TY - JOUR AU - Gigliucci, Federica AU - van Hoek, Angela H.A.M. AU - Chiani, Paola AU - Knijn, Arnold AU - Minelli, Fabio AU - Scavia, Gaia AU - Franz, Eelco AU - Morabito, Stefano AU - Michelacci, Valeria T1 - Genomic Characterization of hlyF-positive Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli, Italy and the Netherlands, 2000–2019 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2021 VL - 27 IS - 3 SP - 853 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O80:H2 has emerged in Europe as a cause of hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with bacteremia. STEC O80:H2 harbors the mosaic plasmid pR444_A, which combines several virulence genes, including hlyF and antimicrobial resistance genes. pR444_A is found in some extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains. We identified and characterized 53 STEC strains with ExPEC-associated virulence genes isolated in Italy and the Netherlands during 2000–2019. The isolates belong to 2 major populations: 1 belongs to sequence type 301 and harbors diverse stx2 subtypes, the intimin variant eae-ξ, and pO157-like and pR444_A plasmids; 1 consists of strains belonging to various sequence types, some of which lack the pO157 plasmid, the locus of enterocyte effacement, and the antimicrobial resistance–encoding region. Our results showed that STEC strains harboring ExPEC-associated virulence genes can include multiple serotypes and that the pR444_A plasmid can be acquired and mobilized by STEC strains. KW - Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli KW - extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli KW - hemolytic uremic syndrome KW - zoonoses KW - foodborne disease KW - antimicrobial resistance KW - whole-genome sequencing KW - hlyF KW - phylogenesis KW - Italy KW - the Netherlands KW - Escherichia coli KW - bacteria KW - enteric infections KW - bacterial zoonoses KW - food safety KW - STEC KW - ExPEC DO - 10.3201/eid2703.203110 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/3/20-3110_article ER - End of Reference