Duration of detection of fecal excretion of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle.
To better define the bovine reservoir of Escherichia coli O157:H7, cattle were tested monthly by bacteriologic culture for fecal excretion of E. coli. E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from feces of 56 cattle sampled an average of 6.98 times (2-12 samples). By broth enrichment culture, immunomagnetic separation, or both, 35 cattle had 1 positive sample, 12 had 2, 7 had 3, and 1 each had 4 and 5. Five cattle with > or = 2 positive samples were in a herd in which 5 pulsed-field gel electrophoretic (PFGE) types were simultaneously present; in 3 of these cattle, different PFGE types were detected in different samples. The duration of detected excretion E. coli O157:H7 by individual cattle in this study was <1 month in 35 (63%) of 56 cattle. Both serial and concurrent excretion of different E. coli O157:H7 strains by individual cattle was observed.
Besser
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TE
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman 99165-7040, USA.
Hancock
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DD
Pritchett
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LC
McRae
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EM
Rice
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DH
Tarr
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PI
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013997:Time Factors
D004269:DNA, Bacterial