title: Identification of management risk factors for VTEC O157 in young-stock in England and Wales.
abstract: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 255 cattle farms in England and Wales to identify risk factors for verocytotoxin-producing E. coli O157 (VTEC). Exposure variables were collected at the levels of the farm and of the group of young-stock within the farms. On each farm a group of young-stock (6-18 months of age) was sampled to establish VTEC status. In our multiple logistic regression, farm VTEC status was associated with access to springs (OR: 0.31, CI95%: 0.12, 0.78) and assessing the wetness of the bedding material less frequently than daily (OR: 3.89 CI95%: 1.5, 10.2). At group-level we found no associated risk factors for animals housed outdoors in fields. Significant for groups housed in pens were wet bedding (wet OR: 3.43, CI95%: 1.3, 9.4; very wet OR: 4.24, CI95%: 1.2, 14.6), number of animals in the group (10-15 OR: 2.72, CI95%: 0.75, 9.9, 16-24, OR: 3.78, CI95%: 1.2, 12.3; >25 OR: 3.78, CI95%: 1.1, 12.7) and feeding straw (OR: 2.29, CI95%: 1.2, 5.5).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK. J.Ellis-Iversen@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellis-Iversen
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lucy C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: Eamon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Geoff C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sayers
authors.forename: Alasdair J C
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Giles A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Paiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157; D006799:Housing, Animal; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins