Clinical Information

Shiga toxins (also known as Shiga-like toxins, Vero toxins, or Vero-like toxins) are encoded by some strains of Escherichia coli, most notably O157:H7. Shiga toxin can also be produced by other serogroups of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), as well as Shigella dysenteriae type 1. Generally, Shiga toxin-producing organisms cause bloody diarrhea, although this is not universal. Unlike some bacterial gastrointestinal infections, antimicrobial therapy is contraindicated, as antimicrobials may exacerbate disease. Treatment is primarily supportive (eg, hydration). A complication of infection by an organism producing Shiga toxin is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The percentage of people that develop HUS varies among outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7, but generally ranges from 3% to 20%. HUS is characterized by a triad of findings: hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and kidney failure. Most people recover completely, however, some require permanent dialysis, and some die as a result of complications.

Several diagnostic methods available for the detection of EHEC lack sensitivity, are labor intensive, or have a long turnaround time. There are more than 160 serogroups of EHEC; the first serogroup to be associated with HUS was O157:H7. This is also the serogroup that is most commonly implicated in outbreaks. EHEC O157:H7 is detectable as nonfermenting colonies when cultured on sorbitol MacConkey (SMAC) agar, but the majority of non-O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains ferment sorbitol and, therefore, are undetectable by this method. The Vero cell line is susceptible to the Shiga toxin, but the assay can take up to 48 hours and is nonspecific. Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen detection kits have a sensitivity of 90% when compared to culture, but an overnight enrichment step is necessary for adequate sensitivity. PCR detection of stx, the gene encoding Shiga toxin, directly from stool specimens is a sensitive and specific technique, providing same-day results. PCR assay identifies non-O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing bacteria, extending the utility beyond strains identifiable on SMAC agar.