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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 1998, p. 878-882, Vol. 36, No. 4
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Isolation and Characterization of Verocytotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 Strains from Dutch Cattle and Sheep

A. E. Heuvelink,1,2,* F. L. A. M. van den Biggelaar,3 E. de Boer,3 R. G. Herbes,4 W. J. G. Melchers,1 J. H. J. Huis In 't Veld,5 and L. A. H. Monnens2

Departments of Medical Microbiology1 and Pediatrics,2 University Hospital Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, Inspectorate for Health Protection, Food Inspection Service, 7200 GN Zutphen,3 Veterinary Public Health Inspectorate, 6800 DR Arnhem,4 and Department of the Science of Food of Animal Origin, Utrecht University, 3508 TD Utrecht,5 The Netherlands

Received 29 August 1997/Accepted 4 December 1997

In the periods from July to November 1995 and 1996, fecal samples from Dutch cattle and sheep were collected at the main slaughterhouses of The Netherlands, located at different geographic sites. The samples were examined for the presence of verocytotoxin (VT)-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) of serogroup O157. E. coli O157 strains could be isolated from 57 (10.6%) of 540 adult cattle, 2 (0.5%) of 397 veal calves, 2 (3.8%) of 52 ewes, and 2 (4.1%) of 49 lambs. Immunomagnetic separation with O157-specific-antibody-coated beads appeared to be significantly more sensitive than conventional plating for detection of the organism in feces. With the exception of two isolates from adult cattle which appeared to be negative for VT genes, all animal isolates were positive for both VT (VT1 and/or VT2) and E. coli attaching-and-effacing gene sequences, and therefore, they were regarded as potential human pathogens. Although genomic typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed a wide variety of distinct restriction patterns, comparison of the 63 animal isolates with 33 fecal O157 VTEC strains previously isolated from humans with the diarrhea-associated form of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome by their phage types and VT genotypes showed a marked similarity between animal and human isolates: 30 (90.9%) of the 33 human isolates appeared to be of E. coli O157 strain types also isolated from cattle and sheep. It was concluded that Dutch cattle and sheep are an important reservoir of E. coli O157 strains that are potentially pathogenic for humans.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Departments of Medical Microbiology and Pediatrics, University Hospital Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Phone: 31-24-3614356. Fax: 31-24-3540216. E-mail: A.Heuvelink{at}ckskg.azn.nl.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 1998, p. 878-882, Vol. 36, No. 4
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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