USE OF A NEW OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBE FOR DETECTION OF COLONIZATION FACTOR ANTIGEN-III GENE IN ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI

An alkaline phosphatase-labeled 30-mer oligonucleotide probe was desig ned to detect the gene for pilus colonization factor antigen III (CFA/ III) of the human type of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The CFA/III probe was used to identify CFA/III-producing ETEC among 303 E scherichia coli obtained from subjects with traveler's diarrhea. Six i solates positive for the CFA/III gene were found. This result was conf irmed immunologically by using a specific monoclonal antibody develope d against CFA/III. These six isolates, isolated from travelers returni ng from India, Pakistan and China, were all positive for the gene of h eat-labile enterotoxin and possessed an identical serotype (025:H-).