Isolation of Escherichia coli 0157: H7 from Feces of Cattle in Japan

Abstract

Fecal samples from 300 cattle arriving at abattoir in Shizuoka Prefecture was examined for verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli 0157: H7 during the period from September to December 1987. E. coli 0157: H7 was isolated 1 (0.33%) out of 300 fecal samples from cattle. The culture filtrate caused a degenerative change in the HeLa cells and was lethal for ddY mice. The reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) technique demonstrated that the isolate produced verocytotoxin 2. This is probably the first report of the isolation of E. coli 0157: H7 from cattle in Japan. Our finding suggests that there is a close relationship between the existence of E. coli 0157: H7 in cattle and contamination of beeves with this serovar of E. coli.