ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS OF ENTEROINVASIVE STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI (EIEC) ISOLATED IN GERMANY

Thirty-five E. coli strains belonging to O-serogroups associated with enteroinvasive types of Escherichia coli (EIEC) isolated in Germany be tween 1989 and 1995 were investigated for invasivity-associated DNA se quences. Only 11 strains were positive for ipaH and thus confirmed as EIEC. All 11 EIEC isolates originated from human infections which were imported to Germany from Eastern Europe. EIEC O124 were most frequent and originated from asymptomatic Romanians arriving at Restock, Germa ny in 1992 and 1993. In January 1993, EIEC O124 were isolated from fae ces of a laboratory technician with diarrhoea working at the enteric p athogen department of the Institute of Hygiene in Restock. By comparin g her E. coli O124 isolate with recently imported O124 strains for Xba I restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) the probable sourc e of infection could be determined. Four major RFLP patterns were foun d in the group of O124 strains. O124 strains with identical RFLP patte rns were found in the group of O124 strains. O124 strains with identic al RFLP patterns were isolated from people who were in close contact t o each other.