Studies On Characteristics Of Stx Bacteriophages And Shiga Toxin Induction

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC),especially serotype O157, are increasingly implicated as causative agents of human and animal disease, including diarrhea,hemorrhagic colitis (HC).Sometime it can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and even thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura(TTP).There are many virulence factors that contribute to the pathogenic personalities of STEC strains, including the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), hemolysin, heat-stable enterotoxin and shiga toxin (Stx). Stxs have been found in E.coli stains over 100 serotypes. They are two forms of Stxs: Stx1 and Stx2. Both Stx1 and Stx2 have been shown to be encoded on lysogenic bacteriophages (Stx phage). The Stx-converting bacteriophages have close association of STEC pathogenicity. Therefore studies on Stx phage and Shiga toxin will explain how the mechanism of STEC gets the virulence factors and how the Stxs secrete. Maybe it is a new angle for us to monitor,...