In work published today in PLoS ONE, researchers have identified the full genome sequence of one group of E. coli, the Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). EAEC infection is a key cause of diarrhoea. In the UK and USA, it is the most common bacterial causes of diarrhoea. In the developing world EAEC is associated with persistent diarrhoea and growth retardation. The genome sequence has identified many new genes that mean scientists can develop a fuller understanding of how this organism causes disease.
The work involved the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, the Centre for Vaccine Development in the USA and a variety of other UK universities.
Dr Ian Henderson, Reader in Microbial Biology at the University of Birmingham says the findings will be particularly significant for third world countries: “This is a considerable breakthrough in our understanding of EAEC. Now we can start to look at which genes can be targeted for intervention to prevent disease, specifically looking at vaccines to protect individuals in both the developed and developing world.”
A vaccine against diarrhoea could also help save the lives of millions of HIV positive individuals in the world, as Dr Henderson explains: “The EAEC strain causes persistent diarrhoea in HIV positive individuals, a huge killer in the developing world. Persistent diarrhoea is a marker for subsequent death in HIV positive individuals. A vaccine against what is potentially a killer for so many individuals would be a huge step forward in global health.”
These findings mean that scientists will also be able to determine which genes can be used as diagnostics. The EAEC strain was found to be able to grow in 2500 different chemicals and media. The team compared the strain to non-pathogenic strains and the differences can be used to for diagnosis and potentially for treatment.
E. coli lead paradoxical lifestyle. Most are harmless bacteria living happily in the intestines but some strains can cause diarrhoeal disease or urinary tract infections. Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) is one such group.
Dr Henderson says: “EAEC affects the health of populations in the developed and developing world. We hope that these latest findings will lead to the development of an effective vaccine against EAEC which can be particularly devastating in the third world that will make a significant impact on the public health of some of the world’s poorest nations.”
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Notes to Editors
Dr Henderson’s article "Complete Genome Sequence and Comparative Metabolic Profiling of the Prototypical Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Strain 042" is published in PLoS ONE. the paper will be available online at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008801.
Further Media Information
Dr Ian Henderson is available for interview, please contact Anna Mitchell on 0121 414 6029 / 07920 593946.
