ISOLATION OF VEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI FROM THE TASMANIAN ENVIRONMENT

Growing concerns on the emergence of verotoxin producing Escherichia c oli (VTEC) in Australia have focused our attention on the possible sou rces of VTEC within the island state of Tasmania. An analysis of 156 f ood samples and 194 water samples obtained from various areas revealed evidence of eight possible sources. Six strains, with serotypes Ont:H nt, O86:H-, O88:H-, O126:H21 and 0134:H-, were isolated from water sam ples. Two VTEC of serotypes Ont:H8, O81:H- were isolated from raw meat samples. The waterborne isolates produced verocytotoxin, VT1, while b oth foodborne isolates were strong producers of VT2. Three VTEC isolat es produced haemolysins, only one produced enterohaemolysin (EntHly) a nd the remaining were reported with alpha-haemoiysin (alpha-Hly) activ ity. An important feature in the majority of isolates from water was t heir lack of ability to ferment lactose these isolates are routinely o verlooked in public health laboratories. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.