Isolation of Verocytotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli from Rectum and Cecum of Healthy Cattle

Abstract

Rectal and cecal contents from 90 healthy cattle were examined for the distribution of verocytotoxinproducing Escherichia coli (VTEC). VTEC was detected in 38 rectal samples (42.2%) and 3 of cecal samples (3.3%). The isolates were mostly of serogroups of O22, O45, O109, O113, O145 and O153. The numbers of total bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae in the rectum were higher than these in the cecum, indicating that the rectum might be a more suitable environment to habor Enterobacteriaceae including VTEC than the cecum.