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MATPROG-Matprogrammet: Norsk mat fra sjø og land
Stability and mobility of Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages in clinical and environmental strains of Escherichia coli O103
Awarded: NOK 3.2 mill.
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Project Number:
178274
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Project Period:
2007 - 2010
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E. coli O103 belongs to a subset of serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) associated with severe human illnesses. Shiga toxin (Stx) production is essential but not sufficient for virulence in pathogenic STEC as factors involved in att achment, haemolysis and iron scavenging also contribute. Although STEC are widely distributed in the Norwegian sheep and cattle population, the incidence of STEC infection among humans has until recently been low. In 2006, Norway experienced an outbreak o f E. coli O103 infections, resulting in the life-threatening complication haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) in 55% of the patients, a remarkably high proportion. The outbreak strain is being genome sequenced and will provide a good basis for strain compar isons between this E. coli O103 strain and E. coli O103 from other sources. We have an extensive collection of E. coli O103, which will be used in comparative studies on stability of the Stx-encoding bacteriophage under stress. In addition we wish to exam ine the mobility of these phages between E. coli O103 strains of diverse origins. Differences in the structure and function of Stx will be studied in collaboration with Professor Sandvig, and expression virulence genes will be performed using a microarray chip designed in collaboration with Dr. Ussery.
Genes encoding virulence factors in STEC are located on mobile genetic elements such as phages and plasmids, or in pathogenicity islands. The significance of the ruminant reservoir of STEC with regard to h uman health remains unknown, but it may serve as a virulence gene pool for new emerging pathogenic STEC. Due to the mobility of the virulence factors, the limit between pathogenic and apathogenic STEC is unclear, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority ne eds greater knowledge of how to distinguish between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of STEC when these bacteria are isolated from food.
Funding scheme:
MATPROG-Matprogrammet: Norsk mat fra sjø og land
1.3BILL. NOKtotal funding in the programme period407PROJECTShave received funding in the programme period6SOURCEShave financed the programme
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