title: Influence of pH treatments on survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in continuous cultures of rumen contents.
abstract: The pH (i.e., 5.5, 5.75, 6.0, 6.25, 6.5, 6.75, 7.0, and 7.25) effect on Escherichia coli O157:H7 in an artificial rumen model was investigated. Eight fermenters were inoculated with bovine rumen fluid and were supplied with a diet (75 g of dry matter daily in 12 equal portions [every 2 hr]) containing similar forage-to-concentrate ratio. After an adaptation period (i.e., 3 days for adjusting the rumen fluid [pH 6.2] microbial population to the test pH and 4 days for adjustment to the diet at the test pH), each fermenter was inoculated with 10(9) cells of E. coli O157:H7. Samples were collected hourly for 12 hr and every 2 hr for an additional 12 hr and were analyzed by flow cytometer. E. coli O157:H7 could not be quantified after 24 hr, and detection was only possible after enrichment. Because the pathogen could not be detected 5 days postinoculation (i.e., Day 13), the fermenters were reinoculated with E. coli O157:H7 on Days 17 and 22. E. coli O157:H7 numbers decreased from 10(6) to 10(4)/ml of fermenter contents in a quadratic (P < 0.05) fashion over the 24-hr sampling period, and the rate of reduction was slower (P < 0.05) for pH 7.0 than for other pH treatments. Results suggested that E. coli O157:H7 population were decreased by competitive exclusion and were not affected by culture pH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biotechnology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA.
authors.forename: Brandolyn H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Thran
authors.forename: Hussein S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Redelman
authors.forename: George C J
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000166:cytology*; D005285:Fermentation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*