Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and necrotoxigenic E. coli (NTEC) isolated from healthy cattle in Spain.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and characteristics of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and necrotoxigenic E. coli (NTEC) in healthy cattle.


RESULTS
Faecal samples from 412 healthy cattle were screened for the presence of VTEC, EPEC and NTEC. Four isolates from each sample were studied. VTEC, EPEC and NTEC were isolated in 8.7%, 8.2% and 9.9% of the animals, respectively. VTEC and NTEC were isolated more frequently from calves and heifers than from adults. Seventy (4.2%), 69 (4.2%) and 74 (4.5%) of the 1648 E. coli isolates were VTEC, EPEC and NTEC, respectively. Seventeen (24.3%) of the VTEC strains were eae-positive. Thirty-six (51.4%) of VTEC strains belonged to E. coli serogroups associated with haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome in humans. The serogroups most prevalent among the EPEC strains were O10, O26, O71, O145 and O156.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy cattle are a reservoir of VTEC, EPEC and NTEC.


CONCLUSIONS
Although most of the VTEC strains were eae-negative, a high percentage of VTEC strains belonged to serogroups associated with severe disease in humans.
Orden
J A
JA
Departamento de Patología Animal I, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Cid
D
D
Ruiz-Santa-Quiteria
J A
JA
García
S
S
Martínez
S
S
de la Fuente
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012703:Serotyping; D022603:Shiga Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014709:Vero Cells
D022603:Shiga Toxins