title: [Occurrence of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) in fecal swabs from slaughter cattle and sheep--an observation from a meat hygiene view].
abstract: Fecal samples from 544 beef cattle and 140 sheep were investigated by PCR for verotoxin (VT)-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) without and with an enrichment step. 6.1% (after enrichment 14%) of cattle samples and 10% (after enrichment 29.2%) of sheep samples were VT-PCR-positive. Moreover, a noticeable age-depending prevalence in cattle was found. Eleven VTEC strains isolated from fecal samples of 5 cattle and 6 sheep were taken for further characterization. None of the strains belonged to serogroup O157. But, as reported previously, we also found in this study strains with virulence genes that are associated with increased pathogenicity. The importance of slaughter hygiene and of bacteriological monitoring of carcass contamination has to be pointed out.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Lebensmittelsicherheit und -hygiene, Universität Zürich.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ragettli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Untermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1