title: Detection and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in captive non-domestic mammals.
abstract: Shiga toxin producing-Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important emerging pathogen, and ruminants are recognized as their main natural reservoir. The aim of this work was to establish the frequency of STEC in non-domestic mammals of the Zoo and Botanical Garden of La Plata City, Argentina, and to pheno-genotypically characterize STEC isolates. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Shiga toxin (stx) gene sequences were detected in 50.8% of 65 fecal samples. Twenty-five STEC strains were isolated from 38.5% of the Zoo's animals. Ten species of order Cetartiodactyla and one species of order Rodentia were recognized as new STEC carriers. STEC strains belonged to 7 different serotypes including new serotypes O12:H25 and O13:H6. Serotype O146:H28, previously associated with human infections, represented 24% of STEC isolates. The most frequent Shiga toxin identified were type 1c and type 2c. Nineteen strains were positive for iha gene, 8 strains were positive for ehxA gene. Moreover, all strains were positive for lpfAO113 and negative for rfbO157, eae, saa, lpfAO157/OI-141, lpfAO157/OI-154, efa1, and toxB genes. Results obtained by XbaI-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (XbaI-PFGE) confirmed the transmission of STEC strains among different animal species and suborders. In addition, we observed a potential association between STEC-harboring animal and factors such as belonging to order Cetartiodactyla, living in a pit, and belonging to a non-autochthonous species. This is the first work developed with zoological mammals and STEC in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Servicio Fisiopatogenia, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, 1281 Buenos Aires, Argentina. galeotta@anlis.gov.ar
authors.forename: Gerardo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Leotta
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deza
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Origlia
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toma
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chinen
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miliwebsky
authors.forename: Sunao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iyoda
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sosa-Estani
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000382:microbiology; D001118:Argentina; D001188:Artiodactyla / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000662:veterinary; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia; D012703:Serotyping / Q000662:veterinary; D022603:Shiga Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D022603:Shiga Toxins