Virulence factors of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from raw meats.
PCR for verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) was positive in 4.6% of 2,440 raw meat samples; only beef, sheep, and venison samples were positive. None of the isolated VTEC strains belonged to serogroup O157. Additional virulence factors were detected in only a minority of strains, suggesting that most of these meat VTEC isolates are not pathogenic.
Piérard
D
D
Department of Microbiology, Akademisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. labomicro@az.vub.ac.be
Van Damme
L
L
Moriau
L
L
Stevens
D
D
Lauwers
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012756:Sheep; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D014774:Virulence
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1