Identification of Shigella flexneri isolates carrying the Shiga toxin 1-producing gene in Quebec, Canada, linked to travel to Haiti

• Published in: Canadian journal of microbiology Vol. 61; no. 12; pp. 995 - 996
• Main Authors: Bekal, Sadjia, Pilon, Pierre A, Cloutier, Nancy, Doualla-Bell, Florence, Longtin, Jean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada NRC Research Press 01.12.2015; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Bacterial toxins; Dysentery, Bacillary - microbiology; E coli; Genes; Genetic aspects; Haiti; Humans; Identification and classification; Polymerase chain reaction; Quebec; Shiga Toxin 1 - biosynthesis; Shiga Toxin 1 - genetics; Shigella flexneri; Shigella flexneri - classification; Shigella flexneri - genetics; Shigella flexneri - isolation & purification; Shigella flexneri - metabolism; Toxins; Travel; Haiti; Quebec; Canada; Quebec Canada; Canada, Quebec; ASW, Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles, Haiti
• ISSN: 0008-4166; 1480-3275
• DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2015-0538

Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2, also called verocytotoxins) are commonly associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Shigella dysenteriae type 1. Recent studies have documented cases of stx carriage in other Shigella species, including S. sonnei linked to travel to Morocco and S. flexneri with travel history to Caribbean. In the province of Quebec, more than 40% of Shigellosis cases are travel-related. Therefore, a retrospective laboratory study was performed by the Laboratoire de sante publique du Quebec to assess the presence of stx gene among the 210 strains of Shigella isolated between 2013 and 2014. The collection included 131 S. sonnei, 75 S. flexneri, 3 S. boydii, and 1 S. dysenteriae type 12. Polymerase chain reaction targeting genes stx1 and stx2 was performed according to the methods of Paton and Paton (1998). Three isolates of S. flexneri isolated from stool were positive for the stx1 gene and belonged to serotype 2a (n = 2) and serotype y (n = 1). The amplified fragments were sequenced and identity was confirmed.