Open AccessHEp‐2 cell adherence and Vero cell cytotoxin production by EPEC strains isolated from children with diarrhoea in New Zealand
Author(s) -
Gunzburg S.T.,
Burke V.,
Bettelheim K.A.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1990.tb04197.x
Subject(s) - virulence , enterotoxin , microbiology and biotechnology , vero cell , toxin , biology , cell culture , diarrhea , virology , strain (injury) , virulence factor , cell , gene , medicine , escherichia coli , genetics , anatomy
Abstract A total of 112 EPEC strains isolated from children with diarrhoea in New Zealand were examined for mannose‐resistant HEp‐2 cell adherence and production of exotoxins. Enterotoxin production was not detected in any of the strains examined. Verotoxin production was detected in 13 (11.6%) strains and of these 4 were also found to adhere to HEp‐2 cells. HEp‐2 cell adherence was displayed by a total of 29 (25.8%) strains of which 22 were diffusely adherent. Only 3 (2.7%) strains were shown to belong to the new virulence phenotype, entero‐aggregative adherence, when examined in the adherence assay. We identified one strain with the novel characteristics of causing detachment of HEp‐2 cells from glass coverslips and are further investigating this possible virulence mechanism. These results suggest that if EPEC strains are to be considered as a cause of diarrhoea, the search for new virulence factors must be extended.