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Appl. Environ. Microbiol. doi:10.1128/AEM.01395-08
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli from Human and Avian Sources Reveals a Mixed Subset Representing Potential Zoonotic Pathogens

Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108; Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011; Information Technology Services, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105; Mucosal and Vaccine Research Center, VA Medical Center, and Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Post box 22.660, 1100 DD Amsterdam

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: lknolan{at}iastate.edu.

	Abstract

Since extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) from human and avian hosts encounter similar challenges in establishing infection in extraintestinal locations, they may share a similar content of virulence genes and capacity to cause disease. In the present study, 1,074 ExPEC isolates were classified by phylogenetic group and possession of 67 other traits, including virulence-associated genes and plasmid replicon types. These ExPEC included 452 avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) from avian colibacillosis, 91 neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) causing human neonatal meningitis, and 531 uropathogenic E. coli from human urinary tract infections. Cluster analysis of the data revealed that most members of each sub-pathotype represent a genetically distinct group and have distinguishing characteristics. However, a genotyping cluster containing 108 ExPEC isolates was identified, heavily mixed with regards to sub-pathotype, in which there was substantial trait overlap. Many of the isolates within this cluster belonged to the O1, O2, or O18 serogroups. Also, 58% belonged to the ST95 multilocus sequence typing group, and over 90% of them were assigned to the B2 phylogenetic group typical of human ExPEC. This cluster contained strains with a high number of both chromosome- and plasmid-associated ExPEC genes. The further characterization of this ExPEC subset with zoonotic potential urges future studies exploring the potential for the transmission of certain ExPEC between humans and animals. Also, the widespread occurrence of plasmids among NMEC and members of the mixed cluster suggests that plasmid-mediated virulence in these pathotypes warrants further attention.