title: Genetic characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) isolates from goat's milk and goat farm environment.
abstract: The aim of this study was to characterize a collection of 44 Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) isolated from goat milk and goat farm environment. Of the 19 STEC isolates, five (26.3%) carried the stx1 gene, four (21.1%) the stx2 gene and 10 (52.6%) presented both stx genes. Six (31.6%) STEC strains were eae-positive and belonged to serotypes related to severe human disease (O157:H7 and O5:HNM). Another seven STEC strains were of serotype O146:H21 and three of serotype O166:H28, also linked to human disease. The STEC strains isolated from goat milk were of serotypes potentially pathogenic for humans. All the 25 EPEC isolates were considered atypical (aEPEC) and one aEPEC strain was of serotype O26:H11, a serotype frequently isolated in children with diarrhea. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was carried out with seven housekeeping genes and 23 sequence types (ST) were detected, 14 of them newly described. Twelve STs grouped STEC isolates and 11 STs grouped EPEC isolates. Genetic typing by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) resulted in 38 patterns which grouped in 10 clusters. Well-defined groups were also observed for strains of pathogenic serotypes. In conclusion, strains of STEC and aEPEC belonging to serotypes related to severe human disease have been detected in goat milk and the goat farm environment. Ruminants are an important reservoir of STEC strains and the role of these animals as carriers of other pathogenic types of E. coli seems to be an emerging concern.
authors: Department of Food Hygiene and Food Technology, Veterinary Faculty, University of León, Spain. Electronic address: elena.alvarez@unileon.es.
authors: María-Elena
authors: ME
authors: Álvarez-Suárez
authors: Department of Food Hygiene and Food Technology, Veterinary Faculty, University of León, Spain. Electronic address: andres.otero@unileon.es.
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Otero
authors: Department of Food Hygiene and Food Technology, Veterinary Faculty, University of León, Spain. Electronic address: mlgarl@unileon.es.
authors: María-Luisa
authors: ML
authors: García-López
authors: Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain. Electronic address: ghizlane.dahbi@usc.es.
authors: Ghizlane
authors: G
authors: Dahbi
authors: Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain. Electronic address: miguel.blanco@usc.es.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Blanco
authors: Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain. Electronic address: azucena.mora@usc.es.
authors: Azucena
authors: A
authors: Mora
authors: Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain. Electronic address: jorge.blanco@usc.es.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Blanco
authors: Department of Food Hygiene and Food Technology, Veterinary Faculty, University of León, Spain. Electronic address: j.santos@unileon.es.
authors: Jesús A
authors: JA
authors: Santos
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072480:Farms; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006041:Goats / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2
keywords: Atypical EPEC; Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Goats' milk; STEC; Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli