Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains that persist in feedlot cattle are genetically related and demonstrate an enhanced ability to adhere to intestinal epithelial cells.
A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the nature of Escherichia coli O157:H7 colonization of feedlot cattle over the final 100 to 110 days of finishing. Rectal fecal grab samples were collected from an initial sample population of 788 steers every 20 to 22 days and microbiologically analyzed to detect E. coli O157:H7. The identities of presumptive colonies were confirmed using a multiplex PCR assay that screened for gene fragments unique to E. coli O157:H7 (rfbE and fliC(h7)) and other key virulence genes (eae, stx(1), and stx(2)). Animals were classified as having persistent shedding (PS), transient shedding (TS), or nonshedding (NS) status if they consecutively shed the same E. coli O157:H7 genotype (based on the multiplex PCR profile), exhibited variable E. coli O157 shedding, or never shed morphologically typical E. coli O157, respectively. Overall, 1.0% and 1.4% of steers were classified as PS and NS animals, respectively. Characterization of 132 E. coli O157:H7 isolates from PS and TS animals by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing yielded 32 unique PFGE types. One predominant PFGE type accounted for 53% of all isolates characterized and persisted in cattle throughout the study. Isolates belonging to this predominant and persistent PFGE type demonstrated an enhanced (P < 0.0001) ability to adhere to Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells compared to isolates belonging to less common PFGE types but exhibited equal virulence expression. Interestingly, the attachment efficacy decreased as the genetic divergence from the predominant and persistent subtype increased. Our data support the hypothesis that certain E. coli O157:H7 strains persist in feedlot cattle, which may be partially explained by an enhanced ability to colonize the intestinal epithelium.
Carlson
Brandon A
BA
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, 7C Animal Sciences, Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1171, USA.
Nightingale
Kendra K
KK
Mason
Gary L
GL
Ruby
John R
JR
Choat
W Travis
WT
Loneragan
Guy H
GH
Smith
Gary C
GC
Sofos
John N
JN
Belk
Keith E
KE
D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors