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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2001, p. 484-489, Vol. 67, No. 1
National Institute of Animal Health, 3-1-1,
Kannondai, Tsukuba 305-0856,1 and Chiba
Prefectural Institute of Animal Health, 497, Iwatomi, Sakura
285-0072,3 Japan, and National
Veterinary and Food Research Institute, Kuopio Regional Laboratory,
FIN-70701, Kuopio, Finland2
Received 5 June 2000/Accepted 20 October 2000
The prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia
coli (STEC) in Japan was examined by using stool samples from 87 calves, 88 heifers, and 183 cows on 78 farms. As determined by
screening with stx-PCR, the prevalence was 46% in calves,
66% in heifers, and 69% in cows; as determined by nested
stx-PCR, the prevalence was 100% in all animal groups. Of
the 962 isolates picked by colony stx hybridization, 92 isolates from 54 farms were characterized to determine their O
serogroups, virulence factor genes, and antimicrobial resistance. Of
these 92 isolates, 74 (80%) could be classified into O serogroups;
50% of these 74 isolates belonged to O serogroups O8, O26, O84, O113,
and O116 and 1 isolate belonged to O serogroup O157. Locus of
enterocyte effacement genes were detected in 24% of the isolates, and
enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) hlyA genes were detected in 72% of the isolates. Neither the bundle-forming pilus
gene nor the enteropathogenic E. coli adherence factor
plasmid was found. STEC strains with characteristics typical of
isolates from human EHEC infections, which were regarded as potential
EHEC strains, were present on 11.5% of the farms.
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.484-489.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Shiga
Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli from Healthy Cattle
in Japan
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: National
Institute of Animal Health, 3-1-1, Kannondai, Tsukuba 305-0856, Japan.
Phone: 81-298-387739. Fax: 81-298-387740. E-mail:
reptile{at}niah.affrc.go.jp.
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