New Virulence Factors of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157: H7 in Dairy Food Processing

Abstract

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is well-characterized as an important food-borne pathogen worldwide and causes human diseases such as diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) by producing shiga-like toxin (Stx). It has been reported that a number of dairy foods, including cheese, can act as the source of EHEC O157:H7 infections. In addition to the toxicity of Stx, recently it has been indicated that EHEC O157:H7 possesses virulence factors related to attachment, quorum sensing, and biofilms. Moreover, these novel virulence factors might become critical points to be considered in the future production of food derived from animals. Here, we review the evidences that support these insights on new virulence factors and discuss the potential mechanisms mediating the pathogenesis of EHEC O157:H7 in the dairy food industry.