Restriction patterns obtained with EcoRI and Southern hybridization were used for the
differentiation of tetracycline-resistant (Tetr) R plasmids in enterobaemorrhagic Escherichia coli
(EHEC) O157[ratio ]H7 isolates from a mass outbreak at a kindergarten in Obihiro-City, Hokkaido,
Japan, 1996. Two kinds of Tetr R plasmids of 50 and 95 kb were detected. The 50-kb plasmids
were identical to each other, while the 93-kb plasmids were of three types that were very
similar to each other. The tet genes of both 50- and 95-kb R plasmids were 100% identical
to the tet gene of pSC101 and all plasmids hybridized to a probe for tet. Because food-origin
O157 strains were sensitive to tetracycline, we concluded that such Tetr R-plasmids might
transfer to drug-sensitive O157 strains in the infected individuals.