To the Editor: Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) of serogroup O157 causes severe gas-trointestinal and renal illness; clinical signs may be mild diarrhea, hemor-rhagic colitis, or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Typically, 10%– 15% of reported VTEC infections quickly progress to HUS (1). Sorb-itol-fermenting (SF)–O157 strains have emerged in continental Europe (2,3). Some evidence su...

A real-time reverse transcription multiplex polymerase chain reaction (rRT-MPCR) was developed for detection of mRNA encoded by rfbE and eae genes of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7. A 129-bp and a 106-bp sequence specific to rfbE and eae, respectively, were targeted for reverse transcription, amplification, and real-time detection. A single-step RT-PCR kit containing a mixtur...

W e have read with interest the Letter to the Editor by Ahmed and Abouzeed reporting on the important issue of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 (EHEC O157) in dairy cattle in Libya (1). Based on two cited references, the authors state that: ‘‘Surveys of diarrheal stools from children in African nations, including Libya, have detected EHEC O157 in 8 15% of the samples’’. One of the cited ...

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (O157) causes human diarrheal disease and healthy cattle are its primary reservoir. O157 colonize the bovine epithelial mucosa at the recto-anal junction (RAJ). Previous studies show that O157 at this site are not eliminated by aggressive interventions including applications of O157-specific lytic bacteriophages and other bactericidal agents. We hypothesize that some O1...

Controlling the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in cattle at the pre-harvest level is critical to reduce outbreaks of this pathogen in humans. Multilayers of factors including the environmental and bacterial factors modulate the colonization and persistence of E. coli O157 in cattle that serve as a reservoir of this pathogen. Here, we report animal factors contributing to the prevalence of ...

This study has evaluated the use of a commercially available Rainbow agar O157 and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the detection of Shiga-like toxin producing Escherichia coli and to serotype E. coli O157:H7 from raw meat. The Rainbow agar O157 was found to be selective and sensitive for the screening of the E. coli O157 from artificially and naturally contaminated meat samples. Shig...

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major food-borne infectious pathogen that causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Here we report the complete chromosome sequence of an O157:H7 strain isolated from the Sakai outbreak, and the results of genomic comparison with a benign laboratory strain, K-12 MG1655. The chromosome is 5.5 Mb in size, 859 Kb larger than that of K-12. We...

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major food-borne infectious pathogen that causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Here we report the complete chromosome sequence of an O157:H7 strain isolated from the Sakai outbreak, and the results of genomic comparison with a benign laboratory strain, K-12 MG1655. The chromosome is 5.5 Mb in size, 859 Kb larger than that of K-12. We...

Escherichia coli O157: H7 strain was used as the standard for bacteriophages isolated from polluted environmental foci and animal waste-contaminated waters, some of enteroinvasive strains previously sporadic cases were to determine host diversity phages. The physiological properties specific O157:H7, designated Escherichiaphage NL1, studied. After isolation step, purified their titer increased....

Agricultural fairs exhibiting livestock are increasingly implicated in human Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) outbreaks. To estimate livestock STEC O157:H7 prevalence at US fairs, we collected 2,919 fecal specimens at 29 county fairs in 2 states and at 3 state fairs in 2002. Fly pools were also collected. STEC O157:H7 was isolated from livestock at 31 (96.9%) of 32 fairs,...