Applicability of phylogenetic methods for characterizing the public health significance of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli strains

Two phylogenetic methods (multilocus sequence typing [MLST] and a multiplex PCR) were investigated to determine whether phylogenetic classification of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli serotypes correlates with their classification into groups (seropathotypes A to E) based on their relative incidence in human disease and on their association with outbreaks and serious complications. MLST was able to separate 96% of seropathotype D and E serotypes from those that cause serious disease (seropathotypes A to Q, whereas the multiplex PCR lacked this level of seropathotype discrimination.