Shiga Toxin Subtypes, Serogroups, Phylogroups, RAPD Genotypic Diversity, and Select Virulence Markers of Shiga-Toxigenic Strains from Goats in Mid-Atlantic US.

Understanding Shiga toxin subtypes in from reservoir hosts may give insight into their significance as human pathogens. The data also serve as an epidemiological tool for source tracking. We characterized Shiga toxin subtypes in 491 goat isolates (STEC) from the mid-Atlantic US region ( = 278, = 213, and / = 95). Their serogroups, phylogroups, M13RAPD genotypes, (intimin), and (hemolysin) genes were also evaluated. STEC-positive for harbored (79%), (21%), and / (4%). Those positive for harbored (55%) and (32%), while and were each 2%. Among the 343 STEC that were serogrouped, 46% (n = 158) belonged to O8, 20% (n = 67) to 076, 12% (n = 42) to O91, 5% (n = 17) to O5, and 5% (n = 18) to O26. Less than 5% belonged to O78, O87, O146, and O103. The and genes were detected in 48% and 14% of STEC, respectively. Most belonged to phylogroup B1 (73%), followed by D (10%), E (8%), A (4%), B2 (4%), and F (1%). M13RAPD genotyping revealed clonality of 091, O5, O87, O103, and O78 but higher diversity in the O8, O76, and O26 serogroups. These results indicate goat STEC belonged to important non-O157 STEC serogroups, were genomically diverse, and harbored Shiga toxin subtypes associated with severe human disease.