title: Presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Enteroinvasive E. coli, Enteropathogenic E. coli, and Enterotoxigenic E. coli on tomatoes from public markets in Mexico.
abstract: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes (DEP) are important foodborne pathogens in various countries, including Mexico. However, no data exist on the presence of DEP on fresh tomatoes (Solanum lycopericum) from Mexico. The frequency of fecal coliforms (FC), E. coli, and DEP were determined for two tomato varieties. One hundred samples of a saladette tomato variety and 100 samples of a red round tomato variety were collected from public markets in Pachuca, Mexico. Each tomato sample consisted of four whole tomatoes. For the 100 saladette samples, coliform bacterial, FC, E. coli, and DEP were identified in 100, 70, 60, and 10% of samples, respectively. For the 100 red round samples, coliform bacterial, FC, E. coli, and DEP were identified in 100, 75, 65, and 11% of samples, respectively. Identified DEP included Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). STEC were isolated from 6% of saladette samples and 5% of red round samples. ETEC were isolated from 3% of saladette samples and 4% of red round samples. EPEC were isolated from 2% of saladette samples and 3% of red round samples, and EIEC were isolated from 1% of saladette samples. Both STEC and ETEC were identified in two saladette samples and 1 red round sample. E. coli O157:H7 was not detected in any STEC-positive samples.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Centro Universitario, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, 42183 Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, México.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gómez-Aldapa
authors.forename: M Del Refugio
authors.initials: Mdel R
authors.lastname: Torres-Vitela
authors.forename: Otilio A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Acevedo-Sandoval
authors.forename: Esmeralda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rangel-Vargas
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villarruel-López
authors.forename: Andjavier
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro-Rosas
mesh_terms: D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification