Abstract
Twenty-two strains of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC), isolated from four outbreaks of diarrhoeal disease in England, were examined for a range of phenotypic attributes including the ability to produce fimbriae, haemolysins and siderophores, and cell-surface properties such as surface charge and hydrophobicity. Strains of EAggEC isolated from two of these outbreaks belonged to a diverse range of serotypes and were heterogeneous in phenotype. Strains of EAggEC isolated from the other two outbreaks belonged predominantly to serotypes O86[ratio ]H34 and O98[ratio ]H-, respectively. Only two strains expressed fimbriae and two strains produced an 18 kDa membrane associated protein (MAP), suggesting that EAggEC express a range of adhesion mechanisms to produce the cell arrangement recognized as the ‘stacked brick’ formation. The possible explanation for the diversity of EAggEC serotypes is discussed.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 413-421 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Epidemiology and Infection |
Volume | 123 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 1999 |
Keywords
- diarrhoeal disease
- enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC)
- outbreaks
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases