Detection of Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157-A Food and Waterborne Zoonotic Pathogens as Implications of One Health Perspective

Author: Darshan D. Patel, Murtaza A. Hajoori and Jignaben P. Naik

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Abstract

Specific Escherichia coli strain producing Shiga toxin (STEC) O157, is a food and waterborne pathogen with severe public health implications. From a zoonotic standpoint, STEC is the only pathogenicity group of chief interest, able to cause severe disease in humans when being transmitted through the food chain from their animal reservoirs. Shiga toxin-producing microbes are perceptible, plentiful and can exist in diverse environmental conditions. The diversity of microorganisms presents in environmental samples and the limitations of protein detection in the samples make it challenging to identify environmental STEC directly and specifically. We report the first-time isolation of this pathogen in the South Gujarat of India through standardized culture procedures and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Environmental samples- food, water and animal excreta were cultured and STEC were selectively isolated and identified by sorbitol fermentability and β-glucuronidase activity. The latex agglutination test was used to detect O157 antigens, and multiplex PCR was carried out to detect virulence-related genes. A total of 386 E. coli isolates, 36 were Sorbitol non-fermenting (SNF), 30 were negative for β-glucuronidase activity. Among SNF isolates, 20 were confirmed STEC O157 by latex test. STEC that carried eaeA (10), hlyA (7), stx1(3) and stx2(5) genes were detected. Hence, this pathogen is a probable cause of food-waterborne disease in the study area, its investigation in both livestock and their products should be improved to characterize the impact of its zoonotic transmission and important for implications of one health.

Keywords

Zoonotic Escherichia coli, STEC O157, Sorbitol non-fermenting, β-glucuronidase activity

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How to cite this article

Darshan D. Patel, Murtaza A. Hajoori and Jignaben P. Naik (2023). Detection of Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157-A Food and Waterborne Zoonotic Pathogens as Implications of One Health Perspective. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(10): 640-646.