A preliminary study of Salmonella, verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli/Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter on four mixed farms.
Abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the incidence of Salmonella, verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC)/Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter on four mixed farms and to characterize the isolates in terms of a range of virulence factors. Eighty-nine composite (five different samples from the same animal species combined) faecal [cattle (24), pigs (14), sheep (4), poultry (4), horses (7), deer (4), dogs (9), rodents (2) and wild birds (20)] samples, 16 composite soil samples plus 35 individual water samples were screened using culture-based, immunomagnetic separation and molecular methods. Salmonella was detected in bovine faeces, cattle and poultry house water. Salmonella serotypes/phage types included Dublin, Kiel and Typhimurium DT193, and most isolates were spvC, invA and rck positive. The pefA and rck genes were found exclusively in the non-Typhimurium strains, while Salmonella Dublin and Salmonella Kiel strains carried Salmonella genomic island I marker(s). VTEC/E. coli O157 were found in deer and dog faeces only. The E. coli O157 isolate was an enteroinvasive E. coli, while the VTEC isolate was untypable but carried the vt1, eaeA, hlyA, tir and eptD genes. This article reports the first confirmed carriage of E. coli O157 in Irish deer. Campylobacter species were not detected over the course of this study. It was concluded that [1] Salmonella, VTEC and Campylobacter have low (<5%) prevalence or are absent on the farms in this study; [2] water was an important source of bacterial pathogens; [3] both dogs and deer may act as a source of pathogenic E. coli and [4] key virulence and resistance determinants are widespread in farm Salmonella strains. This study highlights the need to control water as a source of pathogens and suggests that the domestic pets and deer should be considered in any farm risk assessment.
© 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2011-09-28 PubMed ID: 21951421DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01438.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article is about a preliminary study conducted to find the presence of Salmonella, verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC)/Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter on four mixed farms and to understand the character of the isolates in terms of various virulence factors.
Details of the Study and Findings
- The primary objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of three pathogens, namely Salmonella, VTEC (verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli)/E.Coli O157, and Campylobacter on four mixed farms.
- A variety of composite fecal samples derived from different animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry, horses, deer, dogs, rodents, and wild birds were tested. Along with these, a few soil and water samples were also examined.
- The testing was done using culture-based methods and immunomagnetic separation, along with molecular methods.
- Salmonella was found present in samples of bovine faeces, as well as the water within cattle and poultry houses.
- Three distinct Salmonella serotypes, Dublin, Kiel and Typhimurium DT193, were identified in the positive samples, containing specific genes (spvC, invA, and rck).
- The unique pefA and rck genes were discovered only in non-Typhimurium strains of Salmonella, while the Dublin and Kiel strains carried Salmonella genomic island I markers.
- VTEC/E. coli O157 was found specifically in deer and dog feces. Among these, the E. coli O157 isolate was identified as an enteroinvasive E. coli.
- The VTEC isolate was untypable but was found to be carrying the vt1, eaeA, hlyA, tir, and eptD genes.
Significance of the Study
- This study is significant because it is the first of its kind to report the confirmed carriage of E. coli O157 in Irish deer.
- Contrary to expectations, no Campylobacter species were detected during the course of this study.
- The study concluded that there was a low prevalence (less than 5%) or absence of Salmonella, VTEC, and Campylobacter on the farms studied.
- It found that water was a significant source of bacterial pathogens, highlighting the need for water control measures to prevent the spread of diseases.
- The study points out that pets, specifically dogs, and deer may act as sources of pathogenic E. coli, emphasizing the need for these animals to be considered in any risk assessment on farm health.
Cite This Article
APA
Bolton DJ, O'Neill CJ, Fanning S.
(2011).
A preliminary study of Salmonella, verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli/Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter on four mixed farms.
Zoonoses Public Health, 59(3), 217-228.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01438.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Ashtown Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland. declan.bolton@teagasc.ie
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Campylobacter / genetics
- Campylobacter / isolation & purification
- Campylobacter / pathogenicity
- Campylobacter Infections / epidemiology
- Campylobacter Infections / microbiology
- Campylobacter Infections / transmission
- Campylobacter Infections / veterinary
- Cattle
- DNA, Bacterial / genetics
- Deer
- Dogs
- Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
- Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology
- Escherichia coli Infections / transmission
- Escherichia coli Infections / veterinary
- Feces / microbiology
- Humans
- Incidence
- Ireland / epidemiology
- Salmonella / genetics
- Salmonella / isolation & purification
- Salmonella / pathogenicity
- Salmonella Infections, Animal / epidemiology
- Salmonella Infections, Animal / microbiology
- Salmonella Infections, Animal / transmission
- Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / genetics
- Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
- Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / pathogenicity
- Virulence Factors / genetics
- Water Supply
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Pedersen L, Houe H, Rattenborg E, Nielsen LR. Semi-Quantitative Biosecurity Assessment Framework Targeting Prevention of the Introduction and Establishment of Salmonella Dublin in Dairy Cattle Herds. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 17;13(16).
- . Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards to be covered by inspection of meat from sheep and goats. EFSA J 2013 Jun;11(6):3265.
- Pires AFA, Patterson L, Kukielka EA, Aminabadi P, Navarro-Gonzalez N, Jay-Russell MT. Prevalence and risk factors associated with Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella enterica in livestock raised on diversified small-scale farms in California. Epidemiol Infect 2019 Dec 12;147:e321.
- Deguenon E, Dougnon V, Lozes E, Maman N, Agbankpe J, Abdel-Massih RM, Djegui F, Baba-Moussa L, Dougnon J. Resistance and virulence determinants of faecal Salmonella spp. isolated from slaughter animals in Benin. BMC Res Notes 2019 Jun 7;12(1):317.
- Kuijpers AFA, Bonacic Marinovic AA, Wijnands LM, Delfgou-van Asch EHM, van Hoek AHAM, Franz E, Pielaat A. Phenotypic Prediction: Linking in vitro Virulence to the Genomics of 59 Salmonella enterica Strains. Front Microbiol 2018;9:3182.
- Stipetic K, Chang YC, Peters K, Salem A, Doiphode SH, McDonough PL, Chang YF, Sultan A, Mohammed HO. The risk of carriage of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in food animals in dynamic populations. Vet Med Sci 2016 Nov;2(4):246-254.
- Rowlands RE, Ristori CA, Ikuno AA, Barbosa ML, Jakabi M, Franco BD. Prevalence of drug resistance and virulence features in Salmonella spp. isolated from foods associated or not with salmonellosis in Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2014 Nov-Dec;56(6):461-7.
- Amenu K, Markemann A, Valle Zárate A. Water for human and livestock consumption in rural settings of Ethiopia: assessments of quality and health aspects. Environ Monit Assess 2013 Nov;185(11):9571-86.
- Varriano S, Smith JC, Smith OM, Rodrigues PAP, Snipes Z, Roach K, Dawson JL, Shealy J, Dunn LL, Shariat NW, Snyder WE. Wild Birds Pose Unique Food Safety Threats in the US Southeast. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 26;15(19).
- Kabir A, Lamichhane B, Habib T, Adams A, El-Sheikh Ali H, Slovis NM, Troedsson MHT, Helmy YA. Antimicrobial Resistance in Equines: A Growing Threat to Horse Health and Beyond-A Comprehensive Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024 Jul 29;13(8).
- Hailu W, Alemayehu H, Wolde D, Hailu L, Medhin G, Rajashekara G, Gebreyes WA, Eguale T. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Salmonella isolated from vegetable farms fertilized with animal manure in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Sci Rep 2024 Aug 19;14(1):19169.
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