Virulence genes in Escherichia coli from healthcare settings

Virulence genes in Escherichia coli are often carried in chromosomal genomic islands. In order to determine the location of virulence genes found in isolates of Escherichia coli of various sequence types from patients from healthcare settings we carried out long read sequencing on them. Isolates were selected on the basis of virulence genes (particularly those encoding colibactin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor, F1, P and S fimbriae, elements associated with the K1 capsule, microcins, TLR domain containing-protein C and vacuolating autotransporter toxin) having been detected from Illumina sequences. The set included representatives of sequence types (ST) 12, 73, 80, 127 and 141, which were particularly noted as carrying multiple virulence factors.