This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pearce, M. C. Articles by Gunn, G. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pearce, M. C. Articles by Gunn, G. J. Agricola Articles by Pearce, M. C. Articles by Gunn, G. J.

Distribution of Escherichia coli O157 in Bovine Fecal Pats and Its Impact on Estimates of the Prevalence of Fecal Shedding

Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian,¹ Scottish Agricultural College, Drummondhill, Inverness, United Kingdom²

Received 29 January 2004/ Accepted 31 May 2004

The distribution of Escherichia coli O157 in bovine feces was examined by testing multiple samples from fecal pats and determining the density of E. coli O157 in immunomagnetic separation (IMS)-positive fecal samples. The density of E. coli O157 in bovine feces was highly variable, differing by as much as 76,800 CFU g^–1 between samples from the same fecal pat. The density in most positive samples was <100 CFU g^–1, the limit of reliable detection by IMS. Testing only one 1-g sample of feces per pat with IMS may result in a sensitivity of detection as low as 20 to 50%. It is therefore probable that most surveys have greatly underestimated the prevalence of E. coli O157 shedding in cattle and the proportion of farms with shedding cattle. The sensitivity of the detection of E. coli O157 in bovine feces can be as much as doubled by testing two 1-g samples per pat rather than one 1-g sample.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Arnold, M. E., Ellis-Iversen, J., Cook, A. J.C., Davies, R. H., McLaren, I. M., Kay, A. C.S., Pritchard, G. C. (2008). Investigation into the effectiveness of pooled fecal samples for detection of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 in cattle. jvdi 20: 21-27 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fox, J. T., Renter, D. G., Sanderson, M. W., Thomson, D. U., Lechtenberg, K. F., Nagaraja, T. G. (2007). Evaluation of Culture Methods To Identify Bovine Feces with High Concentrations of Escherichia coli O157. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 5253-5260 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chase-Topping, M. E., McKendrick, I. J., Pearce, M. C., MacDonald, P., Matthews, L., Halliday, J., Allison, L., Fenlon, D., Low, J. C., Gunn, G., Woolhouse, M. E. J. (2007). Risk Factors for the Presence of High-Level Shedders of Escherichia coli O157 on Scottish Farms. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 1594-1603 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vidovic, S., Korber, D. R. (2006). Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in Saskatchewan Cattle: Characterization of Isolates by Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA PCR, Antibiotic Resistance Profiles, and Pathogenicity Determinants.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 4347-4355 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• LeJeune, J. T., Hancock, D. D., Besser, T. E. (2006). Sensitivity of Escherichia coli O157 Detection in Bovine Feces Assessed by Broth Enrichment followed by Immunomagnetic Separation and Direct Plating Methodologies.. J. Clin. Microbiol. 44: 872-875 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Matthews, L., Low, J.C., Gally, D. L., Pearce, M. C., Mellor, D. J., Heesterbeek, J. A. P., Chase-Topping, M., Naylor, S. W., Shaw, D. J., Reid, S. W. J., Gunn, G. J., Woolhouse, M. E. J. (2006). Heterogeneous shedding of Escherichia coli O157 in cattle and its implications for control. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 547-552 [Abstract] [Full Text]