Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among Diarrhoeic HIV/AIDS Patients in the Eastern Cape Province-South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1066-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.O. Abong`o ◽  
M.N.B. Momba ◽  
V.K. Malakate ◽  
J.N. Mwambakana
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Aids Patients ◽  
Hiv Aids

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Vegetables Sold in the Amathole District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 816-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. O. ABONG'O ◽  
M. N. B. MOMBA ◽  
J. N. MWAMBAKANA
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables have been implicated in outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in most parts of the world. Microbiological quality of vegetables used as recipes for salads is very crucial. Residents of the Amathole District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa consume salads frequently, although the microbial quality of recipe vegetables is questionable. The present study investigated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from selected vegetables sold within the Amathole District. One hundred eighty samples of the vegetables were analyzed. Strains of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated by enrichment culture and by immunomagnetic separation and identified by conventional and molecular techniques. In three settlements in this district, the mean counts of presumptive E. coli O157 for the vegetables ranged between 9 × 103 and 1.6 × 106 CFU/g for Fort Beaufort, 1.6 × 103 and 1.6 × 105 CFU/g for Mdantsane, and 1.3 × 103 and 4.1 × 104 CFU/g for Alice. Four (10.3%) of 39 vegetable samples were confirmed to carry E. coli O157:H7. Four representative E. coli O157:H7 isolates from these vegetables were susceptible to at least one of the eight antimicrobial agents tested against them. Even though the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was low and those isolated were susceptible to most of the antimicrobials, there remains a need for E. coli O157:H7 surveillance in vegetables used in salad recipes in urban and rural areas of South Africa.

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