VEROTOXIN-PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA-COLI (VTE C) IN FECES FROM CATTLE SLAUGHTERED IN GERMANY

In man, EHEC infections may result in severe disease. Cattle and foods derived from this animal species are considered as a source of infect ion. The presence of VTEC being potential EHEC was studied. For analys is, faeces samples were examined which had been taken from 204 heads o f cattle slaughtered in various regions of Germany. VTEC could be isol ated from 97 animals (47.6%). This indicates a presence of VTEC in sla ughtered cattle being 5 times higher than known for Germany so far. Th e aeaA gene could be demonstrated in a mere 23 out of 667 VTEC isolate s. The CVD 419 sequence was present in 55.3% of the VTEC isolates, Ehl y was found in 61% of them. Consequently, both markers were unsuitable for the detection of VTEC in faeces samples from cattle and in foods with faecal contamination. The VTEC isolates belonged to 54 different serotypes of E. coli. VTEC O157 have not been found so far. Some of th e VTEC serovars found in this study have already been described as ass ociated with human disease following EHEC infection. The presently ava ilable laboratory methods do not permit to exclude a risk for humans f rom bovine VTEC reliably. For this reason, bovine VTEC should be furth er on considered as potential EHEC and an infection of humans by such agents be avoided.