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Bumunang EW, Castro VS, Alexander T, Zaheer R, McAllister TA, Guan LL, Stanford K. In Silico Analysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains from Presumptive Super- and Low-Shedder Cattle. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:86. [PMID: 38393164 PMCID: PMC10893428 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16020086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel W. Bumunang
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada; (E.W.B.); (T.A.); (R.Z.); (T.A.M.)
| | - Vinicius S. Castro
- Faculty of Agronomy and Zootechnics, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá 78010-715, Brazil;
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 1M4, Canada
| | - Trevor Alexander
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada; (E.W.B.); (T.A.); (R.Z.); (T.A.M.)
| | - Rahat Zaheer
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada; (E.W.B.); (T.A.); (R.Z.); (T.A.M.)
| | - Tim A. McAllister
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada; (E.W.B.); (T.A.); (R.Z.); (T.A.M.)
| | - Le Luo Guan
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P9, Canada;
| | - Kim Stanford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 1M4, Canada
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VanWormer JJ, Bendixsen CG, Shukla SK. Dairy Farm Work and Protection from Gastrointestinal Illness. J Agromedicine 2023; 28:640-646. [PMID: 37128886 PMCID: PMC10664175 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2023.2209091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are a major public health burden in the United States. Due to close contact with animals, farmers may be a high risk subgroup for acute GI infections, though some studies suggest farm work is actually protective against GI illness. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between dairy farm work and GI symptoms over 3 years. A prospective, matched cohort study was used that included 70 adult dairy farm workers and 74 matched (age, gender, ZIP code) non-farm participants from central Wisconsin. The outcome was mean GI symptom scores for abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia, nausea, and reflux, per the 23-item Gastrointestinal Symptoms Severity Index (GISSI). After adjustment for potential confounding variables, linear regression results indicated dairy farm workers had significantly lower GISSI scores for abdominal pain (mean±SE = 4.3 ± 1.1 dairy vs. 7.6 ± 1.1 non-farm, p = .047), diarrhea (3.2 ± 1.0 dairy vs. 7.0 ± 1.0 non-farm, p = .010), constipation (2.0 ± 0.8 dairy vs. 6.6 ± 0.8 non-farm, p < .001), and dyspepsia (2.0 ± 0.6 dairy vs. 3.9 ± 0.5 non-farm, p = .026). Working on a dairy farm was associated with significantly less frequent and severe GI illness symptoms in adults. Future research should identify underlying causal pathways, including possible farm animal exposures, that influence beneficial gut microbiota that could inform therapeutic remedies to help prevent clinical GI disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J. VanWormer
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Population Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Casper G. Bendixsen
- National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Sanjay K. Shukla
- Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA
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Aditya A, Rahaman SO, Biswas D. Impact of Lactobacillus-originated metabolites on enterohemorrhagic E. coli in rumen fluid. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6795928. [PMID: 36331030 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac128] [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: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Rumen is one of the richest microbial ecosystems naturally harboring many zoonotic pathogens. Controlling the colonization of cattle originated zoonotic pathogens in rumen, particularly enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), is critical in reducing foodborne enteric diseases in humans. In this study, we aimed to inhibit the growth of EHEC in a simulated rumen system with collected rumen fluids (RFs) using live probiotics, synbiotics, and their metabolites. EHEC inoculated RF was treated with live wild type Lactobacillus casei (LCwt), LCwt with 0.5% peanut flour (LCwt+PF), an engineered LC capable of overexpressing linoleate isomerase (LCCLA), and their metabolites collected in cell-free culture supernatants (CFCSwt, CFCSwt+PF, and CFCSCLA) at various time points. A growth stimulatory effect toward Lactobacillus spp. was exerted by all CFCS, while the EHEC was suppressed. Among other treatments only LCwt+PF reduced EHEC by 2.68 logs after 72 h. This observation was also supported by metataxonomic analysis. A reduction in Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria while increase in Firmicutes was observed at 48 h by the presence of CFCSs as compared to the control. Our observation implies probiotic-originated metabolites modulate rumen microbiota positively which can be deployed to control the transmission of cattle-borne pathogens specifically EHEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Aditya
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Shaik O Rahaman
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Debabrata Biswas
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States.,Biological Sciences Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States.,Centre for Food Safety and Security Systems, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
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Kempf F, La Ragione R, Chirullo B, Schouler C, Velge P. Super Shedding in Enteric Pathogens: A Review. Microorganisms 2022; 10:2101. [PMID: 36363692 PMCID: PMC9692634 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Super shedding occurs when a small number of individuals from a given host population shed high levels of a pathogen. Beyond this general definition, various interpretations of the shedding patterns have been proposed to identify super shedders, leading to the description of the super shedding phenomenon in a wide range of pathogens, in particular enteric pathogens, which are of considerable interest. Several underlying mechanisms may explain this observation, including factors related to the environment, the gut microbiota, the pathogen itself (i.e., genetic polymorphism), and the host (including immune factors). Moreover, data suggest that the interplay of these parameters, in particular at the host-pathogen-gut microbiota interface, is of crucial importance for the determination of the super shedding phenotype in enteric pathogens. As a phenomenon playing an important role in the epidemics of enteric diseases, the evidence of super shedding has highlighted the need to develop various control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Kempf
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Roberto La Ragione
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Barbara Chirullo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 000161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Philippe Velge
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
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Zhang P, Essendoubi S, Keenliside J, Reuter T, Stanford K, King R, Lu P, Yang X. Genomic analysis of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 from cattle and pork-production related environments. NPJ Sci Food 2021; 5:15. [PMID: 34210979 PMCID: PMC8249597 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-021-00097-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Three E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been attributed to contaminated pork in Alberta, Canada, recently. This study investigates the phylogenetic relatedness of E. coli O157:H7 from pigs, cattle, and pork-production environments for source attribution. Limited strain diversity was observed using five conventional subtyping methods, with most or all strains being in one subgroup. Whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed the recent ancestry of the isolates from all three sources. Most environmental isolates clustered closer with pig isolates than cattle isolates. Also, a direct link was observed between 2018-outbreak environmental isolates and isolates collected from a pig farm in 2018. The majority of pig isolates harbor only one Shiga toxin gene, stx2a, while 70% (35/50) of the cattle isolates have both stx1a and stx2a. The results show some E. coli O157:H7 strains could establish persistence on pig farms and as such, pigs can be a significant source of the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Zhang
- grid.55614.330000 0001 1302 4958Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe, Alberta Canada
| | | | | | - Tim Reuter
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lethbridge, Alberta Canada ,grid.47609.3c0000 0000 9471 0214University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
| | - Kim Stanford
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lethbridge, Alberta Canada ,grid.47609.3c0000 0000 9471 0214University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
| | - Robin King
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
| | - Patricia Lu
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
| | - Xianqin Yang
- grid.55614.330000 0001 1302 4958Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe, Alberta Canada
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Vieira KCDO, Silva HRAD, Rocha IPM, Barboza E, Eller LKW. Foodborne pathogens in the omics era. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021; 62:6726-6741. [PMID: 33783282 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1905603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Outbreaks and deaths related to Foodborne Diseases (FBD) occur constantly in the world, as a result of the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs with pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, Clostridium spp. and Campylobacter spp. The purpose of this review is to discuss the main omic techniques applied in foodborne pathogen and to demonstrate their functionalities through the food chain and to guarantee the food safety. The main techniques presented are genomic, transcriptomic, secretomic, proteomic, and metabolomic, which together, in the field of food and nutrition, are known as "Foodomics." This review had highlighted the potential of omics to integrate variables that contribute to food safety and to enable us to understand their application on foodborne diseases. The appropriate use of these techniques had driven the definition of critical parameters to achieve successful results in the improvement of consumers health, costs and to obtain safe and high-quality products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Emmanuel Barboza
- Health Sciences Faculty, University of Western Sao Paulo, Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Niu YD, Liu H, Du H, Meng R, Sayed Mahmoud E, Wang G, McAllister TA, Stanford K. Efficacy of Individual Bacteriophages Does Not Predict Efficacy of Bacteriophage Cocktails for Control of Escherichia coli O157. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:616712. [PMID: 33717006 PMCID: PMC7943454 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.616712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Effectiveness of bacteriophages AKFV33 (Tequintavirus, T5) and AHP24 (Rogunavirus, T1), wV7 (Tequatrovirus, T4), and AHP24S (Vequintavirus, rV5), as well as 11 cocktails of combinations of the four phages, were evaluated in vitro for biocontrol of six common phage types of Escherichia coli O157 (human and bovine origins) at different multiplicities of infection (MOIs; 0.01–1,000), temperatures (37 or 22°C), and exposure times (10–22 h). Phage efficacy against O157 was highest at MOI 1,000 (P < 0.001) and after 14-18 h of exposure at 22°C (P < 0.001). The activity of individual phages against O157 did not predict the activity of a cocktail of these phages even at the same temperature and MOI. Combinations of phages were neutral (no better or worse than the most effective constituent phages acting alone), displayed facilitation (greater efficacy than the most effective constituent phages acting alone), or antagonistic (lower efficacy than the most effective constituent phages acting alone). Across MOIs, temperatures, exposure time, and O157 strains, a cocktail of T1, T4, and rV5 was most effective (P < 0.05) against O157, although T1 and rV5 were less effective (P < 0.001) than other individual phages. T5 was the most effective individual phages (P < 0.05), but was antagonistic to other phages, particularly rV5 and T4 + rV5. Interactions among phages were influenced by phage genera and phage combination, O157 strains, MOIs, incubation temperatures, and times. Based on this study, future development of phage cocktails should, as a minimum, include confirmation of a lack of antagonism among constituent phages and preferably confirmation of facilitation or synergistic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan D Niu
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Hui Liu
- Hohhot Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Hohhot, China.,Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Hechao Du
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruiqiang Meng
- Inner Mongolia C. P. Livestock Husbandry Co., Ltd., Hohhot, China
| | - El Sayed Mahmoud
- School of Applied Computing, Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Sheridan College, Oakville, ON, Canada
| | - Guihua Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China
| | - Tim A McAllister
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Kim Stanford
- Department of Biological Science, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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Fitzgerald SF, Beckett AE, Palarea-Albaladejo J, McAteer S, Shaaban S, Morgan J, Ahmad NI, Young R, Mabbott NA, Morrison L, Bono JL, Gally DL, McNeilly TN. Shiga toxin sub-type 2a increases the efficiency of Escherichia coli O157 transmission between animals and restricts epithelial regeneration in bovine enteroids. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008003. [PMID: 31581229 PMCID: PMC6776261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific Escherichia coli isolates lysogenised with prophages that express Shiga toxin (Stx) can be a threat to human health, with cattle being an important natural reservoir. In many countries the most severe pathology is associated with enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) serogroups that express Stx subtype 2a. In the United Kingdom, phage type (PT) 21/28 O157 strains have emerged as the predominant cause of life-threatening EHEC infections and this phage type commonly encodes both Stx2a and Stx2c toxin types. PT21/28 is also epidemiologically linked to super-shedding (>103 cfu/g of faeces) which is significant for inter-animal transmission and human infection as demonstrated using modelling studies. We demonstrate that Stx2a is the main toxin produced by stx2a+/stx2c+ PT21/28 strains induced with mitomycin C and this is associated with more rapid induction of gene expression from the Stx2a-encoding prophage compared to that from the Stx2c-encoding prophage. Bacterial supernatants containing either Stx2a and/or Stx2c were demonstrated to restrict growth of bovine gastrointestinal organoids with no restriction when toxin production was not induced or prevented by mutation. Isogenic strains that differed in their capacity to produce Stx2a were selected for experimental oral colonisation of calves to assess the significance of Stx2a for both super-shedding and transmission between animals. Restoration of Stx2a expression in a PT21/28 background significantly increased animal-to-animal transmission and the number of sentinel animals that became super-shedders. We propose that while both Stx2a and Stx2c can restrict regeneration of the epithelium, it is the relatively rapid and higher levels of Stx2a induction, compared to Stx2c, that have contributed to the successful emergence of Stx2a+ E. coli isolates in cattle in the last 40 years. We propose a model in which Stx2a enhances E. coli O157 colonisation of in-contact animals by restricting regeneration and turnover of the colonised gastrointestinal epithelium. Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157 strains are found in cattle where they are asymptomatic, while human exposure can lead to severe symptoms including bloody diarrhoea and kidney damage due to the activity of Shiga toxin (Stx). The most serious symptoms in humans are associated with isolates that encode Stx subtype 2a. The advantage of these toxins in the animal reservoir is still not clear, however there is experimental evidence implicating Stx with increased bacterial adherence, immune modulation and suppression of predatory protozoa. In this study, the hypothesis that Stx2a is important for super-shedding and calf-to-calf transmission was tested by comparing excretion and transmission dynamics of E. coli O157 strains with and without Stx2a. While Stx2a did not alter excretion levels when calfs were orally challenge, it enabled colonisation of more in contact ‘sentinel’ animals in our transmission model. We show that Stx2a is generally induced more rapidly than Stx2c, resulting in increased levels of Stx2a expression. Both Stx2a and Stx2c were able to restrict cellular proliferation of epithelial cells in cultured bovine enteroids. Taken together, we propose that rapid production of Stx2a and its role in establishing E. coli O157 colonisation in the bovine gastrointestinal tract facilitate effective transmission and have led to its expansion in the cattle E. coli O157 population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F. Fitzgerald
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, United Kingdom
| | - Amy E. Beckett
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sean McAteer
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Sharif Shaaban
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Jason Morgan
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rachel Young
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Neil A. Mabbott
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Liam Morrison
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - James L. Bono
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - David L. Gally
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (DLG); (TNM)
| | - Tom N. McNeilly
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (DLG); (TNM)
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Chase JA, Partyka ML, Bond RF, Atwill ER. Environmental inactivation and irrigation-mediated regrowth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on romaine lettuce when inoculated in a fecal slurry matrix. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6591. [PMID: 30867998 PMCID: PMC6410689 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Field trials were conducted in July-August and October 2012 to quantify the inactivation rate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 when mixed with fecal slurry and applied to romaine lettuce leaves. Lettuce was grown under commercial conditions in Salinas Valley, California. One-half milliliter of rabbit, chicken, or pig fecal slurry, containing an average of 4.05 × 107 CFU E. coli O157:H7 (C0), was inoculated onto the upper (adaxial) surface of a lower leaf on 288 heads of lettuce per trial immediately following a 2.5 h irrigation event. To estimate the bacterial inactivation rate as a function of time, fecal matrix, irrigation and seasonal climate effects, sets of lettuce heads (n = 28) were sampled each day over 10 days and the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 (Ct) determined. E. coli O157:H7 was detected on 100% of heads during the 10-day duration, with concentrations ranging from ≤340 MPN/head (∼5-log reduction) to >3.45 × 1012 MPN/head (∼5-log growth). Relative to C0, on day 10 (Ct = 12) we observed an overall 2.6-log and 3.2-log mean reduction of E. coli O157:H7 in July and October, respectively. However, we observed relative maximum concentrations due to bacterial growth on day 6 (maximum Ct = 8) apparently stimulated by foliar irrigation on day 5. From this maximum there was a mean 5.3-log and 5.1-log reduction by day 10 (Ct = 12) for the July and October trials, respectively. This study provides insight into the inactivation and growth kinetics of E. coli O157:H7 on romaine lettuce leaves under natural field conditions. This study provides evidence that harvesting within 24 h post irrigation has the potential to increase the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 contamination, if present on heads of romaine lettuce; foliar irrigation can temporarily stimulate substantial regrowth of E. coli O157:H7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Chase
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Melissa L. Partyka
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Ronald F. Bond
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Edward R. Atwill
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Segura A, Auffret P, Bibbal D, Bertoni M, Durand A, Jubelin G, Kérourédan M, Brugère H, Bertin Y, Forano E. Factors Involved in the Persistence of a Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strain in Bovine Feces and Gastro-Intestinal Content. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:375. [PMID: 29593666 PMCID: PMC5854682 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Healthy cattle are the primary reservoir for O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli responsible for human food-borne infections. Because farm environment acts as a source of cattle contamination, it is important to better understand the factors controlling the persistence of E. coli O157:H7 outside the bovine gut. The E. coli O157:H7 strain MC2, identified as a persistent strain in French farms, possessed the characteristics required to cause human infections and genetic markers associated with clinical O157:H7 isolates. Therefore, the capacity of E. coli MC2 to survive during its transit through the bovine gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) and to respond to stresses potentially encountered in extra-intestinal environments was analyzed. E. coli MC2 survived in rumen fluids, grew in the content of posterior digestive compartments and survived in bovine feces at 15°C predicting a successful transit of the bacteria along the bovine GIT and its persistence outside the bovine intestine. E. coli MC2 possessed the genetic information encoding 14 adherence systems including adhesins with properties related to colonization of the bovine intestine (F9 fimbriae, EhaA and EspP autotransporters, HCP pilus, FdeC adhesin) reflecting the capacity of the bacteria to colonize different segments of the bovine GIT. E. coli MC2 was also a strong biofilm producer when incubated in fecal samples at low temperature and had a greater ability to form biofilms than the bovine commensal E. coli strain BG1. Furthermore, in contrast to BG1, E. coli MC2 responded to temperature stresses by inducing the genes cspA and htrA during its survival in bovine feces at 15°C. E. coli MC2 also activated genes that are part of the GhoT/GhoS, HicA/HicB and EcnB/EcnA toxin/antitoxin systems involved in the response of E. coli to nutrient starvation and chemical stresses. In summary, the large number of colonization factors known to bind to intestinal epithelium and to biotic or abiotic surfaces, the capacity to produce biofilms and to activate stress fitness genes in bovine feces could explain the persistence of E. coli MC2 in the farm environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Segura
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Pauline Auffret
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Delphine Bibbal
- IRSD, Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, ENVT, UPS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Marine Bertoni
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Alexandra Durand
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Grégory Jubelin
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Monique Kérourédan
- IRSD, Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, ENVT, UPS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Hubert Brugère
- IRSD, Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, ENVT, UPS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Yolande Bertin
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Evelyne Forano
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR-MEDIS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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12
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Stromberg ZR, Lewis GL, Schneider LG, Erickson GE, Patel IR, Smith DR, Moxley RA. Culture-Based Quantification with Molecular Characterization of Non-O157 and O157 Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Isolates from Rectoanal Mucosal Swabs of Feedlot Cattle. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2017; 15:26-32. [PMID: 29022742 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2017.2326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains are foodborne pathogens carried in the intestinal tracts of ruminants and shed in the feces. High concentrations (≥104 colony-forming units [CFU]/g) of EHEC in cattle feces are associated with contamination of hides, and subsequently, carcasses and beef. Several studies using agar media have quantified O157 but few have quantified non-O157 EHEC in samples from cattle. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the concentration of O157 and non-O157 EHEC in cattle, and to characterize the associated EHEC isolates for their virulence potential. Two hundred feedlot steers were sampled by rectoanal mucosal swab (RAMS) every 35 days over four sampling periods, and a spiral plating method using modified Possé differential agar was used to quantify EHEC organisms in these samples. Bacterial colonies from agar plates were tested by multiplex PCR for Shiga toxin and intimin genes (stx and eae, respectively), and confirmed EHEC isolates (i.e., positive for both stx and eae) were serotyped and characterized for virulence genes using a microarray. Organisms detected in this study included O26, O101, O103, O109, O121, O145, O157, and O177 EHEC, with all except O121 quantifiable and measuring within a range from 9.0 × 102 to 3.0 × 105 CFU/g of RAMS sample. Organisms of the same EHEC serogroup were not detected in quantifiable concentrations from a single animal more than once. EHEC organisms most commonly detected at quantifiable levels were O26, O157, and O177. Interestingly, O26 EHEC isolates tested negative for stx1 but positive for stx2a. High concentrations of EHEC were detected in 11 (5.5%) of the steers at least once over the sampling period. These results indicate that in addition to O157, non-O157 EHEC are transiently present in high concentrations in the rectoanal mucosal region of cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Stromberg
- 1 School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Gentry L Lewis
- 1 School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Liesel G Schneider
- 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University , Mississippi State, Mississippi
| | - Galen E Erickson
- 3 Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Isha R Patel
- 4 Division of Molecular Biology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition , United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland
| | - David R Smith
- 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University , Mississippi State, Mississippi
| | - Rodney A Moxley
- 1 School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska
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13
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Stein RA, Katz DE. Escherichia coli, cattle and the propagation of disease. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2017; 364:3059138. [PMID: 28333229 PMCID: PMC7108533 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several early models describing host–pathogen interaction have assumed that each individual host has approximately the same likelihood of becoming infected or of infecting others. More recently, a concept that has been increasingly emphasized in many studies is that for many infectious diseases, transmission is not homogeneous but highly skewed at the level of populations. In what became known as the ‘20/80 rule’, about 20% of the hosts in a population were found to contribute to about 80% of the transmission potential. These heterogeneities have been described for the interaction between many microorganisms and their human or animal hosts. Several epidemiological studies have reported transmission heterogeneities for Escherichia coli by cattle, a phenomenon with far-reaching agricultural, medical and public health implications. Focusing on E. coli as a case study, this paper will describe super-spreading and super-shedding by cattle, review the main factors that shape these transmission heterogeneities and examine the interface with human health. Escherichia coli super-shedding and super-spreading by cattle are shaped by microorganism-specific, cattle-specific and environmental factors. Understanding the factors that shape heterogeneities in E. coli dispersion by cattle and the implications for human health represent key components that are critical for targeted infection control initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Stein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Natural Sciences, LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA
| | - David E Katz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem 91031, Israel
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14
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Chase JA, Atwill ER, Partyka ML, Bond RF, Oryang D. Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Romaine Lettuce When Inoculated in a Fecal Slurry Matrix. J Food Prot 2017; 80:792-798. [PMID: 28371591 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-16-307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A field trial was conducted in July 2011 to quantify the inactivation rate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 when mixed with fecal slurry and applied to romaine lettuce leaves. Lettuce was grown under commercial conditions in Salinas Valley, CA. One-half milliliter of rabbit fecal slurry, containing 6.3 × 107 CFU of E. coli O157:H7, was inoculated onto the upper (adaxial) surface of a lower leaf on 240 heads of lettuce within 30 min after a 2.5-h irrigation event. Forty-eight romaine lettuce heads were collected per event at 2.5 h (day 0.1), 19.75 h (day 0.8), 43.25 h (day 1.8), 67.25 h (day 2.8), and 91.75 h (day 3.8) postinoculation and were analyzed for the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 (Ct). E. coli O157:H7 was detected on 100% of collected heads in concentrations ranging from 340 to 3.40 × 1010 most probable number (MPN) per head. Enumeration data indicate substantial growth of E. coli O157:H7 postinoculation (2.5 h), leading to elevated concentrations, 1 to 3 log above the starting inoculum concentration (Co). By the end of the 92-h trial, we observed a net 0.8-log mean reduction of E. coli O157:H7 compared with Co; however, after accounting for the substantial bacterial growth, there was an overall 2.3-log reduction by the final sampling event (92 h). On the basis of two different regression models that used either the raw data for Ct or log-transformed values of Ct/Co during the period 2.5 to 91.75 h postinoculation, there was an estimated 76 to 80% reduction per day in bacterial counts; however, more accurate predictions of MPN per head of lettuce were generated by using non-log-transformed values of Ct. This study provides insight into the survival of E. coli O157:H7 transferred via splash from a contaminated fecal source onto produce during irrigation. Moreover, these findings can help generate inactivation times following a potential contamination incident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Chase
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, 1477 Drew Avenue, Suite 101, Davis, California 95618
| | - Edward R Atwill
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, 1477 Drew Avenue, Suite 101, Davis, California 95618
| | - Melissa L Partyka
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, 1477 Drew Avenue, Suite 101, Davis, California 95618
| | - Ronald F Bond
- Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, 1477 Drew Avenue, Suite 101, Davis, California 95618
| | - David Oryang
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
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15
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Rusconi B, Sanjar F, Koenig SSK, Mammel MK, Tarr PI, Eppinger M. Whole Genome Sequencing for Genomics-Guided Investigations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:985. [PMID: 27446025 PMCID: PMC4928038 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Multi isolate whole genome sequencing (WGS) and typing for outbreak investigations has become a reality in the post-genomics era. We applied this technology to strains from Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks. These include isolates from seven North America outbreaks, as well as multiple isolates from the same patient and from different infected individuals in the same household. Customized high-resolution bioinformatics sequence typing strategies were developed to assess the core genome and mobilome plasticity. Sequence typing was performed using an in-house single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery and validation pipeline. Discriminatory power becomes of particular importance for the investigation of isolates from outbreaks in which macrogenomic techniques such as pulse-field gel electrophoresis or multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis do not differentiate closely related organisms. We also characterized differences in the phage inventory, allowing us to identify plasticity among outbreak strains that is not detectable at the core genome level. Our comprehensive analysis of the mobilome identified multiple plasmids that have not previously been associated with this lineage. Applied phylogenomics approaches provide strong molecular evidence for exceptionally little heterogeneity of strains within outbreaks and demonstrate the value of intra-cluster comparisons, rather than basing the analysis on archetypal reference strains. Next generation sequencing and whole genome typing strategies provide the technological foundation for genomic epidemiology outbreak investigation utilizing its significantly higher sample throughput, cost efficiency, and phylogenetic relatedness accuracy. These phylogenomics approaches have major public health relevance in translating information from the sequence-based survey to support timely and informed countermeasures. Polymorphisms identified in this work offer robust phylogenetic signals that index both short- and long-term evolution and can complement currently employed typing schemes for outbreak ex- and inclusion, diagnostics, surveillance, and forensic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigida Rusconi
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Biology, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Fatemeh Sanjar
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Biology, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sara S K Koenig
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Biology, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Mark K Mammel
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Phillip I Tarr
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mark Eppinger
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Biology, University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, USA
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