Isolation of Vero Cytotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli from Feces of Cattle, Carcasses and Environment of Meat Processing Factory

Abstract

Swabs from fattening cattle feces (210 samples), carcasses (120 samples) and waste water (2 samples) at Shibaura slaughterhouse as well as those from meat and utensils (427 samples) at meat processing markets and plants were examined for Vero cytotoxin-producing. Escnericnia coli (VTEC) using sorbitol-IPA-bilesalts (SIB) agar. VTEC was isolated from 37 (17.6%) fecal samples but not from others. Using by antibody-coated latex praticle aggulutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 4 and 30 isolates were shown to produce VT1 and VT2, respectively, while 3 isolates both VT1 and VT2. Predominant serotypes were O145: H-, O157: H7, O16: H21 and O74: H19.