title: Prevalence and characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates from meat and meat products sold in Amathole District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
abstract: Meat and meat products have been implicated in outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in most parts of the world. In the Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, a large number of households consume meat and meat products daily, although the microbiological quality of these types of food is questionable. The present study investigated the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from selected meat and meat products (45 samples each of biltong, cold meat, mincemeat, and polony) sold in this area. Strains of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated by enrichment culture and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also investigated were the antibiogram profiles of the E. coli O157:H7 isolates. Five (2.8%) out of 180 meat and meat products examined were positive for E. coli O157:H7 that carried the fliC(H7), rfbE(O157), and eaeA genes. Two of the E. coli O157:H7 isolates were resistant against all the eight antibiotics tested. To prevent E. coli O157:H7 infections, meat and meat products such as biltong, cold meat, mincemeat and polony should be properly handled, and packed in sterile polyvinyl wrappers.
authors.affiliation: University of Fort Hare, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Science and Technology, P/Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa. melfelis@gmail.com
authors.forename: Benard O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Abong'o
authors.forename: Maggy N B
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Momba
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial