ABSTRACT
Fecal samples collected from healthy pigs from 13 of the top 17 swine-producing states were tested for Escherichia coli O157:H7 as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System Swine 2000 study. Serogroup O157 strains were isolated from 106 of 2,526 fecal samples. None of the isolates were positive by PCR for the fliCh7 (H7 flagellin) gene or for the hly933 (hemolysin) gene; however, one isolate was positive for the stxl gene (Shiga toxin 1), an additional four isolates were positive for the stx2 gene (Shiga toxin 2), and three isolates possessed the eae gene (intimin).
Subject(s)
Escherichia coli Infections/veterinary , Escherichia coli O157/isolation & purification , Feces/microbiology , Shiga Toxin 1/biosynthesis , Shiga Toxin 2/biosynthesis , Swine Diseases/microbiology , Adhesins, Bacterial , Animals , Escherichia coli Infections/epidemiology , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Escherichia coli O157/genetics , Escherichia coli O157/metabolism , Escherichia coli Proteins , Humans , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Population Surveillance , Prevalence , Swine , Swine Diseases/epidemiology , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Escherichia coli O157:H7 was recovered from colon fecal samples of pigs. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed two genotypes: isolates harboring the eaeA, stx(1), and stx(2) genes and isolates harboring the eaeA, stx(1), and hly(933) genes. We demonstrate that swine in the United States can harbor potentially pathogenic E. coli O157:H7.
