RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Iguchi, Atsushi A1 von Mentzer, Astrid A1 Kikuchi, Taisei A1 Thomson, Nicholas R.YR 2017 T1 An untypeable enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli represents one of the dominant types causing human disease JF Microbial Genomics, VO 3 IS 9 OP SP e000121 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000121 PB Microbiology Society, SN 2057-5858, AB doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000121.001. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhoea in children below 5 years of age in endemic areas, and is a primary cause of diarrhoea in travellers visiting developing countries. Epidemiological analysis of E. coli pathovars is traditionally carried out based on the results of serotyping. However, genomic analysis of a global ETEC collection of 362 isolates taken from patients revealed nine novel O-antigen biosynthesis gene clusters that were previously unrecognized, and have collectively been called unclassified. When put in the context of all isolates sequenced, one of the novel O-genotypes, OgN5, was found to be the second most common ETEC O-genotype causing disease, after O6, in a globally representative ETEC collection. It’s also clear that ETEC OgN5 isolates have spread globally. These novel O-genotypes have now been included in our comprehensive O-genotyping scheme, and can be detected using a PCR-based and an in silico typing method. This will assist in epidemiological studies, as well as in ETEC vaccine development., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.000121