Longitudinal study of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a beef cattle feedlot and role of high-level shedders in hide contamination.
The objectives of the study described here were (i) to investigate the dynamics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 fecal and hide prevalence over a 9-month period in a feedlot setting and (ii) to determine how animals shedding E. coli O157:H7 at high levels affect the prevalence and levels of E. coli O157:H7 on the hides of other animals in the same pen. Cattle (n = 319) were distributed in 10 adjacent pens, and fecal and hide levels of E. coli O157:H7 were monitored. When the fecal pen prevalence exceeded 20%, the hide pen prevalence was usually (25 of 27 pens) greater than 80%. Sixteen of 19 (84.2%) supershedder (>10(4) CFU/g) pens had a fecal prevalence greater than 20%. Significant associations with hide and high-level hide (>/=40 CFU/100 cm(2)) contamination were identified for (i) a fecal prevalence greater than 20%, (ii) the presence of one or more high-density shedders (>/=200 CFU/g) in a pen, and (iii) the presence of one or more supershedders in a pen. The results presented here suggest that the E. coli O157:H7 fecal prevalence should be reduced below 20% and the levels of shedding should be kept below 200 CFU/g to minimize the contamination of cattle hides. Also, large and unpredictable fluctuations within and between pens in both fecal and hide prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 were detected and should be used as a guide when preharvest studies, particularly preharvest intervention studies, are designed.
Arthur
Terrance M
TM
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933-0166, USA. terrance.arthur@ars.usda.gov
Keen
James E
JE
Bosilevac
Joseph M
JM
Brichta-Harhay
Dayna M
DM
Kalchayanand
Norasak
N
Shackelford
Steven D
SD
Wheeler
Tommy L
TL
Nou
Xiangwu
X
Koohmaraie
Mohammad
M
D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012621:Seasons; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D012988:Soil Microbiology
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