IngentaConnect Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157 in Feedlot Cattle

Authors: Hancock, Dale D.¹; Rice, Daniel H.¹; Thomas, Lee Ann²; Dargatz, David A.³; Besser, Thomas E.⁴

Source: Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 60, Number 5, May 1997 , pp. 462-465(4)

Publisher: International Association for Food Protection

Abstract:

Fecal samples from cattle in 100 feedlots in 13 states were bacteriologically cultured for Escherichia coli O157 that did not ferment sorbitol, lacked beta-glucuronidase, and possessed genes coding for Shiga-like toxin. In each feedlot 30 fresh fecal-pat samples were collected from each of four pens: with the cattle shortest on feed, with cattle longest on feed, and with cattle in two randomly selected pens. E. coli O157 was isolated from 210 (1.8%) of 11,881 fecal samples. One or more samples were positive for E. coli O157 in 63 of the 100 feedlots tested. E. coli O157 was found at roughly equal prevalence in all the geographical regions sampled. The prevalence of E. coli O157 in the pens with cattle shortest on feed was approximately threefold higher than for randomly selected and longest on feed pens. Of the E. coli O157 isolates found in this study, 89.52% expressed the H7 flagellar antigen. E. coli O157 was found to be widely distributed among feedlot cattle, but at a low prevalence, in the United States.

Keywords: E. COLI O157; FEEDLOT; CATTLE; EPIDEMIOLOGY

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Field Disease Investigation Unit, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-6610, USA 2: National Veterinary Services Laboratories, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa 50010, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, National Veterinary Services Labo 3: Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture, 555 S. Howes, Ft. Collins, Colorado 80521, USA 4: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040, USA

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