Shiga Toxins

The Shiga family of toxins is comprised of a group of genetically and functionally related molecules whose original family member was described 100 yr ago. Up until the early 1980s this group of toxins was little more than a scientific curiosity without a clear role in disease pathogenesis. However, since the discovery of these toxins in E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae, and their association with identifiable clinical diseases such as hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome, their pathophysiological importance has become clear. In this chapter we describe briefly the clinical relevance and mechanisms of actions of the toxins and then focus on the utility of the available methods to purify and assay the toxins.