Comparison of eae, tir, espA and espB genes of bovine and human attaching and effacing Escherichia coli by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) virulence genes include the eae, the tie, the espA and the espB genes. These genes have been sequenced from several AEEC strains. The sequences alignments revealed the presence o f constant and variable regions. Multiplex polymerase chain reactions were developed, in order to determine the subtype of each gene present in a part icular isolate. AEEC strains isolated from calves dead of diarrhea, from he althy calves and from infected humans were compared. The same pathotypes we re found in sick and healthy calves but in inverted proportion. These patho types were also found in human AEEC. Although, the human EHEC strains from serotype O157 possessed their own pathotype. (C) 1999 Federation of Europea n Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.