scholarly journals Low-Temperature Virus vB_EcoM_VR26 Shows Potential in Biocontrol of STEC O26 : H11

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1500
Author(s):  
Aurelija Zajančkauskaitė ◽  
Algirdas Noreika ◽  
Rasa Rutkienė ◽  
Rolandas Meškys ◽  
Laura Kaliniene

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 is an emerging foodborne pathogen of growing concern. Since current strategies to control microbial contamination in foodstuffs do not guarantee the elimination of O26:H11, novel approaches are needed. Bacteriophages present an alternative to traditional biocontrol methods used in the food industry. Here, a previously isolated bacteriophage vB_EcoM_VR26 (VR26), adapted to grow at common refrigeration temperatures (4 and 8 °C), has been evaluated for its potential as a biocontrol agent against O26:H11. After 2 h of treatment in broth, VR26 reduced O26:H11 numbers (p < 0.01) by > 2 log10 at 22 °C, and ~3 log10 at 4 °C. No bacterial regrowth was observed after 24 h of treatment at both temperatures. When VR26 was introduced to O26:H11-inoculated lettuce, ~2.0 log10 CFU/piece reduction was observed at 4, 8, and 22 °C. No survivors were detected after 4 and 6 h at 8 and 4 °C, respectively. Although at 22 °C, bacterial regrowth was observed after 6 h of treatment, O26:H11 counts on non-treated samples were >2 log10 CFU/piece higher than on phage-treated ones (p < 0.02). This, and the ability of VR26 to survive over a pH range of 3–11, indicates that VR26 could be used to control STEC O26:H11 in the food industry.

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja N. Patel ◽  
Rebecca L. Lindsey ◽  
Lisley Garcia-Toledo ◽  
Lori A. Rowe ◽  
Dhwani Batra ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an enteric foodborne pathogen that can cause mild to severe illness. Here, we report the availability of high-quality whole-genome sequences for 77 STEC strains generated using the PacBio sequencing platform.


2018 ◽  
Vol 81 (10) ◽  
pp. 1707-1712
Author(s):  
FUR-CHI CHEN ◽  
SANDRIA GODWIN ◽  
ANGELA GREEN ◽  
SHAHIDULLAH CHOWDHURY ◽  
RICHARD STONE

ABSTRACT Contamination on the exterior surfaces of raw poultry packages can be transmitted to hands and food contact surfaces during shopping and handling. This study compared the level of microbial contamination and prevalence of foodborne pathogens on the surfaces of raw poultry packages as related to the types of products, types of packaging, and packaging conditions. Packages of whole chicken, cut-up chicken (breast and leg quarter), and ground turkey were purchased from retail stores. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) were significantly different (P &lt; 0.05) among types of products and packaging materials, with ground turkey packages and the heat-sealed, high-walled containers being the lowest. APCs were significantly lower (P &lt; 0.05) when the packages were intact and tight compared with intact and loose. Of the 105 packages, there were 10 (9.5%) with the presence of either Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) or Campylobacter; of those packages, 6 (5.7%) were positive for STEC, 7 (6.7%) were positive for Campylobacter, and 3 (2.9%) were positive for both pathogens on the surfaces. Salmonella was not detected on the surfaces of all tested packages. Surfaces of whole chicken packages were significantly (P &lt; 0.001) more likely to have detectable levels of Campylobacter and STEC than those of cut-up chicken packages. Packages that were positive for Campylobacter and/or STEC had significantly (P &lt; 0.005) higher APCs than negative packages. The results suggested that STEC is another significant pathogen present on the surfaces of poultry packages in addition to Campylobacter. The presence of STEC on the external packaging of raw poultry raises a concern because consumers may not expect such pathogens on the surfaces of poultry packages.


2020 ◽  
pp. JCM.02624-20
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thu Huong ◽  
Atsushi Iguchi ◽  
Ritsuko Ohata ◽  
Hisahiro Kawai ◽  
Tadasuke Ooka ◽  
...  

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important foodborne pathogen. Although most cases of STEC infection in humans are due to O157 and non-O157 serogroups, there are also reports of infection with STEC strains that cannot be serologically classified into any O-serogroup (O-serogroup untypeable, OUT). Recently, it has become clear that even OUT strains can be subclassified based on the diversity of O-antigen biosynthesis gene cluster (O-AGC) sequences. Cattle are thought to be a major reservoir of STEC strains belonging to various serotypes; however, the internal composition of OUT STEC strains in cattle remains unknown. In this study, we screened 366 STEC strains isolated from healthy cattle by using multiplex PCR kits including primers that targeted novel O-AGC types (Og-types) found in OUT E. coli and Shigella strains in previous studies. Interestingly, 94 (25.7%) of these strains could be classified into 13 novel Og-types. Genomic analysis revealed that the results of the in silico serotyping of novel Og-type strains were perfectly consistent with those of the PCR experiment. In addition, it was revealed that a dual Og8+OgSB17-type strain carried two types of O-AGCs from E. coli O8 and Shigella boydii type 17 tandemly inserted at the locus, with both antigens expressed on the cell surface. The results of this comprehensive analysis of cattle-derived STEC strains may help improve our understanding of the strains circulating in the environment. Additionally, the DNA-based serotyping systems used in this study could be used in future epidemiological studies and risk assessments of other STEC strains.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ying Hua ◽  
Ji Zhang ◽  
Cecilia Jernberg ◽  
Milan Chromek ◽  
Sverker Hansson ◽  
...  

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important foodborne pathogen with the ability to cause bloody diarrhea (BD) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Little is known about enterohemolysin-encoded by ehxA. Here we investigated the prevalence and diversity of ehxA in 239 STEC isolates from human clinical samples. In total, 199 out of 239 isolates (83.26%) were ehxA positive, and ehxA was significantly overrepresented in isolates carrying stx2a + stx2c (p < 0.001) and eae (p < 0.001). The presence of ehxA was significantly associated with BD and serotype O157:H7. Five ehxA subtypes were identified, among which, ehxA subtypes B, C, and F were overrepresented in eae-positive isolates. All O157:H7 isolates carried ehxA subtype B, which was related to BD and HUS. Three ehxA groups were observed in the phylogenetic analysis, namely, group Ⅰ (ehxA subtype A), group Ⅱ (ehxA subtype B, C, and F), and group Ⅲ (ehxA subtype D). Most BD- and HUS-associated isolates were clustered into ehxA group Ⅱ, while ehxA group Ⅰ was associated with non-bloody stool and individuals ≥10 years of age. The presence of ehxA + eae and ehxA + eae + stx2 was significantly associated with HUS and O157:H7 isolates. In summary, this study showed a high prevalence and the considerable genetic diversity of ehxA among clinical STEC isolates. The ehxA genotypes (subtype B and phylogenetic group Ⅱ) could be used as risk predictors, as they were associated with severe clinical symptoms, such as BD and HUS. Furthermore, ehxA, together with stx and eae, can be used as a risk predictor for HUS in STEC infections.


Author(s):  
E. C. Okechukwu ◽  
E. U. Amuta ◽  
G. M. Gberikon ◽  
N. Chima ◽  
B. Yakubu ◽  
...  

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli have been identified as an emerging foodborne pathogen which portends serious risk to human health. Cow milk and its products are potential sources of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. A relatively small number from the family of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are pathogenic. It becomes necessary that Cow milk and milk products are regularly screened for the presence of virulence genes in microbes. The study aimed to genetically determine the presence of virulence genes that are characteristic of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli in 600 milk samples. The E. coli isolates were recovered from the milk samples (n=35), biochemically examined and genetically screened for virulence genes by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The results of the molecular profiling revealed that (stx2) was detected in 17(60.7%), (hlyA) 11(39.3%) and eae genes 8(28.6%) of the E. coli isolates respectively, while (stx1) was not detected. The results indicated a high prevalence of virulent shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in the milk samples. Priority attention should be given to this microbe as it will demand stringent steps in the detection given that they are known to be rigorous in identification.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Te Liao ◽  
Fang Liu ◽  
Vivian C. H. Wu

Here, we report a new member of rV5-like phages, Escherichia phage vB_EcoM-Pr121LW, isolated from soil samples and lytic against different serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains. With molecular properties that contain no antibiotic resistance, virulence, or lysogenic genes, this phage is a potential biocontrol agent against STEC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (27) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Quiñones ◽  
Jaszemyn C. Yambao ◽  
Christopher J. Silva ◽  
Bertram G. Lee

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen and is responsible for outbreaks of human gastroenteritis. This report documents the draft genome sequences of nine O157:H7 cattle strains, which were identified to be PCR positive for a Shiga toxin gene but displayed different levels of functional toxin activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (38) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor Fiedler ◽  
Andressa Ballem ◽  
Erik Brinks ◽  
Carina Almeida ◽  
Charles M. A. P. Franz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen transmitted from animals to humans through contaminated food. Cattle are the main reservoir of STEC, but their genetic diversity is still poorly characterized, especially regarding strains isolated in Portugal. We therefore present the draft genomic sequences of 12 STEC strains isolated from cattle in the north of Portugal.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Lindsey ◽  
Lori Rowe ◽  
Lisley Garcia-Toledo ◽  
Vladimir Loparev ◽  
Kristen Knipe ◽  
...  

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen. We report here the high-quality draft whole-genome sequences of five STEC strains isolated from clinical cases in the United States. This report is for STEC of serotypes O55:H7, O79:H7, O91:H14, O153:H2, and O156:H25.


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