Detection of Pathogenic Escherichia coli in Samples Collected at an Abattoir in Zaria, Nigeria and at Different Points in the Surrounding Environment

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Lawan Mohammed Kabiru¹  Mohammed Bello¹  Junaid Kabir¹  Laura Grande²  Stefano Morabito²  Roberto Spurio³  Duarte Tito³  Letizia Brandi³ 

[1] Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1096, Zaria 2222, Nigeria; E-Mails:;EU Reference Laboratory for E. coli, Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy; E-Mail:Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1096, Zaria 2222, Nigeria;

关键词: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli;    slaughterhouse;    environmental contamination;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120100679

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Pathogenic Escherichia coli can be released with the wastes coming from slaughterhouses into the environment, where they can persist. We investigated the presence of diarrheagenic E. coli in specimens taken at an abattoir located in the Zaria region, Nigeria, in samples of water from the river Koreye, where the effluent from the abattoir spills in, and vegetable specimens taken at a nearby farm. All the isolated E. coli were assayed for the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) by using the Ridascreen verotoxin Immunoassay and by PCR amplification of genes associated with the diarrheagenic E. coli. Three strains from the rectal content of two slaughtered animals and a cabbage were positive for the presence of the Stx-coding genes. Additionally we have isolated one Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) from the abattoir effluent and two Subtilase-producing E. coli from the slaughterhouse’s effluent and a sample of carrots. Our results provide evidence that pathogenic E. coli can contaminate the environment as a result of the discharge into the environment of untreated abattoir effluent, representing a reservoir for STEC and other diarrheagenic E. coli favouring their spread to crops.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.