Examination of archetypal strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli for properties associated with bacterial virulence

Abstract

Nine strains of Escherichia coli isolated from infants with diarrhoea between 1947 and 1960 and designated 'enteropathogenic' were examined for phenotypic and genetic characters associated with virulence. Each strain belonged to a different serotype. All the isolates were historically significant in that they were amongst the first strains of E. coli reported to be causally associated with infantile diarrhoea. Five strains possessed the virulence properties of class I enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). All these strains were isolated originally from symptomatic children during outbreaks of diarrhoea. Two isolates from sporadic cases of diarrhoea fulfilled the criteria for classification as cla..