Domestic animals as a reservoir and food of animal origin as a source of verocytotoxin - producing Escherichia coli in this geogragraphic setting | Domace zivotinje kao rezervoar i hrana animalnog porekla kao izvor verocitotoksicnih Escherichia coli na nasem geografskom podrucju
2009
Lazic, S. | Cekanac, R. | Krstic, M. | Ristanovic, E. | Stajkovic, N. | Lepsanovic, Z. | Radakovic, S., Vojnomedicinska akademija, Beograd (Serbia)
A new pathogenic agent, verocytotoxin - producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) emerged in the last 30 years, causing an increased number of sporadic cases as well as of outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases. Animals can be infected with VTEC, but their epidemiological importance as a reservoir of this agent is not quite clear, notably in the Balkan region. This pathogen is transmitted most commonly by contaminated food of animal origin and we have not any data about contamination of food in Serbia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of isolation of VTEC from intestinal tract of domestic animals, and in food of animal origin, and to determine serogroups of isolated strains. Althogether, 2 660 stool samples from five different species of domestic animals and 956 samples of food were tested for the presence of this pathogen. This study revealed that domestic animals are important reservoir of VTEC, as well as the food of animal origin, notably minced meat, may represent an important risk factor for acquiring VTEC infection in this geographic setting. Isolated VTEC strains rarely belonged to 0157, as well as to the other EHEC serogroups what may explain rare sporadic cases and the absence of epidemic occurrence of diarrhoeal diseases caused by VTEC in this geographic setting.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]