title: Characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from carcasses of beef cattle during their processing at an abattoir in Brazil.
abstract: Beef carcass sponge samples collected between March 2003 and August 2005 at an abattoir in Brazil were surveyed for the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Only one carcass among the 80 tested showed a STEC, stx2-encoding gene by PCR amplification. The frequency of carcass contamination by E. coli during processing was tested at three situations, respectively: preevisceration, postevisceration and postprocessing, during the rain and dry seasons. The prevalence of E. coli at the three points was of 30.0%, 70.0%, 27.5% in the rain season and of 22.5%, 55.0%, 17.5% during the dry season, respectively. The E. coli isolates exhibited a high level (45.0%) of multidrug resistance to two or more antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Zootecnia de Dracena, Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Rigobelo
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stella
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Marin
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs / Q000592:standards; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012621:Seasons; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D022621:Shiga Toxin