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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340588
Research Project: Developing Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Management Practices for the Use of Animal Manure

Location: Food Animal Environmental Systems Research

Title: Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle at slaughter and beef carcasses at retail shops in Ethiopia

Author
item ABDISSA, ROSA - Addis Ababa University
item HAILE, WOYNSHET - Addis Ababa University
item FITE, AKAFETE - Addis Ababa University
item BEYI, ASHENAFI - University Of Florida
item Agga, Getahun
item EDAO, BEDASO - Addis Ababa University
item TADESSE, FANOS - Addis Ababa University
item KORSA, MESULA - University Of Melbourne
item BEYENE, TAKELE - Addis Ababa University
item BEYENE, TARIKU - Wageningen University
item DE ZUTTER, LIEVEN - Ghent University
item COX, ERIC - Ghent University
item GODDEERIS, BRUNO - Ghent University

Submitted to: BMC Infectious Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2017
Publication Date: 4/17/2017
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5700730
Citation: Abdissa, R., Haile, W., Fite, A.T., Beyi, A.F., Agga, G.E., Edao, B.M., Tadesse, F., Korsa, M.G., Beyene, T., Beyene, T.J., De Zutter, L., Cox, E., Goddeeris, B.M. 2017. Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle at slaughter and beef carcasses at retail shops in Ethiopia. BMC Infectious Diseases. 17:277. doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2372-2.

Interpretive Summary: Escherichia coli O157: H7 causes mild to severe symptoms in people. People become infected mainly through consumption of contaminated beef. Unlike in developed countries, information regarding the occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 is limited in developing countries. Samples were collected from beef cattle at processing plants, beef carcasses at retail shops and people at health centers and tested for the presence of E. coli O157: H7. E. coli O157: H7 occurred at low levels in the beef cattle at processing and carcasses at retail shops. The organism was not detected from any of the stool samples collected from people. All of the isolates were found to be resistant to amoxicillin. All isolates were susceptible to the remaining nine antibiotics tested. Our finding indicated that the hygienic processing procedures in the processing plants and the storage conditions in the retail shops were effective against E. coli O157: H7.

Technical Abstract: Background: There is paucity of information regarding the epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in developing countries. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 associated with beef cattle at processing plants and at retail shops in Ethiopia. Methods: Various samples were collected from beef cattle at slaughter/processing plants, carcass at retail shops and humans at health centers. E. coli O157: H7 was isolated, identified and characterized for antimicrobial resistance, using standard microbiological methods. Results: At the processing plants E. coli O157: H7 was detected in 1.89% of fecal, 0.81% of intestinal mucosal swab, 0.54% of skin swab and 0.54% of carcass internal swab samples. At retail shops it was detected in 0.8% of carcass and 0.8% of cutting board swab samples, while all samples from utensils, hands from workers, and fecal and stool samples were negative. All isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin, moderately resistant to Cefoxitine and Nitrofurantoins but susceptible to other antimicrobials tested. Conclusions: E. coli O157: H7 occurs at low prevalence in beef cattle, and the current sanitary dressing procedures in the processing plants and storage conditions in the retail shops are effective against E. coli O157: H7.