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A longitudinal study of Vero cytotoxin producing Escherichia coli in cattle calves in Sri Lanka

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

A. Mohammad Tokhi ,
J. S. M. Peiris ,
S. M. Scotland ,
G. A. Willshaw ,
H. R. Smith  and
T. Cheasty
A. Mohammad Tokhi
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
J. S. M. Peiris
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
S. M. Scotland
Affiliation:
Division of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
G. A. Willshaw
Affiliation:
Division of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
H. R. Smith
Affiliation:
Division of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
T. Cheasty
Affiliation:
Division of Enteric Pathogens, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
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Two cohorts of 10 and 16 calves were followed at weekly or fortnightly intervals from 4–28 and 1–9 weeks respectively to determine whether natural infection by Vero cytotoxin (VT) producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) occurred. Ninety-one of 171 (53%) faecal specimens were VTEC positive and 20–80% of animals at any given time excreted VTEC. Of 104 VTEC strains studied further, 6 different serogroups (O 22.H16; O 25.H5; O 49.H−; O 86.H26; O 88.H25; O 153.H12) and an untypable strain (O ?.H21) were identified. All strains belonging to the same serotype had identical profiles of reactivity with DNA probes to toxins VT1 or 2, LT1 or iI and a probe (CVD419) derived from a plasmid carried by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O 157.H7. Four of these serotypes were found in the faecal flora of the calves, taken as a group, throughout the 4-month study period. Sixty percent of the strains hybridized with the probe for VT1, 4% with the probe for VT2, and 36% with both probes. Faecal VTEC were significantly associated with overt diarrhoeal illness in animals < 10 weeks of age, but no characteristic profile of markers (serotype or hybridization pattern) in E. coli isolates was associated with diarrhoea. A serological response to VTl was detected in some animals, but faecal VT1 VTEC excretion persisted in spite of seroconversion. VTl seroconversion was not associated with diarrhoea. A serological response to VT2 was not detected even in those animals excreting VT2 VTEC in the faeces.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 110 , Issue 2 , April 1993 , pp. 197 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

References

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