Development of an Enzyme‐Labeled Oligonucleotide Probe for Detecting the Escherichia coli Attaching and Effacing A Gene

Abstract

EnteropathogenicEscherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC ) can produce attaching and effacing (AE) lesions on intestinal epithelium in vitro and in vivo. A gene necessary to cause the AE lesion has been identified and designated Escherichia coli attaching and effacing A (eaeA) gene. In this study, an alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-conjugated oligonucleotide probe for the eaeA gene was developed and used to detect the eaeA gene among 163 strains of classical EPEC and 25 strains of EHEC The prevalence rates of eaeA gene in the strains of classical EPEC and EHEC O157 were 51.5 and 100%, respectively. The eaeA-positive rate (60.0 %) in strains of class I EPEC serogroups (O26, O55, O86 ,