title: Virulence profiles of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and other potentially diarrheagenic E.coli of bovine origin, in Mendoza, Argentina.
abstract: This study described a group of strains obtained from a slaughter house in Mendoza, in terms of their pathogenic factors, serotype, antibiotype and molecular profile. Ninety one rectal swabs and one hundred eight plating samples taken from carcasses of healthy cattle intended for meat consumption were analyzed. Both the swab and the plate samples were processed to analyze the samples for the presence of virulence genes by PCR: stx1, stx2, eae and astA. The Stx positive strains were confirmed by citotoxicity assay in Vero cells. The isolates were subsequently investigated for their O:H serotype, antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular profile by Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Twelve E.coli strains were identified by their pathogenicity. Nine were from fecal origin and three from carcasses. Three strains carried the stx1 gene, three the stx2 gene, two carried eae and four the astA gene. The detected serotypes were: O172:H-; O150:H8; O91:H21; O178:H19 and O2:H5. The strains showed a similarity around 70% by RAPD. Some of the E.coli strains belonged to serogroups known for certain life-threatening diseases in humans. Their presence in carcasses indicates the high probability of bacterial spread during slaughter and processing.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Orozco
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Degarbo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nardello
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laciar
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfofisiología, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rüttler
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002470:Cell Survival; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D058889:Molecular Typing; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014709:Vero Cells; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Enteroaggregative Stable toxin (EAST1); Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC); Hemolitic Uremic Syndrome (HUS); Shiga Toxin Escherichia coli (STEC); cattle; foodborne diseases