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Auvray F, Bièche-Terrier C, Um MM, Dupouy V, Nzuzi N, David L, Allais L, Drouet M, Oswald E, Bibbal D, Brugère H. Prevalence and characterization of the seven major serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in veal calves slaughtered in France. Vet Microbiol 2023; 282:109754. [PMID: 37116423 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2023.109754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) belonging to the "top 7″ serotypes (i.e. O157:H7, O26:H11, O45:H2, O103:H2, O111:H8, O121:H19 and O145:H28) are considered as the main pathogenic enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). As ruminants, including calves, are a reservoir of pathogenic STEC, we investigated the prevalence, major virulence genes and genetic relatedness of top7 STEC in veal calves slaughtered in France, through the analysis of 500 fecal samples collected over one year. Thirty top7 STEC isolates were recovered from 28 calves. The two serotypes O103:H2 and O26:H11 accounted for 73% of STEC strains, followed by O145:H28 and O157:H7. STEC super-shedding levels were identified for two calves carrying STEC O103:H2 and O157:H7, respectively. Thirty-nine atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) were also recovered from calves. Overall, a prevalence of 5.6% top7 STEC-positive calves was found, thus higher than that previously determined for the French slaughtered adult cattle (1.8%), confirming the impact of animals age on STEC carriage. Most top7 STEC strains carried the stx1a subtype suggesting a low pathogenicity for humans. Seasonal variation in STEC carriage was also observed, with two peaks of higher prevalence during spring and fall. Genetic similarity of top7 STEC isolates was found for calves originating from the same fattening facilities, reflecting STEC circulation between animals kept in groups. This study indicates that veal calves grown for meat production are at higher risk of shedding top7 STEC compared to adult cattle. They thus represent ideal targets for the implementation of farm interventions aimed at reducing STEC burden in cattle and the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Auvray
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | | | - Maryse Michèle Um
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Nathalie Nzuzi
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Laure David
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Allais
- Institut de l'Elevage, Laboratoire Analyse et Technologie des Produits, Villers Bocage, France
| | - Marie Drouet
- Institut de l'Elevage, Service Qualité des Viandes, Villers Bocage, France
| | - Eric Oswald
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France; CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Delphine Bibbal
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France; InTheRes, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Hubert Brugère
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
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Occurrence of Escherichia coli Pathotypes in Diarrheic Calves in a Low-Income Setting. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010042. [PMID: 36678390 PMCID: PMC9861035 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Different E. coli pathotypes are common zoonotic agents. Some of these pathotypes cause recurrent and widespread calf diarrhea and contribute to significant economic losses in the livestock sector worldwide in addition to putting humans at risk. Here, we investigated the occurrence of E. coli pathotypes in diarrheic calves in Ethiopia kept under various calf management practices. One hundred fecal samples were collected from diarrheic calves in 98 different farms. E. coli was isolated in the samples from 99 of the diarrheic calves, and virulence genes were detected in 80% of the samples. The occurrence of E. coli pathotypes in the samples was 32% ETEC, 23% STEC, 18% STEC/ETEC, 3% EPEC, 2% EAEC, and 1% EHEC. No diarrheic calves were positive for the EIEC and DAEC pathotypes. The occurrence of pathotypes was positively associated with female calves (EPEC, p = 0.006), aged less than 2 weeks (STEC, p = 0.059), and calves fed colostrum via the hand method (STEC, p = 0.008 and EAEC, p = 0.003). This study revealed that several E. coli pathotypes occurred among calves affected with diarrhea. Moreover, the presence of a mixed STEC/ETEC pathotypes infection was present in the studied low-income setting. These findings indicate a considerable risk for the zoonotic transmission from calves to humans and the options to provide the better management for younger calves in order to reduce the economic loss.
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Habets A, Touzain F, Lucas P, Huong NTT, Iguchi A, Crombé F, Korsak N, Piérard D, Saulmont M, Cox E, Engelen F, Mainil J, Thiry D. Identification of Five Serotypes of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli from Diarrheic Calves and Healthy Cattle in Belgium and Comparative Genomics with Shigatoxigenic E. coli. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9090492. [PMID: 36136709 PMCID: PMC9505469 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9090492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) from cattle receive little attention, although some belong to the most notorious O serotypes of attaching/effacing Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (AE-STEC) responsible for the uremic and hemolytic syndrome in humans, such as O26. Nevertheless, the O serotypes and virulotypes of the large majority of bovine EPEC remain unidentified. This study aimed to identify five non-classical O serotypes (O123/186, O156, O177, O182, and O183) by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) among three collections of bovine EPEC from young diarrheic calves, healthy cattle at slaughterhouses, and healthy calves in dairy farms. The virulotypes and sequence types (STs) obtained after the whole genome sequencing of several O156, O177, and O182 bovine EPEC were closely related or identical to the virulotypes and STs of ten bovine and the human AE-STEC of the same O:H serotype. This study allows us to identify more EPEC O serotypes from cattle and to speculate on their evolution. Abstract Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) produce attaching/effacing (AE) lesions and cause non-bloody diarrhea in mammals. A minority of bovine EPEC belong to one of the ten classical serotypes of human and bovine AE-STEC. The purpose of this study was to identify five non-classical O serotypes (O123/186, O156, O177, O182, and O183) among bovine EPEC and to characterize their virulence repertoires by whole genome sequencing. Around 40% of the 307 EPEC from 307 diarrheic calves, 368 EPEC from 47 healthy cattle, and 131 EPEC from 36 healthy calves in dairy farms were analyzed. Serotype O177 was the most frequent among EPEC from diarrheic and healthy calves, while the O156 was the most frequent in healthy cattle. The genomic analysis identified different H serotypes, MLSTypes, and/or eae gene subtypes among the O156 and O177 EPEC, while the O182 was homogeneous. The virulence gene profiles of bovine EPEC were closely related to each other and to the profiles of ten bovine and human AE-STEC. These results emphasize the need for additional studies to identify more O:H serotypes of bovine EPEC and to elucidate their origin and evolution of EPEC with regard to AE-STEC belonging to the same O:H serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Habets
- Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Heath (FARAH), University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Cureghem Avenue 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Fabrice Touzain
- Viral Genetics and Bio-Security Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), 22440 Ploufragan, France
| | - Pierrick Lucas
- Viral Genetics and Bio-Security Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), 22440 Ploufragan, France
| | - Nguyen Thi Thu Huong
- Department of Environment and Resource Sciences, University of Miyazaki (UoM), Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Atsushi Iguchi
- Department of Environment and Resource Sciences, University of Miyazaki (UoM), Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Florence Crombé
- Belgian National Reference Center STEC, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Korsak
- Food Microbiology, Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Heath (FARAH), University of Liège (ULiège), B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Denis Piérard
- Belgian National Reference Center STEC, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marc Saulmont
- Regional Agency for Animal Health and Identification (ARSIA), B-5590 Ciney, Belgium
| | - Eric Cox
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Frederik Engelen
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jacques Mainil
- Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Heath (FARAH), University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Cureghem Avenue 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Damien Thiry
- Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Heath (FARAH), University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Cureghem Avenue 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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Withenshaw SM, Smith RP, Davies R, Smith AEO, Gray E, Rodgers J. A systematized review and qualitative synthesis of potential risk factors associated with the occurrence of non‐O157 Shiga toxin‐producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) in the primary production of cattle. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2022; 21:2363-2390. [DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Withenshaw
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
| | - Richard P. Smith
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
| | - Rob Davies
- Department of Bacteriology Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
| | - Alice E. O. Smith
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
| | - John Rodgers
- Department of Bacteriology Animal and Plant Health Agency – Weybridge New Haw UK
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Bacterial Causes of Intestinal Disease in Dairy Calves: Acceptable Control Measures. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 2022; 38:107-119. [PMID: 35219479 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although diarrhea in dairy calves is common, it is not always due to bacteria. Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens are the most commonly implicated bacteria, but an etiologic diagnosis should be sought before specific treatment is instituted. Nonspecific treatment such as fluid, electrolyte, and nutritional support should be accomplished while diagnostics are pending. Antimicrobials should not be a first-line therapy for calf diarrhea. Control measures are discussed.
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Prevalence and Epidemiology of Non-O157 Escherichia coli Serogroups O26, O103, O111, and O145 and Shiga Toxin Gene Carriage in Scottish Cattle, 2014-2015. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.03142-20. [PMID: 33712425 PMCID: PMC8117755 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03142-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle are reservoirs for Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC), bacteria shed in animal feces. Humans are infected through consumption of contaminated food or water and by direct contact, causing serious disease and kidney failure in the most vulnerable. Cattle are a reservoir for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), zoonotic pathogens that cause serious clinical disease. Scotland has a higher incidence of STEC infection in the human population than the European average. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and epidemiology of non-O157 serogroups O26, O103, O111, and O145 and Shiga toxin gene carriage in Scottish cattle. Fecal samples (n = 2783) were collected from 110 herds in 2014 and 2015 and screened by real-time PCR. Herd-level prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) for O103, O26, and O145 was estimated as 0.71 (0.62, 0.79), 0.43 (0.34, 0.52), and 0.23 (0.16, 0.32), respectively. Only two herds were positive for O111. Shiga toxin prevalence was high in both herds and pats, particularly for stx2 (herd level: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.94, 1.0). O26 bacterial strains were isolated from 36 herds on culture. Fifteen herds yielded O26 stx-positive isolates that additionally harbored the intimin gene; six of these herds shed highly pathogenic stx2-positive strains. Multiple serogroups were detected in herds and pats, with only 25 herds negative for all serogroups. Despite overlap in detection, regional and seasonal effects were observed. Higher herd prevalence for O26, O103, and stx1 occurred in the South West, and this region was significant for stx2 at the pat level (P = 0.015). Significant seasonal variation was observed for O145 prevalence, with the highest prevalence in autumn (P = 0.032). Negative herds were associated with Central Scotland and winter. Herds positive for all serogroups were associated with autumn and larger herd size and were not housed at sampling. IMPORTANCE Cattle are reservoirs for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), bacteria shed in animal feces. Humans are infected through consumption of contaminated food or water and by direct contact, resulting in serious disease and kidney failure in the most vulnerable. The contribution of non-O157 serogroups to STEC illness was underestimated for many years due to the lack of specific tests. Recently, non-O157 human cases have increased, with O26 STEC of particular note. It is therefore vital to investigate the level and composition of non-O157 in the cattle reservoir and to compare them historically and by the clinical situation. In this study, we found cattle prevalence high for toxin, as well as for O103 and O26 serogroups. Pathogenic O26 STEC were isolated from 14% of study herds, with toxin subtypes similar to those seen in Scottish clinical cases. This study highlights the current risk to public health from non-O157 STEC in Scottish cattle.
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Habets A, Engelen F, Duprez JN, Devleesschauwer B, Heyndrickx M, De Zutter L, Thiry D, Cox E, Mainil J. Identification of Shigatoxigenic and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Serotypes in Healthy Young Dairy Calves in Belgium by Recto-Anal Mucosal Swabbing. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7040167. [PMID: 33142734 PMCID: PMC7712179 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7040167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and Shigatoxigenic E. coli (STEC) are carried by healthy adult cattle and even more frequently by young calves in their intestinal tract, especially at the height of the recto-anal junction. The purpose of the present study was to assess the presence of ten EHEC, EPEC, and/or STEC O serotypes (O5, O26, O80, O103, O111, O118, O121, O145, O157, and O165) in calves sampled via recto-anal mucosal swabs (RAMS) at three dairy farms in Belgium. A total of 233 RAMS were collected on three consecutive occasions from healthy <6-month-old Holstein-Friesian calves and submitted to a PCR targeting the eae, stx1, and stx2 genes after non-selective overnight enrichment growth. The 148 RAMS testing positive were streaked on four (semi-)selective agar media; of the 2146 colonies tested, 294 from 69 RAMS were PCR-confirmed as EHEC, EPEC, or STEC. The most frequent virulotype was eae+ EPEC and the second one was stx1+ stx2+ STEC, while the eae+ stx1+ and eae+ stx1+ stx2+ virulotypes were the most frequent among EHEC. The majority of EHEC (73%) tested positive for one of the five O serotypes detected (O26, O103, O111, O145, or O157) vs. 23% of EPEC and 45% of STEC. Similarly, more RAMS (73%) harbored EHEC isolates positive for those five serotypes compared to EPEC (53%) or STEC (52%). This survey confirms that (i) healthy young dairy calves are asymptomatic carriers of EHEC and EPEC in Belgium; (ii) the carrier state rates, the virulotypes, and the identified O serotypes differ between farms and in time; and (iii) a majority of EPEC belong to so far unidentified O serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Habets
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Health (FARAH) and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Avenue de Cureghem 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; (A.H.); (J.-N.D.); (J.M.)
| | - Frederik Engelen
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (F.E.); (E.C.)
| | - Jean-Noël Duprez
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Health (FARAH) and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Avenue de Cureghem 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; (A.H.); (J.-N.D.); (J.M.)
| | - Brecht Devleesschauwer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium;
| | - Marc Heyndrickx
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Unit Technology and Food, Brusselsesteenweg 370, B-9090 Melle, Belgium;
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Lieven De Zutter
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium;
| | - Damien Thiry
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Health (FARAH) and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Avenue de Cureghem 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; (A.H.); (J.-N.D.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Eric Cox
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (F.E.); (E.C.)
| | - Jacques Mainil
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animals and Health (FARAH) and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée II, Avenue de Cureghem 6, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; (A.H.); (J.-N.D.); (J.M.)
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