Transmission Dynamics of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in New Zealand Cattle from Farm to Slaughter

In Silico Analysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains from Presumptive Super- and Low-Shedder Cattle

Cattle are the primary reservoir for STEC O157, with some shedding >104 CFU/g in feces, a phenomenon known as super-shedding (SS). The mechanism(s) responsible for SS are not understood but have been attributed to the environment, host, and pathogen. This study aimed to compare genetic characteristics of STEC O157 strains from cattle in the same commercial feedlot pens with SS or low-shedding (LS) status. Strains from SS (n = 35) and LS (n = 28) collected from 11 pens in three feedlots were analyzed for virulence genes, Shiga toxin-carrying bacteriophage insertion sites, and phylogenetic relationships. In silico analysis showed limited variation regarding virulence gene profiles. Stx-encoding prophage insertion sites mrlA and wrbA for stx1a and stx2a, respectively, were all occupied, but two isolates had fragments of the stx-carrying phage in mrlA and wrbA loci without stx1a and stx2a. All strains screened for lineage-specific polymorphism assay (LSPA-6) were 111111, lineage I. Of the isolates, 61 and 2 were clades 1 and 8, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that pens with more than one SS had multiple distantly related clusters of SS and LS isolates. Although virulence genes and lineage were largely similar within and across feedlots, multiple genetic origins of strains within a single feedlot pen illustrate challenges for on-farm control of STEC.

Occurrence and genetic characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli on bovine and pork carcasses and the environment from transport trucks

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are foodborne pathogens causing severe diseases. The ability of STEC to produce disease is associated with Shiga toxin (Stx) production. We investigated the occurrence of STEC on bovine and pork carcasses and walls of trucks where they were transported, and we characterized virulence genes and serotypes of STEC strains. We compared the whole genomic sequencing of a STEC O157:H7 strain isolated from a bovine carcass in this work and a STEC O157:H7 strain isolated from a child with HUS, both isolated in 2019. We studied the relationship between these isolates and others collected in the database. The results show a 40% of STEC and two different serogroups were identified (O130 and O157). STEC O157:H7 were isolated from bovine carcasses and harbored stx2, eae, ehxA, katP, espP, stcE, ECSP_0242/1773/2687/2870/2872/3286/3620 and were classified as lineage I/II. In STEC non-O157 isolates, three isolates were isolated from bovine carcasses and harbored the serogroup O130 and one strain isolated from pork carcasses was O-non-typeable. All STEC non-O157 harbored sxt1 gene. The analysis from the whole genome showed that both STEC O157:H7 strains belonged to the hypervirulent clade 8, ST11, phylogroup E, carried the allele tir 255 T > A T, and they were not clonal. The analysis of information allows us to conclude that the STEC strains circulate in pork and bovine carcasses arriving in transport. This situation represents a risk for the consumers and the need to implement an integrated STEC control in the food chain.