scholarly journals Understanding the transmission dynamics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 super-shedding infections in feedlot cattle

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12524
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Antaki-Zukoski ◽  
Xunde Li ◽  
Bruce Hoar ◽  
John M. Adaska ◽  
Barbara A. Byrne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Post Inoculation ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
One Year ◽  
Definition Of

Background The presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) super-shedding cattle in feedlots has the potential to increase the overall number (bio-burden) of E. coli O157:H7 in the environment. It is important to identify factors to reduce the bio-burden of E. coli O157 in feedlots by clarifying practices associated with the occurrence of super-shedders in feedlot cattle. Methods The objective of this study is to (1) identify host, pathogen, and management risk factors associated with naturally infected feedlot cattle excreting high concentrations of E. coli O157:H7 in their feces and (2) to determine whether the ingested dose or the specific strain of E. coli O157:H7 influences a super-shedder infection within experimentally inoculated feedlot cattle. To address this, (1) pen floor fecal samples and herd parameters were collected from four feedlots over a 9-month period, then (2) 6 strains of E. coli O157:H7, 3 strains isolated from normal shedder steers and 3 strains isolated from super-shedder steers, were inoculated into 30 one-year-old feedlot steers. Five steers were assigned to each E. coli O157:H7 strain group and inoculated with targeted numbers of 102, 104, 106, 108, and 1010 CFU of bacteria respectively. Results In the feedlots, prevalence of infection with E. coli O157:H7 for the 890 fecal samples collected was 22.4%, with individual pen prevalence ranging from 0% to 90% and individual feedlot prevalence ranging from 8.4% to 30.2%. Three samples had E. coli O157:H7 levels greater than 104 MPN/g feces, thereby meeting the definition of super-shedder. Lower body weight at entry to the feedlot and higher daily maximum ambient temperature were associated with increased odds of a sample testing positive for E. coli O157:H7. In the experimental inoculation trial, the duration and total environmental shedding load of E. coli O157:H7 suggests that the time post-inoculation and the dose of inoculated E. coli O157:H7 are important while the E. coli O157:H7 strain and shedding characteristic (normal or super-shedder) are not. Discussion Under the conditions of this experiment, super-shedding appears to be the result of cattle ingesting a high dose of any strain of E. coli O157:H7. Therefore strategies that minimize exposure to large numbers of E. coli O157:H7 should be beneficial against the super-shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in feedlots.

Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157 in Feedlot Cattle

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 462-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
DALE D. HANCOCK ◽  
DANIEL H. RICE ◽  
LEE ANN THOMAS ◽  
DAVID A. DARGATZ ◽  
THOMAS E. BESSER
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
The United States ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Flagellar Antigen ◽  
Low Prevalence

Fecal samples from cattle in 100 feedlots in 13 states were bacteriologically cultured for Escherichia coli O157 that did not ferment sorbitol, lacked beta-glucuronidase, and possessed genes coding for Shiga-like toxin. In each feedlot 30 fresh fecal-pat samples were collected from each of four pens: with the cattle shortest on feed, with cattle longest on feed, and with cattle in two randomly selected pens. E. coli O157 was isolated from 210 (1.8%) of 11,881 fecal samples. One or more samples were positive for E. coli O157 in 63 of the 100 feedlots tested. E. coli O157 was found at roughly equal prevalence in all the geographical regions sampled. The prevalence of E. coli O157 in the pens with cattle shortest on feed was approximately threefold higher than for randomly selected and longest on feed pens. Of the E. coli O157 isolates found in this study, 89.52% expressed the H7 flagellar antigen. E. coli O157 was found to be widely distributed among feedlot cattle, but at a low prevalence, in the United States.

scholarly journals ‘Super' or just ‘above average'? Supershedders and the transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among feedlot cattle

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (110) ◽  
pp. 20150446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon E. F. Spencer ◽  
Thomas E. Besser ◽  
Rowland N. Cobbold ◽  
Nigel P. French
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
Definition Of

Supershedders have been suggested to be major drivers of transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ( E. coli O157:H7) among cattle in feedlot environments, despite our relatively limited knowledge of the processes that govern periods of high shedding within an individual animal. In this study, we attempt a data-driven approach, estimating the key characteristics of high shedding behaviour, including effects on transmission to other animals, directly from a study of natural E. coli O157:H7 infection of cattle in a research feedlot, in order to develop an evidence-based definition of supershedding. In contrast to the hypothesized role of supershedders, we found that high shedding individuals only modestly increased the risk of transmission: individuals shedding over 10 3 cfu g −1 faeces were estimated to pose a risk of transmission only 2.45 times greater than those shedding below that level. The data suggested that shedding above 10 3 cfu g −1 faeces was the most appropriate definition of supershedding behaviour and under this definition supershedding was surprisingly common, with an estimated prevalence of 31.3% in colonized individuals. We found no evidence that environmental contamination by faeces of shedding cattle contributed to transmission over timescales longer than 3 days and preliminary evidence that higher stocking density increased the risk of transmission.

scholarly journals 91 Effects of antibiotics on growth performance, diarrhea, and bacterial translocation in weanling pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic E. coli

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 53-53
Author(s):  
Kwangwook Kim ◽  
Yijie He ◽  
Cynthia Jinno ◽  
Seijoo Yang ◽  
Minho Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Bacterial Translocation ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Post Inoculation ◽  
Mesenteric Lymph Nodes ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli

Abstract The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of antibiotics on growth performance, diarrhea, fecal β-hemolytic coliforms, and bacterial translocation of weaned pigs experimentally infected with F18 Escherichia coli (E. coli). Twenty-six pigs (6.88 ± 1.03 kg BW) were individually housed in disease containment rooms and randomly allotted to one of three treatments with 8–9 replicate pigs per treatment. The three dietary treatments were control diet and 2 additional diets supplemented with 0.5 or 50 mg/kg carbadox, respectively. The experiment lasted 18 d (7 d before and 11 d after first inoculation [d 0]). F18 E. coli inoculum was daily and orally as 1010 cfu/3 mL for 3 days. Growth performance was measured on d -7 to 0 before inoculation, and d 0 to 5 and 5 to 11 post-inoculation (PI). Diarrhea scores were daily checked throughout the experiment. Fecal samples were collected on d 2, 5, 8, and 11 PI to test the percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms in total coliforms. Bacterial translocation was measured in lymph nodes on d 5 and 11 PI. All data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED of SAS. Pigs supplemented with high-dose of antibiotics had greater (P < 0.05) final BW and lower (P < 0.05) overall frequency of diarrhea, compared with pigs in control and low-dose antibiotics groups. Pigs supplemented with low-dose antibiotics had lowest (P < 0.05) ADG and feed efficiency from d 0 to 5 PI, and had highest (P < 0.05) percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms in fecal samples on d 2 and 5 PI, and greatest (P < 0.05) bacterial colonies in mesenteric lymph nodes on d 11 PI, compared with pigs in the other two groups. In conclusion, low dose antibiotic supplementation exacerbates the detrimental effects of E. coli infection on pig performance and diarrhea.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Emergence and Distribution of Escherichia coli O157 Genotypes in a Beef Feedlot

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 7614-7619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Sanderson ◽  
Jan M. Sargeant ◽  
Xiarong Shi ◽  
T. G. Nagaraja ◽  
Ludek Zurek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Longitudinal Distribution ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Water Tanks ◽  
Feed Samples ◽  
Bird Feces

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and longitudinal distribution of Escherichia coli O157 in feedlot cattle and the feedlot environment. Pen floors, water tanks, other cattle in the feedlot, feed, and bird feces were sampled for 2 weeks prior to entry of the study cattle. Twelve pens of study cattle were sampled twice weekly. At each sample time cattle feces, water from tanks in each pen, bunk feed, feed components, bird feces, and houseflies were collected. Bunk feed samples were collected before and after cattle had access to the feed. Overall, 28% of cattle fecal samples, 3.9% of bird fecal samples, 25% of water samples, 3.4% of housefly samples, 1.25% of bunk feed before calf access, and 3.25% of bunk feed samples after cattle had access to the feed were positive for E. coli O157. Genetic analysis of E. coli O157 isolates was done using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE types identified in sampling of the feedlot prior to calf entry were different than the majority of types identified following calf entry. A single strain type predominated in the samples collected after entry of the cattle. It was first identified 5 days after entry of the first pen of cattle and was subsequently identified in all pens. Data support that the incoming cattle introduced a new strain that became the predominant strain in the feedlot.

Development and Validation of a Most-Probable-Number–Immunomagnetic Separation Methodology of Enumerating Escherichia coli O157 in Cattle Feces

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 1072-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. P. STEPHENS ◽  
G. H. LONERAGAN ◽  
W. E. CHANEY ◽  
L. A. BRANHAM ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Immunomagnetic Separation ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Direct Plating ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
The Difference

A method to validate enumeration of Escherichia coli O157 in fecal samples from feedlot cattle was developed in these studies. Due to background flora, bovine fecal sample enumeration cannot be performed by simple direct plating techniques. Known quantities of E. coli O157:H7 were inoculated into feces, and populations were determined by direct plating of the cocktail (studies 1, 2, and 3) and manure and cocktail (studies 4 and 5) mixtures and compared with a most-probable-number (MPN)–immunomagnetic separation (IMS) method. The three-tube MPN combined preenrichment in gram-negative broth with confirmation using IMS. Five separate enumeration studies (study 1, sterile feces inoculated with 102 E. coli O157:H7 per g; study 2, nonsterile feces inoculated with 103 E. coli O157:H7 per g; study 3, nonsterile feces inoculated with 101 E. coli O157:H7 per g; study 4, sterile feces inoculated with 104 streptomycin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 per g; and study 5, sterile feces inoculated with 102 streptomycin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 per g) were conducted. These studies were performed to determine the precision, accuracy, and specificity at low and high levels of pathogen contamination in feces, using direct plating compared with the MPN-IMS methodology tested. There was an overall difference (P &lt; 0.01) between direct plating and MPN-IMS methodologies, but this difference was biologically negligible due to the difference in least-squares means (0.29 ± 0.10) being so low. The direct plating and MPN-IMS methods were correlated (r = 0.93). These results suggest that using the MPN-IMS procedures is an effective method of estimating E. coli O157 populations in naturally infected bovine fecal samples.

Factors Associated with the Presence of Escherichia coli O157 in Feces of Feedlot Cattle

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 466-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID A. DARGATZ ◽  
SCOTT J. WELLS ◽  
LEE ANN THOMAS ◽  
DALE D. HANCOCK ◽  
LINDSEY P. GARBER
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Health History ◽  
Collection Data ◽  
Cattle Health

Fecal samples were collected from pens of cattle in a total of 100 feedlots in 13 states. Fecal samples were cultured for Escherichia coli O157. E. coli O157 isolates were probed for the genetic coding for verotoxin production. At the time of sample collection, data were collected on the type of cattle present in the pen, as well as the length of time these cattle were in the feedlot, ingredients for the current ration, and cattle health history since arriving in the feedlot. Factors associated with increased likelihood of a pen being positive (one or more samples probe-positive for E. coli O157) included feeding of barley (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75) and cattle being on feed less than 20 days (OR = 3.39). Factors associated with a reduced likelihood of a pen being positive included feeding soy meal (OR = 0.50), a cattle entry weight of at least 700 lb (ca. 317.5 kg) (OR = 0.54), and at least 85% of the cattle in the pen being beef-type heifers (OR = .33).

scholarly journals Comparison of Rectoanal Mucosal Swab Cultures and Fecal Cultures for Determining Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Feedlot Cattle

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 6431-6433 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Greenquist ◽  
J. S. Drouillard ◽  
J. M. Sargeant ◽  
B. E. Depenbusch ◽  
Xiaorong Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Fecal Culture ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Pulsed Field ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Fecal Sampling

ABSTRACT We compared fecal samples with samples collected with rectoanal mucosa swabs (RAMS) to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in feedlot cattle (n = 747). Escherichia coli O157 was detected in 9.5% of samples collected with RAMS and 4.7% of samples tested by fecal culture. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of isolates suggested that the strains colonizing the rectoanal junction were the same as those from the feces. Mucosal swab sampling was more sensitive than fecal sampling for determining the prevalence of E. coli O157 in feedlot cattle.

Spiral Plating Method To Quantify the Six Major Non-O157 Escherichia coli Serogroups in Cattle Feces

2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 848-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pragathi B. Shridhar ◽  
Lance W. Noll ◽  
Charley A. Cull ◽  
Xiaorong Shi ◽  
Natalia Cernicchiaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Foodborne Illnesses ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Fecal Shedding ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces ◽  
Plating Method ◽  
Pure Cultures ◽  
High Concentrations

ABSTRACT Cattle are a major reservoir of the six major Shiga toxin–producing non-O157 Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) responsible for foodborne illnesses in humans. Besides prevalence in feces, the concentrations of STEC in cattle feces play a major role in their transmission dynamics. A subset of cattle, referred to as super shedders, shed E. coli O157 at high concentrations (≥4 log CFU/g of feces). It is not known whether a similar pattern of fecal shedding exists for non-O157. Our objectives were to initially validate the spiral plating method to quantify the six non-O157 E. coli serogroups with pure cultures and culture-spiked fecal samples and then determine the applicability of the method and compare it with multiplex quantitative PCR (mqPCR) assays for the quantification of the six non-O157 E. coli serogroups in cattle fecal samples collected from commercial feedlots. Quantification limits of the spiral plating method were 3 log, 3 to 4 log, and 3 to 5 log CFU/mL or CFU/g for individual cultures, pooled pure cultures, and cattle fecal samples spiked with pooled pure cultures, respectively. Of the 1,152 cattle fecal samples tested from eight commercial feedlots, 122 (10.6%) and 320 (27.8%) harbored concentrations ≥4 log CFU/g of one or more of the six serogroups of non-O157 by spiral plating and mqPCR methods, respectively. A majority of quantifiable samples, detected by either spiral plating (135 of 137, 98.5%) or mqPCR (239 of 320, 74.7%), were shedding only one serogroup. Only one of the quantifiable samples was positive for a serogroup carrying Shiga toxin (stx1) and intimin (eae) genes; 38 samples were positive for serogroups carrying the intimin gene. In conclusion, the spiral plating method can be used to quantify non-O157 serogroups in cattle feces, and our study identified a subset of cattle that was super shedders of non-O157 E. coli. The method has the advantage of quantifying non-O157 STEC, unlike mqPCR that quantifies serogroups only.

scholarly journals Inclusion of Dried or Wet Distillers' Grains at Different Levels in Diets of Feedlot Cattle Affects Fecal Shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (21) ◽  
pp. 7238-7242 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Jacob ◽  
Z. D. Paddock ◽  
D. G. Renter ◽  
K. F. Lechtenberg ◽  
T. G. Nagaraja
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Distillers Grains ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Fecal Shedding ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains

ABSTRACT Our objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle fed diets supplemented with 20 or 40% dried distillers' grains (DG) (DDG) or wet DG (WDG) and assess whether removing DG from diets before slaughter affected fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7. Eight hundred forty steers were allocated to 70 pens (12 steers/pen). Treatments were no DG (control), 20% DDG or WDG, and 40% DDG or WDG, and each was replicated in 14 pens. In phase 1, eight floor fecal samples were collected from each pen every 2 weeks for 12 weeks for isolation of E. coli O157:H7 and detection of high shedders. In phase 2, half of the pens with DG were transitioned to the no-DG control diet, and pen floor fecal samples were collected weekly from all pens for 4 weeks. During phase 1, prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was 20.8% and 3.2% for high shedders. The form of DG had no significant effect on fecal E. coli O157:H7 shedding. The prevalence levels of E. coli O157:H7 and the numbers of high shedders were not different between diets with 0 or 20% DG; however, cattle fed 40% DG had a higher prevalence and more high shedders than cattle fed 0 or 20% DG (P ≤ 0.05). During phase 2, overall and high-shedder prevalence estimates were 3.3% and <0.1%, respectively, and there were no differences between those for different DG forms and inclusion levels or when DG was removed from diets. The form of DG had no impact on E. coli O157:H7; however, fecal shedding was associated with the DG inclusion level.

Dietary Supplementation with Lactobacillus- and Propionibacterium-Based Direct-Fed Microbials and Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in Beef Feedlot Cattle and on Hides at Harvest

2004 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 889-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. YOUNTS-DAHL ◽  
M. L. GALYEAN ◽  
G. H. LONERAGAN ◽  
N. A. ELAM ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Intervention Strategy ◽  
Immunomagnetic Separation ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Feeding Period ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Finishing Beef Cattle

The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in the feces and on the hides of finishing beef cattle fed a standard diet and those fed diets supplemented with direct-fed microbials. Two hundred forty steers received one of four treatments throughout the feeding period: (i) control: no added microbials; (ii) HNP51: high dose of Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP 51 (109 CFU per steer daily) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii (109 CFU per steer daily); (iii) HNP51+45: high dose of NP 51 (109 CFU per steer daily), P. freudenreichii (109 CFU per steer daily), and L. acidophilus NP 45 (106 CFU per steer daily); or (iv) LNP51+ 45: low dose of NP 51 (106 CFU per steer daily), P. freudenreichii (109 CFU per steer daily), and NP 45 (106 CFU per steer daily). Samples were collected from each animal and analyzed for the presence of E. coli O157 using immunomagnetic separation methods on day 0 (feces), 7 days before harvest (feces), and at harvest (feces and hide). At the end of the feeding period, cattle receiving HNP51 were 57% less likely to shed detectable E. coli O157 in their feces than were the controls (P &lt; 0.01). For animals receiving HNP51+ 45 and LNP51+ 45, fecal prevalence did not differ from that of the controls. The prevalence of positive hide samples was least among cattle receiving HNP51+ 45 (3.3%); these animals were 79% less likely (P &lt; 0.06) to have a positive hide sample than were the controls (prevalence = 13.8%). There was poor agreement of the culture results between fecal and hide samples collected from the same animal (κ = 0.08; confidence interval = −0.05 to 0.2). Cattle supplemented with a high dose of NP 51 had reduced E. coli O157 prevalence in both fecal and hide samples, indicating that this treatment may be an efficacious preharvest intervention strategy.

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