Identification of shiga-toxin-producing shigella infections in travel and non-travel related cases in alberta, canada

Shuai Zhi, Brendon D. Parsons, Jonas Szelewicki, Yue T.K. Yuen, Patrick Fach, Sabine Delannoy, Vincent Li, Christina Ferrato, Stephen B. Freedman, Bonita E. Lee, Xiao Li Pang, Linda Chui

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

It has long been accepted that Shiga toxin (Stx) only exists in Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1. However, in recent decades, the presence of Shiga toxin genes (stx) in other Shigella spp. have been reported. We screened 366 Shigella flexneri strains from Alberta, Canada (2003 to 2016) for stx and 26 positive strains were identified. These isolates are highly related with the majority originating from the Dominican Republic and three isolates with Haiti origin. Both phylogenetic and spanning tree analysis of the 26 Alberta and 29 stx positive S. flexneri originating from the U.S., France, Canada (Quebec) and Haiti suggests that there are geographic specific distribution patterns (Haiti and Dominican Republic clades). This study provides the first comprehensive whole genome based phylogenetic analysis of stx positive S. flexneri strains as well as their global transmission, which signify the public health risks of global spreading of these strains.

Original languageEnglish
Article number755
JournalToxins
Volume13
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding: This work was supported by Alberta Health Services Residual Funds. B.D.P. was supported by a Collaborative Research Innovation Opportunity Grant from Alberta Innovates; grant number 20140161. S.B.F. is supported by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Professorship in Child Health and Wellness. J.S. was the recipient of Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI) Stipend, University of Alberta; Y.T.K.Y. was the recipient of Alberta Innovates Health Solutions summer studentship. S.Z. was partially supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China while completing the genomic analysis; grant number 82073514.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by Alberta Health Services Residual Funds. B.D.P. was supported by a Collaborative Research Innovation Opportunity Grant from Alberta Innovates; grant number 20140161. S.B.F. is supported by the Alberta Children?s Hospital Foundation Professorship in Child Health and Wellness. J.S. was the recipient of Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI) Stipend, University of Alberta; Y.T.K.Y. was the recipient of Alberta Innovates Health Solutions summer studentship. S.Z. was partially supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China while completing the genomic analysis; grant number 82073514.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Toxicology
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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