MI003-03 Prevalence of STEC Clones and Virulence in Rabbit Models - Completed

This project is a collaboration among MRU researchers at the Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Community Health, and the University of Maryland Medical School.The overall objective is to characterize Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in terms of their virulence profiles, clonal types, and their ability to cause disease in a rabbit model.The project has three specific aims: 1) to determine the frequency of STEC infection in cases of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in Michigan; 2) to characterize the virulence factor profiles and clonal types of Michigan STEC and compare these attributes to defined clonal groups of world wide STEC; and 3) to assess the virulence of STEC in Dutch Belted rabbits, which have recently been shown to present with both intestinal and renal glomerular disease and to produce lesions resembling those in HUS.The long-term goal of this work is to be able to respond effectively with rapid detection, molecular identification,and appropriate therapeutic agents and vaccines to food and waterborne diseases caused by newly emerging forms of STEC.

Publications:

Gut microbes, the innate immune system and inflammatory bowel disease: location, location, location

Molecular-phylogenetic characterization of microbial community imbalances in human inflammatory bowel diseases

Protection against Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection by Transcutaneous Immunization with Shiga Toxin Subunit B

Surveillance for Shiga Toxin– producing Escherichia coli, Michigan, 2001–2005

Variation in virulence among clades of Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with disease outbreaks