Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains cause a large number of diseases in humans, including diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis, while in animals they cause diseases such as calf scours and mastitis in cattle, post-weaning diarrhea and edema disease in pigs, and peritonitis and airsacculitis in chickens. The different E. coli pathotypes are characterized by the presence of specific sets of virulence-related genes. Therefore, it is not surprising that pathogenic E. coli constitutes a genetically heterogeneous family of bacteria, and they are continuing to evolve. Rapid and accurate molecular methods are critically needed to detect and trace pathogenic E. coli in food and animals. They are also needed for epidemiological investigations to enhance food safety, as well as animal and human health and to minimize the size and geographical extent of outbreaks. The serotype of E. coli strains has traditionally been determined using antisera raised against the >180 different O- (somatic) and 53 H- (flagellar) antigens. However, there are many problems associated with serotyping, including: it is labor-intensive and time consuming; cross reactivity of the antisera with different serogroups occurs; antisera are available only in specialized laboratories; and many strains are non-typeable. Molecular serotyping targeting O-group-specific genes within the E. coli O-antigen gene clusters and genes that are involved in encoding for the different flagellar types offers an improved approach for determining the E. coli O- and H-groups. Furthermore, molecular serotyping can be coupled with determination of specific sets of virulence genes carried by the strain offering the possibility to determine O-group, pathotype, and the pathogenic potential simultaneously. Sequencing of the O-antigen gene clusters of all of the known O-groups of E. coli is now complete, and the sequences have been deposited in the GenBank database. The sequence information has revealed that some E. coli serogroups have identical sequences while others have point mutations or insertion sequences and type as different serogroups in serological reactions. There are also a number of other ambiguities in serotyping that need to be resolved. Furthermore, new E. coli O-groups are being identified. Therefore, there is an essential need to resolve these issues and to revise the E. coli serotype nomenclature based on these findings. There are emerging technologies that can potentially be applied for molecular serotyping and detection and characterization of E. coli. On a related topic, the genome sequence of thousands of E. coli strains have been deposited in GenBank, and this information is revealing unique markers such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) and virulence gene markers that could be used to identify E. coli pathotypes. Whole genome sequencing now provides the opportunity to study the role of horizontal gene transfer in the evolution and emergence of pathogenic E. coli strains. Whole genome sequencing approaches are being investigated for genotyping and outbreak investigation for regulatory and public health needs; however, there is a need for establishing bioinformatics pipelines able to handle large amounts of data as we move toward the use of genetic approaches for non-culture-based detection and characterization of E. coli and for outbreak investigations.

whole genome sequencing --- detection --- pathogenic E. coli --- E. coli characterization --- Molecular serotyping --- Genetic Markers --- subtyping --- outbreak investigation --- Shiga toxin-producing E. coli --- virulence genes

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains cause a large number of diseases in humans, including diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis, while in animals they cause diseases such as calf scours and mastitis in cattle, post-weaning diarrhea and edema disease in pigs, and peritonitis and airsacculitis in chickens. The different E. coli pathotypes are characterized by the presence of specific sets of virulence-related genes. Therefore, it is not surprising that pathogenic E. coli constitutes a genetically heterogeneous family of bacteria, and they are continuing to evolve. Rapid and accurate molecular methods are critically needed to detect and trace pathogenic E. coli in food and animals. They are also needed for epidemiological investigations to enhance food safety, as well as animal and human health and to minimize the size and geographical extent of outbreaks. The serotype of E. coli strains has traditionally been determined using antisera raised against the >180 different O- (somatic) and 53 H- (flagellar) antigens. However, there are many problems associated with serotyping, including: it is labor-intensive and time consuming; cross reactivity of the antisera with different serogroups occurs; antisera are available only in specialized laboratories; and many strains are non-typeable. Molecular serotyping targeting O-group-specific genes within the E. coli O-antigen gene clusters and genes that are involved in encoding for the different flagellar types offers an improved approach for determining the E. coliO- and H-groups. Furthermore, molecular serotyping can be coupled with determination of specific sets of virulence genes carried by the strain offering the possibility to determine O-group, pathotype, and the pathogenic potential simultaneously. Sequencing of the O-antigen gene clusters of all of the known O-groups of E. coli is now complete, and the sequences have been deposited in the GenBank database. The sequence information has revealed that some E. coli serogroups have identical sequences while others have point mutations or insertion sequences and type as different serogroups in serological reactions. There are also a number of other ambiguities in serotyping that need to be resolved. Furthermore, new E. coli O-groups are being identified. Therefore, there is an essential need to resolve these issues and to revise the E. coli serotype nomenclature based on these findings. There are emerging technologies that can potentially be applied for molecular serotyping and detection and characterization of E. coli. On a related topic, the genome sequence of thousands of E. coli strains have been deposited in GenBank, and this information is revealing unique markers such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) and virulence gene markers that could be used to identify E. coli pathotypes. Whole genome sequencing now provides the opportunity to study the role of horizontal gene transfer in the evolution and emergence of pathogenic E. coli strains. Whole genome sequencing approaches are being investigated for genotyping and outbreak investigation for regulatory and public health needs; however, there is a need for establishing bioinformatics pipelines able to handle large amounts of data as we move toward the use of genetic approaches for non-culture-based detection and characterization of E. coli and for outbreak investigations.

whole genome sequencing --- detection --- pathogenic E. coli --- E. coli characterization --- Molecular serotyping --- Genetic Markers --- subtyping --- outbreak investigation --- Shiga toxin-producing E. coli --- virulence genes

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains cause a large number of diseases in humans, including diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis, while in animals they cause diseases such as calf scours and mastitis in cattle, post-weaning diarrhea and edema disease in pigs, and peritonitis and airsacculitis in chickens. The different E. coli pathotypes are characterized by the presence of specific sets of virulence-related genes. Therefore, it is not surprising that pathogenic E. coli constitutes a genetically heterogeneous family of bacteria, and they are continuing to evolve. Rapid and accurate molecular methods are critically needed to detect and trace pathogenic E. coli in food and animals. They are also needed for epidemiological investigations to enhance food safety, as well as animal and human health and to minimize the size and geographical extent of outbreaks. The serotype of E. coli strains has traditionally been determined using antisera raised against the >180 different O- (somatic) and 53 H- (flagellar) antigens. However, there are many problems associated with serotyping, including: it is labor-intensive and time consuming; cross reactivity of the antisera with different serogroups occurs; antisera are available only in specialized laboratories; and many strains are non-typeable. Molecular serotyping targeting O-group-specific genes within the E. coli O-antigen gene clusters and genes that are involved in encoding for the different flagellar types offers an improved approach for determining the E. coliO- and H-groups. Furthermore, molecular serotyping can be coupled with determination of specific sets of virulence genes carried by the strain offering the possibility to determine O-group, pathotype, and the pathogenic potential simultaneously. Sequencing of the O-antigen gene clusters of all of the known O-groups of E. coli is now complete, and the sequences have been deposited in the GenBank database. The sequence information has revealed that some E. coli serogroups have identical sequences while others have point mutations or insertion sequences and type as different serogroups in serological reactions. There are also a number of other ambiguities in serotyping that need to be resolved. Furthermore, new E. coli O-groups are being identified. Therefore, there is an essential need to resolve these issues and to revise the E. coli serotype nomenclature based on these findings. There are emerging technologies that can potentially be applied for molecular serotyping and detection and characterization of E. coli. On a related topic, the genome sequence of thousands of E. coli strains have been deposited in GenBank, and this information is revealing unique markers such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) and virulence gene markers that could be used to identify E. coli pathotypes. Whole genome sequencing now provides the opportunity to study the role of horizontal gene transfer in the evolution and emergence of pathogenic E. coli strains. Whole genome sequencing approaches are being investigated for genotyping and outbreak investigation for regulatory and public health needs; however, there is a need for establishing bioinformatics pipelines able to handle large amounts of data as we move toward the use of genetic approaches for non-culture-based detection and characterization of E. coli and for outbreak investigations.

whole genome sequencing --- detection --- pathogenic E. coli --- E. coli characterization --- Molecular serotyping --- Genetic Markers --- subtyping --- outbreak investigation --- Shiga toxin-producing E. coli --- virulence genes --- whole genome sequencing --- detection --- pathogenic E. coli --- E. coli characterization --- Molecular serotyping --- Genetic Markers --- subtyping --- outbreak investigation --- Shiga toxin-producing E. coli --- virulence genes

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Foodborne illness is a big problem. Wash those chicken breasts, and you're likely to spread Salmonella to your countertops, kitchen towels, and other foods nearby. Even salad greens can become biohazards when toxic strains of E. coli inhabit the water used to irrigate crops. All told, contaminated food causes 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year in the United States. With Outbreak, Timothy D. Lytton provides an up-to-date history and analysis of the US food safety system. He pays particular attention to important but frequently overlooked elements of the system, including private audits and liability insurance. Lytton chronicles efforts dating back to the 1800s to combat widespread contamination by pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella that have become frighteningly familiar to consumers. Over time, deadly foodborne illness outbreaks caused by infected milk, poison hamburgers, and tainted spinach have spurred steady scientific and technological advances in food safety. Nevertheless, problems persist. Inadequate agency budgets restrict the reach of government regulation. Pressure from consumers to keep prices down constrains industry investments in safety. The limits of scientific knowledge leave experts unable to assess policies' effectiveness and whether measures designed to reduce contamination have actually improved public health. Outbreak offers practical reforms that will strengthen the food safety system's capacity to learn from its mistakes and identify cost-effective food safety efforts capable of producing measurable public health benefits.

Food adulteration and inspection --- Food handling --- Consumer protection --- Food --- Foodborne diseases --- Safety measures --- Government policy --- civil litigation. --- consumer advocacy. --- food safety audits. --- food safety. --- foodborne illness. --- outbreak investigation. --- public health. --- regulation. --- risk. --- supply chain management. --- E-books