Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are clinically significant food-borne pathogens. However, there is a dearth of information on serotype prevalence and virulence gene distribution, data essential for the development of public health protection monitoring and control activities for the meat and dairy industries. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of non-O157 STEC on beef and dairy farms and to characterize the isolates in terms of serotype and virulence markers. Bovine fecal samples (n ‫؍‬ 1,200) and farm soil samples (n ‫؍‬ 600) were collected from 20 farms throughout Ireland over a 12-month period. Shiga toxin-positive samples were cultured and colonies examined for the presence of stx 1 and/or stx 2 genes by PCR. Positive isolates were serotyped and examined for a range of virulence factors, including eaeA, hlyA, tir, espA, espB, katP, espP, etpD, saa, sab, toxB, iha, lpfA O157/OI-141 , lpfA O113 , and lpfA O157/OI-154 . Shiga toxin and intimin genes were further examined for known variants. Significant numbers of fecal (40%) and soil (27%) samples were stx positive, with a surge observed in late summer-early autumn. One hundred seven STEC isolates were recovered, representing 17 serotypes. O26:H11 and O145:H28 were the most clinically significant, with O113:H4 being the most frequently isolated. However, O2:H27, O13/O15:H2, and ONT:H27 also carried stx 1 and/or stx 2 and eaeA and may be emerging pathogens.

The transferability of antimicrobial resistance from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to potential pathogenic strains was studied using in vitro methods and mating in a food matrix. Five LAB donors containing either erythromycin or tetracycline resistance markers on transferable elements were conjugally mated with LAB (Enterococcus faecalis, Lactococcus lactis) and pathogenic strains (Listeria spp., Salmonella ssp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli). In vitro transfer experiments were carried out with the donors and recipients using both the filter and plate mating methods. The food matrix consisted of fermented whole milk (fermented with the LAB donors) with the pathogenic recipients added as contaminants during the production process. All transconjugants were confirmed by phenotypic and molecular methods. Erythromycin resistance transfer from LAB strains to Listeria spp. was observed using both in vitro mating methods at high transfer frequencies of up to 5.1 x 10(-4) transconjugants per recipient. Also, high frequency transfer (ranging from 2.7 x 10(-8) up to 1.1 x 10(-3) transconjugants per recipient) of both erythromycin and tetracycline-resistance was observed between LAB species using in vitro methods. No resistance transfer was observed to Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli. The only conjugal transfer observed in the fermented milk matrix was for tetracycline resistance between two LAB strains (at a transfer frequency of 2.6 x 10(-7) transconjugants per recipients). This study demonstrates the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from LAB to Listeria spp. using in vitro methods and also the transfer of resistance between LAB species in a food matrix. It highlights the involvement of LAB as a potential source of resistance determinants that may be disseminated between LAB and pathogenic strains including Listeria spp. Furthermore, it indicates that food matrices such as fermented milks may provide a suitable environment to support gene exchange.

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Three wild-type dairy isolates of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and one Lactococcus lactis control strain were analyzed for their ability to transfer antibiotic resistance determinants (plasmid or transposon located) to two LAB recipients using both in vitro methods and in vivo models. In vitro transfer experiments were carried out with the donors and recipients using the filter mating method. In vivo mating examined transfer in two natural environments, a rumen model and an alfalfa sprout model. All transconjugants were confirmed by Etest, PCR, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and Southern blotting. The in vitro filter mating method demonstrated high transfer frequencies between all LAB pairs, ranging from 1.8 ؋ 10 ؊5 to 2.2 ؋ 10 ؊2 transconjugants per recipient. Transconjugants were detected in the rumen model for all mating pairs tested; however, the frequencies of transfer were low and inconsistent over 48 h (ranging from 1.0 ؋ 10 ؊9 to 8.0 ؋ 10 ؊6 transconjugants per recipient). The plant model provided an environment that appeared to promote comparatively higher transfer frequencies between all LAB pairs tested over the 9-day period (transfer frequencies ranged from 4.7 ؋ 10 ؊4 to 3.9 ؋ 10 ؊1 transconjugants per recipient). In our test models, dairy cultures of LAB can act as a source of mobile genetic elements encoding antibiotic resistance that can spread to other LAB. This observation could have food safety and public health implications.

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Aims: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) on beef and dairy farms and in beef abattoirs and to characterize the isolates in terms of serogroup and virulence markers. Methods and Results: Bovine faecal samples (n = 1200), farm soil samples (n = 600), hide samples (n = 450) and carcass samples (n = 450) were collected from 20 farms and three abattoirs throughout Ireland over a 12-month period. After selective enrichment, samples testing positive for the intimin gene (eae) using PCR screening were cultured, and colonies were examined for the presence of the eae, vt 1 and vt 2 genes. Colonies that were positive for the intimin gene and negative for the verotoxin genes were further screened using PCR for a range of virulence factors including tir, espA, espB katP, espP, etpD, saa, sab, toxB, iha, lpfA O157/OI-141 , lpfA O113 and lpfA O157/OI-154 . PCR screening was also used to screen for variations in the intimin gene (eae). Of the 2700 source samples analysed, 3Á9% (47 of 1200) of faecal, 2% (12 of 600) of soil, 6Á4% (29 of 450) of hide and 0Á7% (3 of 450) of carcass samples were PCR positive (for the presence of the eae gene). All 140 isolates obtained were atypical EPEC (aEPEC), while h and b intimin types were common. The virulence factors hlyA, tir, lpfA O113 , lpfA O157/OI-154 , and iha were frequently detected, while lpfA O157/OI-141 , saa, espA, espB and toxB were also present but to a lesser extent. Conclusions: It was concluded that cattle are a source of aEPEC, many of which have the virulence machinery necessary to be pathogenic to humans. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings suggest the need for increased research on aEPEC with particular emphasis on food safety and public health risk.

The O-antigen gene clusters of Escherichia coli serogroups O2 and O28ac were sequenced, and PCR assays were developed to identify strains belonging to these 2 serogroups. Sixteen and 8 open reading frames were mapped to these loci in E. coli O2:H4 U 9-41 and E. coli O28ac:H25 96-3286, respectively. The wzx (O-antigen flippase) and wzy (O-antigen polymerase) genes in the E. coli O2 and O28ac O-antigen gene clusters were selected as targets for PCR assays for their identification. PCR assays targeting the wzx and wzy genes were specific for these serogroups, with one exception. Escherichia coli serogroup O42 strains gave positive results with wzx and wzy PCR assays targeting E. coli O28ac, and antiserum raised against O42 cross-reacted with serogroup O28ac strains. The O-antigen gene cluster of a strain of E. coli serogroup O42 was sequenced, and there were only 3 nt differences between the O-antigen gene clusters of the O28ac and O42 strains. Multiplex PCR assays targeting the O2 wzx gene, the stx1, stx2, hly, eae, and saa genes, and the O28ac wzx, ial, ipaC, and ipaH genes were developed for detecting Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O2 strains and enteroinvasive E. coli O28ac strains, respectively. The O2 and O28ac wzx and wzy genes can be used as diagnostic markers in PCR assays for rapid identification of these serogroups as an alternative to serotyping, and the multiplex PCR assays targeting serogroup-specific genes in combination with virulence genes can be used to identify and to detect pathogenic serogroup O2 and O28ac strains.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STECs) are not as well characterized as O157 STEC cases, despite their similar prevalence in many countries. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic basis of multidrug resistance (MDR) in non-O157 STEC farm- and abattoir-sourced isolates and assess the potential dissemination of these MDR profiles in vitro. Susceptibility testing to 20 antimicrobials was performed on 146 non-O157 STECs isolated from farm and abattoir environments. Eighty-seven percent of non-O157 STEC isolates were multidrug resistant to antimicrobials used during veterinary and agricultural practice. Antimicrobial resistance was significantly higher in abattoir isolates compared with the farm isolates (p < 0.05). Corresponding resistance determinants and integrons were investigated by polymerase chain reaction, with the predominant resistance determinants detected being floR, ampC, tet(A), bla, and sul1. This is the first report of tet(G) in a non-O157 STEC isolate. Class 1 integrons were detected in 17 isolates. Resistance to ampicillin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, neomycin, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, and tetracycline was associated with transferable plasmids belonging to incompatibility groups IncP, IncB/O, and IncFIB. Most MDR non-O157 STECs (90%) isolated in this study belong to phylogenetic groups A and B1. These findings suggest that MDR non-O157 STECs are emerging as a result of nonpathogenic E. coli acquiring virulence and resistance genes. This may convey a certain competitive advantage in the colonization of cattle when antimicrobial selective pressures are present, thereby leading to an increase in contamination of food with MDR non-O157 STECs.