Frequency of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in cattle at a breeding farm and at a slaughterhouse in Japan

To investigate the frequency of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STE C) infected calves at a breeding farm and cattle at a slaughterhouse in Toh oku area of Japan, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detecti on of genes for Shiga toxin(s). The fecal samples from a total of 204 calve s and 306 cattle were examined. The prevalence rates in calves less than 2 months of age, cattle 2-8 months of age, and adults greater than 1 year of age were 39.4, 78.9, and 40.8%, respectively. Detection frequency of STEC i n the fecal specimens from calves aged 0-8 months was not different among t he breeds of cattle (Holstein: H, Japanese black cattle: B, and F1: HxB). O n the other hand, for calves over 12 months of age, the frequency of STEC i n Japanese black cattle and Fl were significantly higher than in Holstein c attle. Serogroups of STEC usually identified in human cases of food poisoni ng (O157, O26, and O111) were not frequently found in the feces of the catt le. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.