Open AccessPrevalence of diarrheagenic E scherichia coli virulence genes in the feces of slaughtered cattle, chickens, and pigs in B urkina F aso
Author(s) -
Kagambèga Assèta,
Martikainen Outi,
Siitonen Anja,
Traoré Alfred S.,
Barro Nicolas,
Haukka Kaisa
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
microbiologyopen
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.881
H-Index - 36
ISSN - 2045-8827
DOI - 10.1002/mbo3.30
Subject(s) - virulence , feces , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , polymerase chain reaction , escherichia coli , diarrhea , gene , genetics , medicine
We investigated the prevalence of the virulence genes specific for five major pathogroups of diarrheagenic E scherichia coli ( DEC ) in primary cultures from feces of animals slaughtered for human consumption in B urkina F aso. For the study, 704 feces samples were collected from cattle ( n = 304), chickens ( n = 350), and pigs ( n = 50) during carcass processing. The presence of the virulence‐associated genes in the mixed bacterial cultures was assessed using 16‐plex polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ). Virulence genes indicating presence of DEC were detected in 48% of the cattle, 48% of the chicken, and 68% of the pig feces samples. Virulence genes specific for different DEC s were detected in the following percentages of the cattle, chicken, and pig feces samples: Shiga toxin‐producing E . coli ( STEC ) in 37%, 6%, and 30%; enteropathogenic E . coli ( EPEC ) in 8%, 37%, and 32%; enterotoxigenic E . coli ( ETEC ) in 4%, 5%, and 18%; and enteroaggregative E . coli ( EAEC ) in 7%, 6%, and 32%. Enteroinvasive E . coli ( EIEC ) virulence genes were detected in 1% of chicken feces samples only. The study was the first of its kind in B urkina F aso and revealed the common occurrence of the diarrheal virulence genes in feces of food animals. This indicates that food animals are reservoirs of DEC that may contaminate meat because of the defective slaughter and storage conditions and pose a health risk to the consumers in B urkina F aso.