| Institution: | 1. Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, , Tokyo, 162‐8640;2. Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, , Tokyo, 169‐0073;3. Aichi Prefectural Institute of Public Health, , Aichi, 462‐8576;4. Saga Prefectural Center of Public Health and Pharmaceutical Research, , Saga, 849‐0925;5. Saitama Institute of Public Health, , Saitama, 338‐0824;6. Yokosuka Institute of Public Health, , Kanagawa, 238‐0006;7. Oita Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, , Oita, 870‐1117;8. Kagoshima Prefectural Institute for Environmental Research and Public Health, , Kagoshima, 892‐0836;9. Toyama Institute of Health, , Toyama, 939‐0363;10. Akita Prefectural Institute of Public Health, , Akita, 010‐0874;11. Chubu Airport Quarantine Branch, , Aichi, 479‐0881 Japan;12. Department of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Health, , Nonthaburi, 11000 Thailand |
| Abstract: | Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) are an important cause of diarrhea. Four types of AAF have been identified; however, their prevalence and association with virulence properties remain unclear. E. coli strains carrying the aggR gene as EAggEC that were isolated in Japan and Thailand (n = 90) were examined for AAF subunit genes, two toxin genes (pet/astA), and clump formation. The most prevalent AAF gene was hdaA (28%), followed by aafA (20%), aggA (12%), and agg3A (4%), as well as a putative new AAF sequence (25.6%). Retention status of the toxin genes and intensities of clump formation appeared to vary according to the AAF type. |
