[Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography for identifying four categories of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli]

We report a new molecular technique for the analysis of four categories of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli based on the separation of PCR-amplified target fragments by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC).

Enteropathogenic E.coli, enterotoxigenic E.coli, enterohemorrhagic E.coli and enteroinvasive E.coli were identified by analyzing four specific virulence genes. RESULTS; A total of 32 bacterial strains were tested, giving no false-positive or false negative results. The detection limits were as low as: ETEC 27 CFU/mL, EPEC 33 CFU/mL, EHEC 25 CFU/mL and EIEC 42 CFU/mL.

The data suggest that PCR-DHPLC will be useful for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli detection and identification.