Comparative virulence of enterotoxigenic non-Escherichia coli Enterobacteriaceae species from patients with travelers' diarrhea
Abstract
Background: Family members of Enterobacteriaceae are found in small numbers associated with acute diarrhea. These species are sometimes mistaken for ETEC. Methods: Forty-four non-E. coli species from travelers' diarrhea are compared to 30 strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) and 30 strains of normal flora E. coli. Tissue culture supernatants were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for amounts of IL-8, IL-1, and IL-1ra. Amounts of heat-stable (ST) and heat-labile (LT) enterotoxins were assayed from cell culture supernatants by enzyme-linked immunoassay. PCR was use to determine which species was positive colonization factor antigens, CFA/I, CS3, and CS6. Results: Normal flora E. coli significantly induced the production of more IL-8 than non- E. coli and ETEC. Normal E. coli also induced the production of more IL-1and IL-1ra than ETEC. Non-E. coli produced more ST than ETEC. A small percentage of enterotoxigenic non- E. coli gram negatives and ETEC were positive for CFA/I and CS6. None of the strains were positive for CS3. Conclusions: Non-E. coli enterotoxigenic gram negatives were similar to ETEC in their virulence factors. Identification and further study of these non-E.coli strains is important for understanding their pathogenic role in acute diarrhea.
Subject Area
Microbiology
Recommended Citation
Raines, Kirsten M, "Comparative virulence of enterotoxigenic non-Escherichia coli Enterobacteriaceae species from patients with travelers' diarrhea" (2012). Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest). AAI3521849.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI3521849