Isolation of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 from cattle at slaughter in Italy.

Cattle arriving for slaughter at a large abattoir in northern Italy between April 1997 and January 1998 were examined for intestinal carriage of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 using an immunomagnetic separation technique. Sixty sorbitol non-fermenting VTEC O157 strains were isolated from 59 (13.1%) of the 450 cattle examined. In particular, VTEC O157 was found in 37 (16.6%) of 223 feedlot cattle and in 22 (16.1%) of 137 dairy cull cows, but not in the 90 veal calves sampled. The isolation rate was higher during warm weather (17.5%), falling to an average of 2.9% during the winter months. VT-negative, O157 latex-agglutinating E. coli strains were isolated from 23 (5.1%) of the 450 animals. PCR analysis showed that all 60 VTEC O157 strains carried the VT2 gene and that 25 strains also carried the VT1 gene. In addition, four of the VT-negative, O157 latex-agglutinating E. coli strains carried the VT2 gene. Atypical biochemical features were observed in some VTEC O157: two strains (3.3%) showed beta-glucuronidase activity, and seven (11.7%) produced urease.     

Spatial heterogeneity of Escherichia coli DNA fingerprints isolated from cellulitis lesions in chickens

Avian cellulitis in broiler chickens is characterized by subcutaneous lesions that result in economic losses because of the partial or complete condemnation of the carcasses at processing. Escherichia coli is the primary causative agent of this condition. Previous research with a biotyping system found that the E. coli of cellulitis origin were unique to each ranch, suggesting that these E. coli were endemic within the ranch environment. The objective of our study was to analyze the genetic variability of E. coli isolates associated with cellulitis. We analyzed the genetic relatedness of the isolates in relation to the houses, ranches, and complexes in which the broilers were grown. This analysis enabled us to assess the spatial heterogeneity, or genetic diversity on a spatial scale, of the isolates. Forty-nine broilers with cellulitis lesions were necropsied. These broilers came from six houses on four ranches on three complexes that had been placed with chicks from the same hatchery within a 2-wk period. Isolates of E. coli from the lesions were DNA fingerprinted by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Relatedness among isolates was determined with the Dice coefficient and an unweighted pair group method with average linkages cluster analysis. The complexes possessed isolates with a variety of DNA fingerprints, yet each complex appeared to have isolates with a unique set of DNA fingerprints. Isolates from the same complex tended to form clusters with similarity coefficients greater than 90%. Isolates from different complexes were genetically distinct. This heterogeneity at the level of the complex suggests that isolates were not disseminated from a source common to the complexes. The spatial heterogeneity of the E. coli isolates in this study implies an endemic population of cellulitis-associated E. coli exists in the broiler house environment.     

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of virulence factors of Escherichia coli isolated from broiler chickens with simultaneous occurrence of cellulitis and other colibacillosis lesions.

The objective of this study was to characterize virulence factors of Escherichia coli isolates from broilers with simultaneous occurrence of cellulitis and other colibacillosis lesions. Thirty flocks were sampled and 237 birds with cellulitis were examined. Eighty-two (34.6%) of 237 birds condemned for cellulitis had gross lesions in the heart, air sacs, joints, or liver. In 58 chickens, E. coli was isolated from both the cellulitis and other lesions of colibacillosis, and 18.9% of the E. coli isolates from the 2 types of lesions belonged to the same O group. Escherichia coli of serogroups O78, O1, and O2 predominated. Isolates of the same serogroup that were derived from different lesions in the same birds had similar patterns of biotype, aerobactin production, serum sensitivity profile, antibiotic sensitivity, and K1 capsule production. Escherichia coli derived from cellulitis lesions produced virulence factors similar to those found in E. coli isolated from other colibacillosis lesions in poultry.     

青海某区肉鸡致病性大肠杆菌病的病原分离与鉴定

无菌采取病死肉鸡肝、肺、脾、肾等8份病料,进行病原的分离培养与鉴定,分离出致病性大肠杆菌,结合该病的流行病学、临床症状、病理剖检变化和实验室诊断,确诊为肉鸡致病性大肠杆菌病。     

Significance of Escherichia coli O157 in sheep at slaughter in Switzerland

The importance of latent zoonoses has increased in recent years in view of foodborne diseases: (i) the "healthy" animal repesents a reservoir for specific pathogens; () no pathological-anatomical changes in the carcass and its organs show the presence of these pathogens; and (iii) these pathogens may enter the food chain via hygienic weak points in the slaughtering process. To estimate the risks involved and to take appropriate measures, analysis of the slaughtering process should be complemented by collecting data relating to the carriage of the animals of latent zoonotic pathogens. From October 2004 to June 2005, fecal samples from 630 slaughtered sheep were enriched and then examied by IMS technique and by PCR to assess the prevalence of E. coli O157 (OE). Seven samples (1.1%), distributed throughout the whole examination period, were found to be positive. To assess the potential pathogenicity for humans, E. coli O157 strains were isolated by colony hybridization and further characterized. The isolated strains fermented Sorbitol, showed four different H tys (H7, H12, H38, H48), and were all negative for stx. One O157:H7 strain harbored the gene for intimin (eae) in combination with ehxA, and paa. In consequence, the potential health hazard from sheep meat related to O157 STEC seems current not to be of particular importance in Switzerland. Results emphasize the fact that E. coli O157 are not always STEC but may belong to other pathotypes as nontraditional EPEC.     

Virulence factors of Escherichia cofi from cellulitis or colisepticemia lesions in chickens

This study was designed to compare virulence factors of cellulitis-derived Escherichia coli to colisepticemic E. coli in order to clarify whether E. coli associated with cellulitis comprise a unique subset of pathogenic E. coli. Isolates were tested for serotype, capsule, aerobactin production, colicin production, the presence of the iss gene, and serum resistance. Untypable isolates made up the greatest percentage of each group. Serotypes O2 and O78 were the most commonly identified among both groups of isolates. No statistical differences in the distribution of aerobactin or colicin production, capsule, or iss gene were observed between groups. Cluster analysis showed that 90% of the E. coli isolates had greater than 42% livability in serum-resistance tests. No separation of colisepticemic vs. cellulitis E. coli isolates was observed on the basis of SR. Colicin production by E. coli was highly correlated with serum resistance (P = 0.0029). These data suggest that cellulitis E. coli have virulence traits similar to those of colisepticemic E. coli.     

Virulence profiles of Shiga toxin 2e-producing Escherichia coli isolated from healthy pig at slaughter

Recently, virulence patterns of Stx2e-producing Escherichia coli from pigs with edema disease and from humans were compared and strains from diseased pigs were reported to be unlikely human pathogens [Sonntag, A.K., Bielaszewska, M., Mellmann, A., Dierksen, N., Schierack, P., Wieler, L.H., Schmidt, M.A., Karch, H., 2005. Shiga toxin 2e-producing Escherichia coli isolates from humans and pigs differ in their virulence profiles and interactions with intestinal epithelial cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 8855-8863]. In the present study, 31 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains harboring stx2e, which were previously isolated out of fecal samples from healthy pigs at slaughter [Kaufmann, M., Zweifel, C., Blanco, M., Blanco, J.E., Blanco, J., Beutin, L., Stephan, R., 2006. Escherichia coli O157 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in fecal samples of finished pigs at slaughter in Switzerland. J. Food Prot. 69, 260-266], were characterized by phenotypic and genotypic traits. Nine of the thirty-one sorbitol-positive non-O157 STEC (stx2e) isolated from healthy pigs belonged to serotypes found in STEC isolated from humans, including two serotypes (O9:H-, O26:H-) reported in association with hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Otherwise, the serotypes were different from those isolated from cases of edema disease in pigs. The eae (intimin) gene, which is strongly correlated with severe human disease, was not detected. Moreover, all strains were lacking the genes for enterohemolysin (ehxA), porcine A/E associated protein (paa), STEC autoagglutinating adhesin (saa) and the serin protease EspI (espI). Nine strains tested positive for astA (EAST1), one O141:H17 strain for fedA (F18 fimbrial adhesin) and one O159:H- strain for terF (tellurite resistance). Similar to the Stx2e-producing E. coli isolated from humans, which are mainly lacking further virulence factors, genes of an iron uptake system on the high-pathogenicity island (irp2, fyuA) were detected in three ONT:H10 and ONT:H19 strains from healthy pigs. Consequently, although the isolated strains are unlikely to be associated with severe human diseases, healthy pigs cannot be excluded as a potential source of human infection with Stx2e-producing STEC.     

Isolation of Leptospira hardjo from kidneys of Ontario cattle at slaughter.

Kidneys from 117 cattle from 110 Ontario farms were examined at slaughter for leptospires. Leptospira hardjo (hardjo-bovis A) was isolated from 11 kidneys and L. kennewicki from one. The isolations were all made (12/89, 13.5%) from beef cattle from feedlots, no isolates being obtained from dairy or beef cattle from extensive farms (0/28). Isolations were only made from cattle with antibody titers (greater than or equal to 20) against the serovars recovered. Isolation was more sensitive than immunofluorescence in identifying leptospira, particularly in animals with low antibody titers against L. hardjo. Leptospira were isolated from two kidneys with multiple gross lesions of focal nephritis, but there was no correlation between the presence of scanty kidney lesions and isolations of leptospira. Leptospira hardjo infection appears to be common in Ontario feedlot cattle.     

鹅源大肠埃希菌的分离与鉴定

从临盏床疑似大肠埃希菌感染的病雏鹅的组织分离到31株细菌,通过培养特性和生化试验确定其中27株为大肠埃希菌。血清学试验表明,其中7株（25．93％）为026型,6株（22．22％）为078型,4株（14．81％）为01型,3株（11．11％）为018型,2株（7．41％）为0117型,5株（18．52％）未能定型。应用PCR方法检测了27株大肠埃希菌的F1菌毛与毒力岛HPI基因,结果表明24株（88．89％）为F1^＋大肠埃希菌,7株（25．939／5）为HPI^＋大肠埃希菌（其中4株为F1^＋）。药敏试验表明,所有菌株均对头孢唑林、呋喃妥因敏感,部分菌株对庆大霉素、环丙沙星敏感,而对多黏菌素、四环素、林可霉素均为耐药。     

肉鹅大肠杆菌病的病原分离与鉴定

本试验旨在研究肉鹅大肠杆菌的生化特性、药敏情况、血清型和致病性。2010年12月江苏省某肉鹅场鹅群出现呼吸困难,死亡增多现象,对病死鹅剖检发现以气囊炎和肺部坏死为主,无菌采集病料分离到一株细菌,经分离培养、染色镜检、生化特性鉴定,确定为大肠杆菌,微量凝集试验表明其血清型为O₂。经过肺结节压片镜检,没有发现霉菌的菌丝;检测健康鹅和患病鹅各10只的鹅新城疫抗体,发现其抗体滴度比较高且整齐度较好,两者之间的抗体无明显差异。对分离菌株进行药敏试验,结果表明对氟苯尼考等7种药物敏感,对先锋Ⅴ等16种药物已产生了耐药性。将分离到的菌株接种21日龄雏鹅进行动物回归试验,引起80%死亡率,说明该分离菌株对雏鹅具有较强的致病性。     

Isolation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli from camels with diarrhoea.

E. coli serogroups 02, 08, 083, 0103 and 0120 were isolated from seven camels with diarrhoea of which 02, 08, and 083 were found to be enterotoxigenic on rabbit ligated ileal loop test. Out of 125 apparently healthy camels, 75 strains of E. coli were isolated. The majority of isolates were susceptible to gentamycin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim plus sulphonamide, neomycin, kanamycin and chloramphenicol.     

肉鸽大肠杆菌的分离与鉴定

为研究肉鸽大肠杆菌的生化特性、药敏情况、血清型和致病性。2010年1月江苏省某肉鸽场鸽群出现呼吸困难,死亡增多现象。对病死鸽剖检发现,以气囊炎和肺部坏死为主,无菌采集病料分离到1株细菌,经分离培养、染色镜检、生化特性鉴定,确定为大肠杆菌,微量凝集试验表明其血清型为O2。经过肺结节压片镜检,没有发现霉菌的菌丝;检测健康鸽和患病鸽各10只的鸽新城疫抗体,发现其抗体效价比较高且整齐度较好,两者之间的抗体无明显差异。对分离菌株进行药敏试验,结果表明对恩诺沙星等7种药物敏感,对阿莫西林等16种药物已产生了耐药性。将分离到的菌株接种21日龄雏鸽进行动物回归试验,死亡率达80%,说明该分离菌株对雏鸽具有较强的致病性。     

Association between growth indicators and volume of lesions in lungs from pigs at slaughter.

Conflicting findings exist among studies on the effect of pneumonia on growth in pigs. We determined the extent of pneumonia in market-weight pigs by use of an objective, volumetric method and linear regression analyses of mean daily gain and days-to-slaughter weight on the percentage of pneumonic lung. In a range of extent of pneumonia between 1.33 and 70.44%, a 10% increase in the volume of pneumonic lung was associated with a decrease in mean daily gain by 41.1 g and a 16.7-day increase in number of days to a slaughter weight of 104.5 kg.     

幼鹅大肠埃希氏菌的分离与鉴定

从重庆市4个县(市)24户的36只病死幼鹅中,分离到31株大肠埃希氏菌,经致病性试验、生化特性及药物敏感性试验,表明其中24株为致病菌,致病菌分离率为66.7%;致病菌株的生化特性符合大肠埃希氏菌的生化特性;所有菌株对丁胺卡那霉素、妥布霉素高度敏感,对氨苄青霉素、红霉素、氟哌酸、链霉素、复合磺胺、四环素、万古霉素不敏感,部分菌株对氯霉素、庆大霉素、卡那霉素中度敏感,说明大肠埃希氏菌对常用抗生素药物的抗药性日趋严重。     

Isolation of transmissible gastroenteritis virus from pharyngeal swabs obtained from sows at slaughter.

A virologic survey was conducted to determine the frequency of transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus infection in farm-raised sows. Pharyngeal swab specimens collected in an abattoir were examined for TGE virus by inoculation onto swine-testes cell culures. The virus was detected in 61 (3%) of a sample of 2,058 Iowa sows after slaughter. All TGE viral isolates, given orally to 2- or 3-day-old pigs, caused acute gastroenteritis and in some cases death. All pigs that recovered from illness had serum antibody to TGE virus.     

Pathological lesions in swine at slaughter. II. Culled sows

The same computerized recording system as described in Part I of this publication (Flesjå & Ulvesœter 1979) was applied to sows slaughtered at Sentralslakteriet, Forus, Stavanger.In the three-year period 1975–1977 a total of 10,051 apparently healthy sows were brought to the abattoir. About 17 % of the carcasses had one or more pathological lesions. Of the total number of lesions 89 % were confined to 18 of the available 57 disease codes. Pyaemia and abscess/-es occurred at a rate of 1.5 and 3.2 %, respectively. This comprised 21 % of all registered lesions. Scabies and numerous white liver spots came to another 21 %, occurring in 3.3 and 1.5 % of the animals, respectively. About 15 % were chest lesions, of which pleurisy was diagnosed in 1.4 % and pericarditis in 1.3 % of the slaughtered sows. Other lesions recorded in 1 % or more included perihepatitis and other non-parasitic liver lesions, arthritis and decubitus.Only code 31 — numerous white spots in the liver showed a convincing seasonal variation.Significantly higher frequencies of pyaemia and abscess/-es occurred in culled sows than in baconers, but no such difference could be found for peritonitis, polyarthritis and arthritis. For all other commonly observed lesions significantly lower frequencies were seen in sows compared to baconers.Various theories are suggested to explain the observed difference in the distribution of lesions between baconers and sows.     

Prevalence and concentration of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in adult sheep at slaughter from Italy

A 1-year study on the animal-level prevalence and concentration of Escherichia coli O157 in adult sheep at slaughter was performed, to collect qualitative and quantitative information on the diffusion of the pathogen in adult sheep from Italy. A total 533 samples were collected, with a similar distribution in the four seasons. For prevalence estimates, a simple random sampling technique was used. An immuno-magnetic separation technique was used for sample screening, with enumeration of the pathogen in positive samples, along with molecular and serological identification of isolates. An overall prevalence of 7.1% (38/ 533, 95% CI 4.9-9.3%) was observed for fully virulent E. coli O157. A wide interval of VTEC O157 per gram was observed (< 100 to 6 x 10(5) CFU g(-1)), with 28.9% (11/38) of positive samples > or = 1 x 10(3) CFU g(-1), set as the threshold for those animals defined 'active shedders' for the purpose of the study. Eight per cent (3/38) of animals shed > 1 x 10(4) g(-1) VTEC O157, which represents > 96% of the total VTEC O157 bacteria cultured from all animals tested. The prevalence estimate of active shedders was therefore 2.1% (95% CI 0.9-3.3%). Most (34/38, 89.5%) of the positive animals were found in summer (July-September). Prevalence and concentrations of virulent VTEC O157 obtained in this study contribute to the demonstration that adult sheep represent a relevant source of environmental contamination from virulent VTEC O157, as well as a source of VTEC O157 contamination for food of ovine origin (meat and dairy products), especially during warm months.     

Comparison of Campylobacter levels in crops and ceca of broilers at slaughter

A considerable fraction of the poultry carcasses becomes contaminated with Campylobacter by cross-contamination from the digestive tract of colonized broilers at slaughter. Campylobacter in the crop may serve as a possible source of cross-contamination, because the crop may contain high numbers of Campylobacter and is more likely to rupture during the slaughtering process than intestines. In this study, the correlation between Campylobacter colonization levels in crop and cecum was assessed in 48 broilers of 31 days of age. In addition, the effect of drinking water supplemented with 0.2% volatile fatty acid (VFA) on these Campylobacter colonization levels was studied. No correlation between crop and cecal colonization levels was found (p = 0.09; P = 0.71), indicating that future studies on cross-contamination should include an examination of not only cecal colonization levels but also crop colonization levels. Supplementation of drinking water with VFA did not result in a significant reduction of colonization levels in either the crop (P = 0.50) or the ceca (P = 0.92), indicating that this is not an effective measure to reduce cross-contamination at slaughter.