Table 3 Distribution of encoded virulence factor combinations among 178 E. coli isolates from European cases of PWD classified as ETEC or STEC in decreasing order of prevalence

F4, STb, LT

7

21

17

4

49

27.5

F4, STa, STb, LT

3

10

15

-

28

15.7

F4, STa, STb

9

2

3

4

18

10.1

F18, STa, STb

7

6

3

-

16

9.0

F18, STa, STb, Stx2e

1

6

8

1

16

9.0

F18, Stx2e

4

4

-

1

9

5.1

F18, STa, STb, LT

-

-

7

-

7

3.9

F18, STa

1

-

5

-

6

3.4

F18, STb, LT

1

2

-

-

3

1.7

F4, F18, STa, STb, LT

-

1

2

-

3

1.7

F4, F18, STa, STb, Stx2e

-

3

-

-

3

1.7

F4, LT

3

-

-

-

3

1.7

F18, STa, LT

-

-

2

-

2

1.1

F4, F18, STa, STb

-

2

-

-

2

1.1

F4, STa

-

-

2

-

2

1.1

F4, STb

-

-

2

-

2

1.1

F18, STb

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F18, STb, LT, Stx2e

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F4, F18, STa

-

-

1

-

1

0.6

F4, F18, STa, LT

-

-

1

-

1

0.6

F4, F18, STb, LT

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F4, F18, STb, LT, Stx2e

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F4, F18, STa, STb, LT, Stx2e

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F4, STa, STb, LT, Stx2e

-

1

-

-

1

0.6

F5, STb

1

-

-

-

1

0.6