scholarly journals Origin of Contamination and Genetic Diversity of Escherichia coli in Beef Cattle

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 2794-2799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mueen Aslam ◽  
Frances Nattress ◽  
Gordon Greer ◽  
Chris Yost ◽  
Colin Gill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces ◽  
Genetic Subtypes ◽  
Random Amplification ◽  
Pcr Rflp

ABSTRACT The possible origin of beef contamination and genetic diversity of Escherichia coli populations in beef cattle, on carcasses and ground beef, was examined by using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the fliC gene. E. coli was recovered from the feces of 10 beef cattle during pasture grazing and feedlot finishing and from hides, carcasses, and ground beef after slaughter. The 1,403 E. coli isolates (855 fecal, 320 hide, 153 carcass, and 75 ground beef) were grouped into 121 genetic subtypes by using the RAPD method. Some of the genetic subtypes in cattle feces were also recovered from hides, prechilled carcasses, chilled carcasses, and ground beef. E. coli genetic subtypes were shared among cattle at all sample times, but a number of transient types were unique to individual animals. The genetic diversity of the E. coli population changed over time within individual animals grazing on pasture and in the feedlot. Isolates from one animal (59 fecal, 30 hide, 19 carcass, and 12 ground beef) were characterized by the PCR-RFLP analysis of the fliC gene and were grouped into eight genotypes. There was good agreement between the results obtained with the RAPD and PCR-RFLP techniques. In conclusion, the E. coli contaminating meat can originate from cattle feces, and the E. coli population in beef cattle was highly diverse. Also, genetic subtypes can be shared among animals or can be unique to an animal, and they are constantly changing.

scholarly journals Genetic diversity of Escherichia coli recovered from the oral cavity of beef cattle and their relatedness to faecal E. coli

2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 523-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Aslam ◽  
G.G. Greer ◽  
F.M. Nattress ◽  
C.O. Gill ◽  
L.M. McMullen
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
E Coli

Determination of flagellar types by PCR-RFLP analysis of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains isolated from animals in São Paulo, Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia de Oliveira Ayala ◽  
Ana Carolina Ramos Moreno ◽  
Marina Baquerizo Martinez ◽  
Ylanna Kelner Burgos ◽  
Antonio Fernando Pestana de Castro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pcr Rflp

Seasonal Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Beef Cattle Feces†

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 3018-3020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. ALAM ◽  
L. ZUREK
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces ◽  
Shiga Toxin 2

Cattle are an asymptomatic reservoir of Escherichia coli O157:H7, but the bacterial colonization and shedding patterns are poorly understood. The prevalence and shedding of this human pathogen have been reported to be seasonal with rates typically increasing during warm months. The objectives of this study were (i) to assess the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in feces of feedlot cattle in Kansas during summer, fall, and winter months, and (ii) to characterize E. coli O157:H7 by screening for virulence factors. Of 891 fecal samples collected, 82 (9.2%) were positive for E. coli O157:H7. No significant differences in prevalence were detected among summer, fall, and winter months. The highest monthly prevalence (18.1%) was detected in February. All tested isolates were positive for stx2 (Shiga toxin 2) and eaeA (intimin) genes; 14 isolates (12.8%) also carried stx1. Our results indicate the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in beef cattle feces is not necessarily season dependent.

scholarly journals Molecular Subtyping and Genetic Analysis of the Enterohemolysin Gene (ehxA) from Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (20) ◽  
pp. 6360-6369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian L. Cookson ◽  
Jenny Bennett ◽  
Fiona Thomson-Carter ◽  
Graeme T. Attwood
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Subtype C ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pcr Rflp ◽  
Subtype A ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

ABSTRACT Analyses of the distribution of virulence factors among different Escherichia coli pathotypes, including Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), may provide some insight into the mechanisms by which different E. coli strains cause disease and the evolution of distinct E. coli types. The aim of this study was to examine the DNA sequence of the gene for enterohemolysin, a plasmid-encoded toxin that readily causes the hemolysis of washed sheep erythrocytes, and to assess the distribution of enterohemolysin subtypes among E. coli isolates from various human and animal sources. The 2,997-bp ehxA gene was amplified from 227 (63.8%) of 356 stx- and/or eae-positive E. coli strains isolated from cattle and sheep and from 24 (96.0%) of 25 STEC strains isolated from humans with diarrheal disease. By using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of ehxA, six distinct PCR-RFLP types (A to F) were observed, with strains of subtypes A and C constituting 91.6% of all the ehxA-positive strains. Subtype A was associated mainly with ovine strains with stx only (P < 0.001), and subtype C was associated with bovine eae-positive strains (P < 0.001). Eleven ehxA alleles were fully sequenced, and the phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of three closely related (>95.0%) ehxA sequence groups, one including eae-positive strains (subtypes B, C, E, and F) and the other two including mainly eae-negative STEC strains (subtypes A and D). In addition to being widespread among STEC strains, stx-negative, eae-positive strains (atypical enteropathogenic E. coli strains) isolated from cattle and sheep have similar ehxA subtypes and hemolytic activities.

scholarly journals Single-Cell-Based Digital PCR Detection and Association of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Serogroups and Major Virulence Genes

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuming Liu ◽  
Lance Noll ◽  
Xiaorong Shi ◽  
Elizabeth Porter ◽  
Yin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli serogroups O157, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145, when carrying major virulence genes, the Shiga toxin genes stx1 and stx2 and the intimin gene eae, are important foodborne pathogens. They are referred to as the “top 7” Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serogroups and were declared by the USDA as adulterants to human health. Since top 7 serogroup-positive cattle feces and ground beef can also contain nonadulterant E. coli strains, regular PCR cannot confirm whether the virulence genes are carried by adulterant or nonadulterant E. coli serogroups. Thus, traditional gold-standard STEC detection requires bacterial isolation and characterization, which are not compatible with high-throughput settings and often take a week to obtain a definitive result. In this study, we demonstrated that the partition-based multichannel digital PCR (dPCR) system can be used to detect and associate the E. coli serogroup-specific gene with major virulence genes and developed a single-cell-based dPCR approach for rapid (within 1 day) and accurate detection and confirmation of major STEC serogroups in high-throughput settings. Major virulence genes carried by each of the top 7 STEC serogroups were detected by dPCR with appropriately diluted intact bacterial cells from pure cultures, culture-spiked cattle feces, and culture-spiked ground beef. Furthermore, from 100 randomly collected, naturally shed cattle fecal samples, 3 O103 strains carrying eae and 2 O45 strains carrying stx1 were identified by this dPCR assay and verified by the traditional isolation method. This novel and rapid dPCR assay is a culture-independent, high-throughput, accurate, and sensitive method for STEC detection and confirmation.

scholarly journals Lessons from a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 infections: insights into the infectious dose and method of widespread contamination of hamburger patties

1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. TUTTLE ◽  
T. GOMEZ ◽  
M. P. DOYLE ◽  
J. G. WELLS ◽  
T. ZHAO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Strong Argument ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Infectious Dose ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Large Outbreak ◽  
Microbiological Testing

Between November 1992 and February 1993, a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 infections occurred in the western USA and was associated with eating ground beef patties at restaurants of one fast-food chain. Restaurants that were epidemiologically linked with cases served patties produced on two consecutive dates; cultures of recalled ground beef patties produced on those dates yielded E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 strains indistinguishable from those isolated from patients, confirming the vehicle of illness. Seventy-six ground beef patty samples were cultured quantitatively for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7. The median most probable number of organisms was 1·5 per gram (range, <0·3–15) or 67·5 organisms per patty (range, <13·5–675). Correlation of the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 with other bacterial indicators yielded a significant association between coliform count and the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 (P=0·04). A meat traceback to investigate possible sources of contamination revealed cattle were probably initially colonized with E. coli O157[ratio ]H7, and that their slaughter caused surface contamination of meat, which once combined with meat from other sources, resulted in a large number of contaminated ground beef patties. Microbiological testing of meat from lots consumed by persons who became ill was suggestive of an infectious dose for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 of fewer than 700 organisms. These findings present a strong argument for enforcing zero tolerance for this organism in processed food and for markedly decreasing contamination of raw ground beef. Process controls that incorporate microbiological testing of meat may assist these efforts.

Validation of Time and Temperature Values as Critical Limits for the Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during the Production of Fresh Ground Beef

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1978-1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. MANN ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Hazard Analysis ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Critical Control Point ◽  
Critical Limits

In order to provide beef processors with valuable data to validate critical limits set for temperature during grinding, a study was conducted to determine Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth at various temperatures in raw ground beef. Fresh ground beef samples were inoculated with a cocktail mixture of streptomycin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 to facilitate recovery in the presence of background flora. Samples were held at 4.4, 7.2, and 10°C, and at room temperature (22.2 to 23.3°C) to mimic typical processing and holding temperatures observed in meat processing environments. E. coli O157:H7 counts were determined by direct plating onto tryptic soy agar with streptomycin (1,000 μg/ml), at 2-h intervals over 12 h for samples held at room temperature. Samples held under refrigeration temperatures were sampled at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Less than one log of E. coli O157:H7 growth was observed at 48 h for samples held at 10°C. Samples held at 4.4 and 7.2°C showed less than one log of E. coli O157:H7 growth at 72 h. Samples held at room temperature showed no significant increase in E. coli O157:H7 counts for the first 6 h, but increased significantly afterwards. These results illustrate that meat processors can utilize a variety of time and temperature combinations as critical limits in their hazard analysis critical control point plans to minimize E. coli O157:H7 growth during the production and storage of ground beef.

Multiplex Quantitative PCR Assays for the Detection and Quantification of the Six Major Non-O157 Escherichia coli Serogroups in Cattle Feces†

2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. B. SHRIDHAR ◽  
L. W. NOLL ◽  
X. SHI ◽  
B. AN ◽  
N. CERNICCHIARO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces ◽  
Before And After

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145, called non-O157 STEC, are important foodborne pathogens. Cattle, a major reservoir, harbor the organisms in the hindgut and shed them in the feces. Although limited data exist on fecal shedding, concentrations of non-O157 STEC in feces have not been reported. The objectives of our study were (i) to develop and validate two multiplex quantitative PCR (mqPCR) assays, targeting O-antigen genes of O26, O103, and O111 (mqPCR-1) and O45, O121, and O145 (mqPCR-2); (ii) to utilize the two assays, together with a previously developed four-plex qPCR assay (mqPCR-3) targeting the O157 antigen and three virulence genes (stx1, stx2, and eae), to quantify seven serogroups and three virulence genes in cattle feces; and (iii) to compare the three mqPCR assays to a 10-plex conventional PCR (cPCR) targeting seven serogroups and three virulence genes and culture methods to detect seven E. coli serogroups in cattle feces. The two mqPCR assays (1 and 2) were shown to be specific to the target genes, and the detection limits were 4 and 2 log CFU/g of pure culture–spiked fecal samples, before and after enrichment, respectively. A total of 576 fecal samples collected from a feedlot were enriched in E. coli broth and were subjected to quantification (before enrichment) and detection (after enrichment). Of the 576 fecal samples subjected, before enrichment, to three mqPCR assays for quantification, 175 (30.4%) were quantifiable (≥4 log CFU/g) for at least one of the seven serogroups, with O157 being the most common serogroup. The three mqPCR assays detected higher proportions of postenriched fecal samples (P &lt; 0.01) as positive for one or more serogroups compared with cPCR and culture methods. This is the first study to assess the applicability of qPCR assays to detect and quantify six non-O157 serogroups in cattle feces and to generate data on fecal concentration of the six serogroups.

Thermal Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella senftenberg, and Enzymes with Potential as Time-Temperature Indicators in Ground Beef

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALICIA ORTA-RAMIREZ ◽  
JAMES F. PRICE ◽  
YIH-CHIH HSU ◽  
GIRIDARAN J. VEERAMUTHU ◽  
JAMIE S. CHERRY-MERRITT ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Thermal Inactivation ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Triose Phosphate ◽  
Beef Products ◽  
Z Value ◽  
D Values ◽  
Salmonella Senftenberg

The USDA has established processing schedules for beef products based on the destruction of pathogens. Several enzymes have been suggested as potential indicators of heat processing. However, no relationship between the inactivation rates of these enzymes and those of pathogenic microorganisms has been determined. Our objective was to compare the thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella senftenberg to those of endogenous muscle proteins. Inoculated and noninoculated ground beef samples were heated at four temperatures for predetermined intervals of time in thermal-death-time studies. Bacterial counts were determined and enzymes were assayed for residual activity. The D values for E. coli O157:H7 were 46.10, 6.44, 0.43, and 0.12 min at 53, 58, 63, and 68°C, respectively, with a z value of 5.60°C. The D values for S. senftenberg were 53.00, 15.17, 2.08, and 0.22 min at 53, 58, 63, and 68°C, respectively, with a z value of 6.24°C. Apparent D values at 53, 58, 63, and 68°C were 352.93, 26.31, 5.56, and 3.33 min for acid phosphatase; 6968.64, 543.48, 19.61, and 1.40 min for lactate dehydrogenase; and 3870.97, 2678.59, 769.23, and 42.92 min for peroxidase; with z values of 7.41,3.99, and 7.80°C, respectively. Apparent D values at 53, 58, 63, and 66°C were 325.03, 60.07, 3.07, and 1.34 min for phosphoglycerate mutase; 606.72, 89.86, 4.40, and 1.28 min for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; and 153.06, 20.13, 2.25, and 0.74 min for triose phosphate isomerase; with z values of 5.18, 4.71, and 5.56°C, respectively. The temperature dependence of triose phosphate isomerase was similar to those of both E. coli O157 :H7 and S. senftenberg, suggesting that this enzyme could be used as an endogenous time-temperature indicator in beef products.

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