Ecology and persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feedlot cattle and characterization of molecular mechanisms responsible for attachment
Date
2009
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Abstract
Studies were conducted to elucidate the shedding dynamics and ecology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feedlot cattle. Feedlot cattle (N=788) were evaluated for E. coli O157:H7 shedding six times during the final 120 d of finishing. Fecal samples were analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 with IMS and confirmed with multiplex PCR. During the first two collections, where all 788 steers were samples, 39.8 and 33.6% of steers were shedding an E. coli O157:H7 isolate possessing eae, stxI, and stxII. Through subsequent sampling, 1% of steers were characterized as persistent E. coli O157:H7 shedders (PS) where as 1.4% of steers were never shedding a detectable amount of the organism. Molecular characterization of E. coli O157:H7 isolates obtained from PS (n=80) and transient E. coli O157:H7 shedders (n=52) revealed a diverse but closely related population of isolates and identified a predominant subtype that accounted for 53% of the isolates characterized that was not dependent (P > 0.05) on animal shedding status. Pathogenic potential of E. coli O157:H7 isolates representing different subtypes was delineated with a Caco-2 cell (intestinal epithelial cell line) attachment assay. There was an inverse relationship (P < 0.05) between genetic diversity and attachment efficacy; as diversity from the dominant subtype increased, ability to attach to Caco-2 cells diminished. Additional attachment assays were initiated to evaluate the influence of virulence genes upon E. coli O157's ability to attach to Caco-2 cells. E. coli O157 isolates without either stx, no stxI, and no stxII genes resulted in attachment abilities of 76.7, 65.5 and 57.7%, respectively; all of which were greater (P < 0.05) than an E. coli O157:H7 that was isolated from a food implicated in human disease and possessed both stx genes. Cytotoxicity assays were utilized to verify that differences in attachment efficacy, exhibited by E. coli O157 isolates of various virulence genotypes, were independent of cellular destruction.
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Subject
cytotoxicity
Escherichia coli O157:H7
feedlot cattle
microbiology
animal sciences
animal diseases