Providencia alcalifaciens strains translocate from the gastrointestinal tract and are resistant to lytic activity of serum complement

The ability of Providencia alcalifaciens strains, isolated from patients with diarrhoeal disease, to translocate from the gastrointestinal tract and their resistance to serum complement lytic activity were investigated and compared with previously characterized differential invasive capabilities in HeLa cells. Translocation ability to several extraintestinal sites and resistance to lysis by human serum complement were observed in both highly invasive and non-invasive strains. These characteristics have not been previously described in P. alcalifaciens and their potential role in causing disseminated infections should therefore be considered.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilFed Univ Para, Dept Patol, BR-66059 Belem, Para, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Tecn Operatoria, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Tecn Operatoria, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Properties of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates from sheep in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Fecal samples from 48 sheep from two farms in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, were examined to determine the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Forty-two STEC strains were isolated from 25 (52.1%) of 48 sheep feces, and were examined for the presence of genes encoding STEC-related virulence factors. Twenty-one (50.0%) of the 42 STEC isolates were positive for stx(1) and stx(2), 16 isolates (38.1%) were sal, and five (11.9%) were stx2. Expression of Shiga toxins was demonstrated by the Vero cell toxicity test for all the strains carrying stx. Fourteen of the STEC strains (33.3%) carried the enterohemolysin gene (ehly) and presented the enterohemolytic phenotype, and five (11.9%) were positive for the plasmid encoded katP gene. the eae gene was not present in any of the isolates. STEC strains presenting stx(1), stx(2) and ehly were most commonly (23.8%) recovered from these sheep. the predominant STEC serotype found was ONT:H8, and others included O5:H-, O16:H-, 075:H-, O75:H8, O87:H16, O91:H-, O146:H21, O172:H-, OR:H-, ONT:H- and ONT:H16. This is the first report on ovine STEC in South America, and identifies a number of ovine non-O157 STEC that belong to serotypes implicated in human disease. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Univ São Paulo, Inst Ciencias Biomed 2, Dept Microbiol, BR-05508900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilInst Adolfo Lutz Registro, Setor Enterobacterias, Dept Microbiol, BR-01246902 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Shiga Toxigenic and Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in the Feces and Carcasses of Slaughtered Pigs

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Escherichia coli is a pathogen of major importance in swine and public health. To determine the prevalence of Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), samples were collected from the feces and carcasses of swines. In total, 441 samples were collected in four samplings, of which 141 samples tested positive for either the stx1, stx2, and/or eae genes. From the positive samples, one STEC and 15 atypical EPEC (aEPEC) isolates were obtained, and all originated from the same sampling. In addition to eae, lpfA(O157/OI-141), ehxA, toxB, and lpfA(O113) were present in the aEPEC isolates. The only stx2-containing isolate carried stx2e and belonged to serotype O103:HNT. Resistance to four or more antimicrobials was found in almost half of the isolates, and some isolates shared the same fingerprint patterns by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR). The presence of certain virulence genes and the high level of resistance to antimicrobials, as well as the possible fecal contamination of carcasses showed that some of the isolates are of public health concern.o TEXTO COMPLETO DESTE ARTIGO, ESTARÁ DISPONÍVEL À PARTIR DE AGOSTO DE 2015.91211191125Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [2008/00417-0