Whole Genome Sequencing of Shiga-Toxin Escherichia coli Strains from Nebraska

Shiga toxin-encoding Escherichia coli (STEC) is one of seven foodborne pathogens evaluated by members of PulseNet, a national laboratory network that connects foodborne illnesses to detect outbreaks. STEC produce Stx1 or Stx2 shigatoxins that may cause hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and/or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Other virulence factors such as eae gene, responsible for attaching and effacing, are part of the organism's pathogenicity. The goal of this study is to characterize virulence factors encoded by STEC and their correlation with disease severity.