Escherichia coli O157:H7 in faeces from cattle, sheep and pigs in the southwest part of Norway during 1998 and 1999.
During a 2-year period from January 1998 to December 1999, intestinal content from 1541 cattle, 665 sheep and 1976 pigs were analysed for Escherichia coli O157:H7 using the immunomagnetic separation procedure. The animals originated from 848, 605 and 832 herds from the southwest part of Norway, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 was present in three samples from cattle from different herds, giving a herd prevalence of 0.35% and an animal prevalence of 0.19%. From pigs, E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from two pigs from different herds, giving a herd prevalence of 0.24% and an animal prevalence of 0.1%. A follow-up study revealed another positive testing pig from one of these herds. E. coli O157:H7 was not found from any of the 665 investigated sheep. By PCR analysis, all six E. coli O157:H7 isolates were shown to contain the genes encoding Shiga toxin 2 (stx2), the intimin protein (eae) and the H7 flagellum (fliC-H7). One of the cattle isolates also harboured the Shiga toxin 1 encoding (stx1) gene. The six isolates were differentiated into three pulse-field gel electrophoresis profiles. The results indicate that the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle, sheep and pigs in the southwest part of Norway is low compared to other European countries.
Johnsen
G
G
Regional Food Control Authority of Midt-Rogaland, Stavanger, Norway. Johnsen@mmt-mrog.rl.no
Wasteson
Y
Y
Heir
E
E
Berget
O I
OI
Herikstad
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000662:veterinary; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000662:veterinary; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*