Studies of the presence of verocytotoxic Escherichia coli O157 in bovine faeces submitted for diagnostic purposes in England and Wales and on beef carcases in abattoirs in the United Kingdom.
A survey of beef carcases in abattoirs in the UK was carried out in order to estimate the prevalence of contamination with verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) serogroup O157. Contamination with verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) O157 was confirmed in 0.47% of the 4067 (95% confidence limits 0.22-1.00%) of neck muscle samples. A significant tendency for carcases present in the same abattoir on the same day to have similar results was found, thus suggesting cross contamination. VTEC O157 was found in 0.83% of 6495 bovine faeces samples routinely submitted for diagnostic purposes to Veterinary Investigation Centres in England and Wales. Of the samples from cattle less than 6 months old, 3.7% of 68 samples from animals without gastrointestinal disease were positive for E. coli O157, in contrast to 0.75% of 2321 samples from cases of gastrointestinal disease. No association with season or herd type (beef or dairy) was found.
Richards
M S
MS
Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Addlestone, Surrey.
Corkish
J D
JD
Sayers
A R
AR
McLaren
I M
IM
Evans
S J
SJ
Wray
C
C
D000003:Abattoirs; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D019453:Escherichia coli O157; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology