Serogroup distribution and virulence characteristics of sorbitol-negative Escherichia coli from food and cattle stool.
OBJECTIVE
To (i) study the serogroup distribution and virulence characteristics of non-sorbitol-fermenting Escherichia coli isolates from foods of animal origin and cattle faeces and (ii) re-examine the true sorbitol and beta-D-glucuronidase (GUD) reactions of sorbitol-negative (Sor(-)) strains from MacConkey sorbitol agar (SMAC) to assess their phenotypic similarity with E. coli O157.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty Sor(-)E. coli were isolated from 556 food samples and 177 cattle stool samples using cefixime tellurite-supplemented SMAC (CT-SMAC) and chromogenic HiCrome MS.O157 agar respectively. Based on typing of somatic antigen, the isolates were classified into 38 serogroups. PCR results identified about 40% strains, belonging to O5, O8, O20, O28, O48, O60, O78, O82, O84, O101, O110, O123, O132, O156, O157, O-rough and OUT as Shiga toxigenic. Majority of O5, O84, O101, O105, O123, O157, O-rough and OUT strains were enterohaemolytic. Further, 39.2% and 63.1% of Sor(-) isolates from CT-SMAC fermented sorbitol in phenol red broth and hydrolysed 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide (MUG) respectively. Members of serogroups O5, O28, O32, O81, O82, O84, O101, O-rough lacked both the sorbitol fermentation (broth test) and GUD activity and might create confusion in phenotypic identification of E. coli O157.


CONCLUSIONS
Sor(-)E. coli isolates from raw meat, milk, shrimp and cattle stool belonged to 38 serogroups, with E. coli O157 constituting only 14.6% of the isolates. Many of these nonclinical Sor(-) strains were potentially pathogenic. Nearly 39% of these Sor(-)E. coli from CT-SMAC fermented sorbitol in broth, indicating the need for confirmation of sorbitol reaction in broth.


CONCLUSIONS
Classical sorbitol utilization and GUD tests are not likely definitive tests for E. coli O157. Further improvement of differential media based on these phenotypic properties is necessary for detection of pathogenic serotypes from foods and environmental samples.
West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, 37, K. B. Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. sanjibmanna@yahoo.com
S K
SK
Manna
C
C
Manna
K
K
Batabyal
B
B
Das
D
D
Golder
S
S
Chattopadhyay
B K
BK
Biswas
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006923:Hymecromone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
D003470:Culture Media; D006923:Hymecromone; D013012:Sorbitol; C034888:4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide