Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective

In the past two decades, Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) has been responsible for multiple large-scale outbreaks worldwide, affecting thousands of individuals. While surveillance systems in developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Au...

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Main Authors: Ali Nemati, Ali Dadvar, Mark Eppinger, Zohreh Karimpour, Soroush Saberi Kakhki, Alireza Sabeti Moghaddam Sabzevar, Mahdi Askari Badouei, Federica Gigliucci, Luis Fernando dos Santos, Keiji Nakamura, Hooman Javidi, Maryam Hafiz
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1529
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author Ali Nemati
Ali Dadvar
Mark Eppinger
Zohreh Karimpour
Soroush Saberi Kakhki
Alireza Sabeti Moghaddam Sabzevar
Mahdi Askari Badouei
Federica Gigliucci
Luis Fernando dos Santos
Keiji Nakamura
Hooman Javidi
Maryam Hafiz
author_facet Ali Nemati
Ali Dadvar
Mark Eppinger
Zohreh Karimpour
Soroush Saberi Kakhki
Alireza Sabeti Moghaddam Sabzevar
Mahdi Askari Badouei
Federica Gigliucci
Luis Fernando dos Santos
Keiji Nakamura
Hooman Javidi
Maryam Hafiz
author_sort Ali Nemati
collection DOAJ
description In the past two decades, Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) has been responsible for multiple large-scale outbreaks worldwide, affecting thousands of individuals. While surveillance systems in developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Canada are well-established, data on STEC prevalence in developing nations remain sparse, partly due to the absence of well-structured molecular diagnostic networks or surveillance systems. This review analyzed 250 studies published between 2014 and 2024 across 39 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, yielding 8986 STEC isolates. Detailed serogroup and serotype data were available for 55.9% of these, with O111, O157, and O26 being most common in humans. In animals, O157:H7 was most frequent, while food isolates mirrored global trends with O157 and O111 dominance. Notably, O145, a serogroup frequently reported in the U.S. and Europe, was absent from the ‘’Top Seven’’ serogroups. Shiga toxin subtypes <i>stx1a</i> and <i>stx2a</i> were most prevalent in human cases. In animal isolates, <i>stx2e</i> was the most prevalent subtype, while <i>stx2c</i> was most commonly found in food samples. We recommend establishing reference laboratories in these regions to improve data quality, strengthen monitoring efforts, and reduce the burden of STEC infections globally.
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spelling doaj-art-29f9b431d923433bbffcbb4e7239d2462025-08-20T03:56:49ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-06-01137152910.3390/microorganisms13071529Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global PerspectiveAli Nemati0Ali Dadvar1Mark Eppinger2Zohreh Karimpour3Soroush Saberi Kakhki4Alireza Sabeti Moghaddam Sabzevar5Mahdi Askari Badouei6Federica Gigliucci7Luis Fernando dos Santos8Keiji Nakamura9Hooman Javidi10Maryam Hafiz11Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249-0600, USADepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranEuropean Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for <i>Escherichia coli</i> Including Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>E. coli</i> (STEC), Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, ItalyCenter of Bacteriology (National Reference Laboratory for STEC Infections and HUS), Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo 01246-000, SP, BrazilDepartment of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, JapanDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranIn the past two decades, Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) has been responsible for multiple large-scale outbreaks worldwide, affecting thousands of individuals. While surveillance systems in developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Canada are well-established, data on STEC prevalence in developing nations remain sparse, partly due to the absence of well-structured molecular diagnostic networks or surveillance systems. This review analyzed 250 studies published between 2014 and 2024 across 39 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, yielding 8986 STEC isolates. Detailed serogroup and serotype data were available for 55.9% of these, with O111, O157, and O26 being most common in humans. In animals, O157:H7 was most frequent, while food isolates mirrored global trends with O157 and O111 dominance. Notably, O145, a serogroup frequently reported in the U.S. and Europe, was absent from the ‘’Top Seven’’ serogroups. Shiga toxin subtypes <i>stx1a</i> and <i>stx2a</i> were most prevalent in human cases. In animal isolates, <i>stx2e</i> was the most prevalent subtype, while <i>stx2c</i> was most commonly found in food samples. We recommend establishing reference laboratories in these regions to improve data quality, strengthen monitoring efforts, and reduce the burden of STEC infections globally.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1529Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i>STECdeveloping countriesserogroupserotypehuman
spellingShingle Ali Nemati
Ali Dadvar
Mark Eppinger
Zohreh Karimpour
Soroush Saberi Kakhki
Alireza Sabeti Moghaddam Sabzevar
Mahdi Askari Badouei
Federica Gigliucci
Luis Fernando dos Santos
Keiji Nakamura
Hooman Javidi
Maryam Hafiz
Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
Microorganisms
Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i>
STEC
developing countries
serogroup
serotype
human
title Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
title_full Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
title_fullStr Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
title_short Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in Developing Countries: A 10-Year Review with Global Perspective
title_sort shiga toxin producing i escherichia coli i stec in developing countries a 10 year review with global perspective
topic Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i>
STEC
developing countries
serogroup
serotype
human
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1529
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