Prevalence and characteristics of verotoxigenic E.coli in bovine and human intestine

ABSTRACT

In this study, the prevalence and characterizes of verotoxigenic E. coli was investigated in 140 cattle faecal samples from military farms. Also, 100 human stool samples from governmental hospital in Alex, through the period from January to August 2010, the sample were examined in laboratory of Department of Microbiology, Fac. Of Vet. Med., Alex. Bacteriological examination were done to detect the E. coli verocytotoxin production identified by duplex-PCR. This analysis revealed that the prevalence of VTEC was 62.5% in cattle and 57.14% in human samples. The organism could be isolated at a higher prevalence [66.66%] from healthy calves than from diarrheic ones [50%] indicating the reservoir status of cattle. In human, the prevalence in diarrhoeic children was higher [66.66%] than non diarrhoeic ones [50%]. In conclusion, the prevalence of VTEC in cattle and human was high, indicating the public health importance of organism