Enumeration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Outbreak-Associated Beef Patties.

An outbreak of five cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection that occurred in Canada in 2012 was linked to frozen beef patties seasoned with garlic and peppercorn. Unopened retail packs of beef patties from the implicated production lot were recovered and analyzed to enumerate E. coli O157, other E. coli strains, and total coliforms. E. coli O157 was not recovered by direct enumeration on selective agar media. E. coli O157 in the samples was estimated at 3.1 most probable number per 140 g of beef patty, other E. coli was 11 CFU/g, and coliforms were 120 CFU/g. These results indicate that the presence of E. coli O157 in ground beef at levels below 0.1 CFU/g may cause outbreaks. However, the roles of temperature abuse, undercooking, and crosscontamination in amplifying the risk are unknown.

Comparative Evaluation of Genomic and Laboratory Approaches for Determination of Shiga Toxin Subtypes in Escherichia coli.

The determination of Shiga toxin (ST) subtypes can be an important element in the risk characterization of foodborne ST-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates for making risk management decisions. ST subtyping methods include PCR techniques based on electrophoretic or pyrosequencing analysis of amplicons and in silico techniques based on whole genome sequence analysis using algorithms that can be readily incorporated into bioinformatics analysis pipelines for characterization of isolates by their genetic composition. The choice of technique will depend on the performance characteristics of the method and an individual laboratory's access to specialized equipment or personnel. We developed two whole genome sequence-based ST subtyping tools: (i) an in silico PCR algorithm requiring genome assembly to replicate a reference PCR-based method developed by the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) and (ii) an assembly-independent routine in which raw sequencing results are mapped to a database of known ST subtype sequence variants (V-Typer). These tools were evaluated alongside the SSI reference PCR method and a recently described PCR-based pyrosequencing technique. The V-Typer method results corresponded closely with the reference method in the analysis of 67 STEC cultures obtained from a World Health Organization National Reference Laboratory. In contrast, the in silico PCR method failed to detect ST subtypes in several cases, a result which we attribute to assembly-induced errors typically encountered with repetitive gene sequences. The V-Typer can be readily integrated into bioinformatics protocols used in the identification and characterization of foodborne STEC isolates.

Microfluidic Integration of a Cloth-Based Hybridization Array System (CHAS) for Rapid, Colorimetric Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) Using an Articulated, Centrifugal Platform.

We describe the translation of a cloth-based hybridization array system (CHAS), a colorimetric DNA detection method that is used by food inspection laboratories for colony screening of pathogenic agents, onto a microfluidic chip format. We also introduce an articulated centrifugal platform with a novel fluid manipulation concept based on changes in the orientation of the chip with respect to the centrifugal force field to time the passage of multiple components required for the process. The platform features two movable and motorized carriers that can be reoriented on demand between 0 and 360° during stage rotation. Articulation of the chip can be used to trigger on-the-fly fluid dispensing through independently addressable siphon structures or to relocate solutions against the centrifugal force field, making them newly accessible for downstream transfer. With the microfluidic CHAS, we achieved significant reduction in the size of the cloth substrate as well as the volume of reagents and wash solutions. Both the chip design and the operational protocol were optimized to perform the entire process in a reliable, fully automated fashion. A demonstration with PCR-amplified genomic DNA confirms on-chip detection and identification of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from colony isolates in a colorimetric multiplex assay using rfbO157, fliCH7, vt1, and vt2 genes.

PCR for the Specific Detection of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 Laboratory Control Strain.

Control strains of bacterial pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 are commonly processed in parallel with test samples in food microbiology laboratories as a quality control measure to assure the satisfactory performance of materials used in the analytical procedure. Before positive findings can be reported for risk management purposes, analysts must have a means of verifying that pathogenic bacteria (e.g., E. coli O157:H7) recovered from test samples are not due to inadvertent contamination with the control strain routinely handled in the laboratory environment. Here, we report on the application of an in-house bioinformatic pipeline for the identification of unique genomic signature sequences in the development of specific oligonucleotide primers enabling the identification of a common positive control strain, E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC 35150), using a simple PCR procedure.

Multi-Province Listeriosis Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Deli Meat Consumed Primarily in Institutional Settings, Canada, 2008.

A multi-province outbreak of listeriosis occurred in Canada from June to November 2008. Fifty-seven persons were infected with 1 of 3 similar outbreak strains defined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and 24 (42%) individuals died. Forty-one (72%) of 57 individuals were residents of long-term care facilities or hospital inpatients during their exposure period. Descriptive epidemiology, product traceback, and detection of the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes in food samples and the plant environment confirmed delicatessen meat manufactured by one establishment and purchased primarily by institutions was the source of the outbreak. The food safety investigation identified a plant environment conducive to the introduction and proliferation of L. monocytogenes and persistently contaminated with Listeria spp. This outbreak demonstrated the need for improved listeriosis surveillance, strict control of L. monocytogenes in establishments producing ready-to-eat foods, and advice to vulnerable populations and institutions serving these populations regarding which high-risk foods to avoid.

A new pyrosequencing assay for rapid detection and genotyping of Shiga toxin, intimin and O157-specific rfbE genes of Escherichia coli.

Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) contamination in food and water is one of the most recognized concerns and a major financial burden in human hygiene control worldwide. Rapid and highly reliable methods of detecting and identifying STEC causing gastroenteric illnesses are crucial to prevent foodborne outbreaks. A number of tests have been developed and commercialized to detect STEC using molecular microbiology techniques. Most of these are designed to identify virulence factors such as Shiga toxin and intimin as well as E. coli O and H antigen serotype specific genes. In order to screen pathogenic STEC without relying on O:H serotyping, we developed a rapid detection and genotyping assay for STEC virulence genes using a PCR-pyrosequencing application. We adapted the PyroMark Q24 Pyrosequencing platform for subtyping 4 major virulence genes, Shiga toxin 1 and 2 (stx1 and stx2), intimin (eae) and O157-antigen gene cluster target rfbE, using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analysis. A total of 224 E. coli strains including isolates from Canadian environment, food and clinical cases were examined. Based on the multiple alignment analysis of 30-80 base nucleotide pyrogram reads, three alleles of the Shiga toxin 1a gene (stx1a) (stx1a-I, stx1a-II, stx1a-III) were identified. Results of the stx1, stx2, eae and rfbE genotyping revealed that each group of O:H serotype shares distinctive characteristics that could be associated with the virulence of each genotype. O157:H7/NM carries stx1a-II (94%), stx2a (82%), λ/γ1-eae (100%) and rfbE type-H7/NM (100%). Whereas isolates of the "Top-6" serotypes (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145) had a high incidence of stx1a-I (90%) and stx2a (100%). stx1a-III (60%) was only observed in non Top-7 (Top-6 plus O157) STEC and Shigella spp. The entire assay, from extracting DNA from colonies on a plate to the generation of sequence information, can be completed in 5h. The method of profiling these 4 STEC pathogenic genotypes as demonstrated in this paper is rapid, easily performed, informative and cost-effective, and thus has a potential to be deployed in the food industry for the routine screening of potentially pathogenic STEC isolates.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli colony check assay for the identification of serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 colonies isolated on plating media.

A simple immunoenzymatic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) colony check (ECC) assay was developed for the presumptive identification of priority EHEC colonies isolated on plating media from enrichment broth cultures of foods. With this approach, lipopolysaccharide extracted from a colony is spotted on the grid of a polymyxin-coated polyester cloth strip, and bound E. coli serogroup O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 antigens are subsequently detected by sequential reactions with a pool of commercially available peroxidase-conjugated goat antibodies and tetramethylbenzidine substrate solution. Each strip can accommodate up to 15 colonies, and test results are available within 30 min. Assay performance was verified using colonies from a total of 73 target EHEC isolates covering the range of designated priority serogroups (all of which were reactive), 41 nontarget E. coli isolates including several nontarget Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serogroups (all unreactive), and 33 non-E. coli strains (all unreactive except two bacterial strains possessing O-antigenic structures in common with those of the priority EHEC). The ECC assay was reactive with target colonies grown on several types of selective and nonselective plating media designed for their cultivation. These results support the use of the ECC assay for high-throughput screening of colonies isolated on plating media for detecting priority EHEC strains in foods.

Evaluation of eight agar media for the isolation of shiga toxin-Producing Escherichia coli.

The growth characteristics of 96 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains representing 36 different O-types (including priority O types O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145 and O157) on commercial and in-house agar media were studied. The ability of the strains to grow on agar media with varying selective supplement formulations was evaluated using MacConkey Agar (MAC); Rainbow® Agar O157 (RBA); Rainbow® Agar O157 with manufacturer-recommended selective supplements (RBA-NT); Rainbow® Agar O157 with USDA-recommended selective supplements (RBA-USDA); CHROMagar STEC™ (CH STEC); Tryptone Bile agar containing cefixime and tellurite (TBA-CT); Tryptone Bile agar containing cefixime, tellurite, eosin and methylene blue (TBA-EM); and VTEC agar. All of the strains were able to grow on MAC, RBA and VTEC agar, whereas a number of strains (including some non-O157 priority O types) were unable to grow on the highly selective media CH STEC, RBA-NT, RBA-USDA, TBA-EM and TBA-CT. Only RBA-NT and CH STEC exhibited significant inhibition of background flora from ground beef enrichment. Significant inhibition of background flora from beef trim enrichment was observed with RBA-NT, RBA-USDA, CH STEC, TBA-EM and VTEC agar. With exception of E. coli O157, several different colony morphologies were observed on the differential plating media among strains of the same O type, indicating that this colony morphology is not a reliable means of identifying target STEC. These results suggest that an approach to maximize the recovery of target STEC from beef enrichment cultures is dual plating on lesser (RBA, MAC, VTEC agar) and more highly (RBA-NT, CH STEC) selective agars.

Method for the detection of priority Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in beef trim.

A method has been developed for the detection in beef trim of priority Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains, defined as E. coli possessing the virulence factors stx1 and/or stx2 and intimin (eae), with O serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, or O157. The method is based on recovery of the target bacteria by overnight enrichment in a broth optimized for recovery of O157 and non-O157 STEC, followed by screening using multiplex PCR techniques targeting (i) stx1, stx2, and eae (STE PCR) and (ii) gene sequences associated with the seven priority O serogroups (Poly O PCR), and then direct plating of broth samples positive in both STE and Poly O PCR onto Rainbow agar. Colonies on agar media were screened batchwise for STEC by the STE PCR, and presumptive isolates were characterized using a multiplex PCR and cloth-based hybridization array system targeting key virulence and O serogroup-specific markers. Using one representative strain of each priority O serogroup individually inoculated in beef trim samples, the method exhibited a limit of detection approaching 1 to 2 viable STEC cells per 65 g. None of the uninoculated trim samples produced positive results with either of the screening PCR procedures or on analysis of colonies recovered on plating media. STEC-negative samples were readily identified by screening PCR within 24 h, with a turnaround time of fewer than 4 days for confirmation of positives. The inclusivity and exclusivity characteristics of the screening PCR techniques were verified using a total of 65 different priority STEC strains: 24 nonpriority STEC, 15 non-STEC bacteria, and only those strains bearing the targeted characteristics produced screening PCR-positive results.

Polyester cloth-based hybridization array system for identification of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157.

A cloth-based hybridization array system (CHAS) was developed for the identification of foodborne colony isolates of seven priority enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC-7) serogroups targeted by U. S. food inspection programs. Gene sequences associated with intimin; Shiga-like toxins 1 and 2; and the antigenic markers O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 were amplified in a multiplex PCR incorporating a digoxigenin label, and detected by hybridization of the PCR products with an array of specific oligonucleotide probes immobilized on a polyester cloth support, with subsequent immunoenzymatic assay of the captured amplicons. The EHEC-7 CHAS exhibited 100 % inclusivity and 100 % exclusivity characteristics with respect to detection of the various markers among 89 different E. coli strains, with various marker gene profiles and 15 different strains of non-E. coli bacteria.