@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46666-0, author = "Orth, Dorothea and Grif, Katharina and Dierich, Manfred P. and Würzner, Reinhard", title = "Cytolethal distending toxins in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: alleles, serotype distribution and biological effects", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "2006", volume = "55", number = "11", pages = "1487-1492", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.46666-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46666-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "CHO, Chinese hamster ovary", keywords = "STEC, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli", keywords = "CDT, cytolethal distending toxin", keywords = "HUS, haemolytic uraemic syndrome", keywords = "NSF, non-sorbitol fermenting", keywords = "SF, sorbitol fermenting", keywords = "NM, non-motile", abstract = "To assess the prevalence of cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) among Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), 202 STEC strains were investigated using PCRs targeting various cdt alleles (cdt-I to cdt-V). Seven of the 202 strains contained cdt-III and an additional seven contained cdt-V. All 14 cdt-positive strains produced biologically active CDT, as demonstrated by a progressive distension of cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. The CDT-positive STEC belonged to eight different serotypes, including sorbitol-fermenting O157 : NM (non-motile). The data demonstrate that CDT is present in some STEC serotypes only. However, more studies are required to evaluate whether CDT presence is associated with severe disease.", }