Opportunistic pathogen that causes important food-borne disease
Diarrhoea is a condition with severe public health concerns due to its high morbidity and mortality on infected individuals. Despite the variation in the etiology of diarrhoea, diarrhoeagenic bacteria (DGB) are of significant importance due to their potential to cause life-threatening complications in humans. These pathogens are transmitted via the faecal-oral route and the consumption of contaminated food is considered a principal route for their transmission. Cattle have been identified as main reservoir of diarrhoeal pathogens with frequent surveillance studies serving as a crucial strategy to safe-guard public health and also generate epidemiological data. Surveillance studies also provide an opportunity to understand current trends in the development and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in both the human population as well as environmental sources. Data on AMR patterns may guide treatment options but also enhance efforts in the search for alternative non-antibiotic agents.