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Spatial Epidemiology of E scherichia coli O 157: H 7 in Dairy Cattle in Relation to Night Roosts Of S turnus vulgaris ( E uropean Starling) in O hio, USA (2007–2009)
Author(s) -
Swirski A. L.,
Pearl D. L.,
Williams M. L.,
Homan H. J.,
Linz G. M.,
Cernicchiaro N.,
LeJeune J. T.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
zoonoses and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1863-2378
pISSN - 1863-1959
DOI - 10.1111/zph.12092
Subject(s) - multiple loci vntr analysis , sturnus , starling , biology , veterinary medicine , feces , variable number tandem repeat , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , genetics , medicine , allele , gene
Summary The goal of our study was to use spatial scan statics to determine whether the night roosts of E uropean starlings ( S turnus vulgaris ) act as point sources for the dissemination of E scherichia coli O 157: H 7 among dairy farms. From 2007 to 2009, we collected bovine faecal samples ( n = 9000) and starling gastrointestinal contents ( n = 430) from 150 dairy farms in northeastern O hio, USA . Isolates of E . coli O 157: H 7 recovered from these samples were subtyped using multilocus variable‐number tandem repeat analysis ( MLVA ). Generated MLVA types were used to construct a dendrogram based on a categorical multistate coefficient and unweighted pair‐group method with arithmetic mean ( UPGMA ). Using a focused spatial scan statistic, we identified statistically significant spatial clusters among dairy farms surrounding starling night roosts, with an increased prevalence of E . coli O 157: H 7‐positive bovine faecal pats, increased diversity of distinguishable MLVA types and a greater number of isolates with MLVA types from bovine‐starling clades versus bovine‐only clades. Thus, our findings are compatible with the hypothesis that starlings have a role in the dissemination of E . coli O 157: H 7 among dairy farms, and further research into starling management is warranted.