Molecular analysis of Escherichia coli O157 strains isolated from cattle and pigs by the use of PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis methods

Fourteen Escherichia coli O 157 strains isolated from cattle and pigs in Poland and in Germany were investigated, using PCR, for the genetic markers associated with Shiga toxin-producing E coli (STEC). Only two strains, both of cattle origin, were positive for the fliC (H7) gene and could be classified as O 157 : HT Nine isolates had stx shiga toxin genes, either stx1 (1 strain), stx2 (4 isolates) or both (4 strains). The stx2-carrying samples were further subtyped by PCR for the stx2c, six2d, and stx2e toxin variants. It was shown that all but one stx2-positive bacteria possessed the six2c Shiga toxin gene type and one stx2 STEC isolate had the stx2d virulence factor subtype. The eaeA (intimin) gene was found in 9 strains (8 isolates from cattle and one strain from pigs); all of them harboured the genetic marker characteristic of the gamma intimin variant. The translocated intimin receptor (tir) gene was detected in 7 isolates tested and among them only one tir-positive, strain was recovered from pigs. The ehly E. coli enterohemolysin gene was amplified in all but one strains obtained from cattle and only in one isolate of porcine origin. The genetic relatedness of the analysed E coli O 157 strains was examined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of chromosomal DNA digested with XbaI. Two distinct but related RFLP pattern clusters were observed: one with 9 strains (8 isolates of bovine origin and one strain obtained from pigs) and the other one comprises the remaining 5 E. coli isolates (4 of porcine origin and one strain recovered from cattle). The results suggest that pigs, besides cattle, may be a reservoir of E. coli O 157 strains potentially pathogenic to humans. Moreover, epidemiologically unrelated isolates of the O 157 serogroup, recovered from different animal species, showed a clonal relationship as demonstrated by the RFLP analysis.