因均阳性;毒力基因eaeA、stx2和hly均阳性,stx1阴性。结论 分离株确诊为肠出血性大肠杆菌O157∶H7,为贵州省腹泻病例中首株该病原体。