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Title: DETECTION OF E. COLI O157 IN BOVINE FECES USING THE R.A.P.I.D. SYSTEM E. COLI O157 DETECTION KIT

Author
item Bono, James - Jim
item Keen, James
item Laegreid, William

Submitted to: American Society of Microbiologists Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ruminants shedding E. coli O157:H7 in their feces can directly or indirectly contaminate water sources, vegetable crops, carcasses in slaughterhouse and petting zoo environments. Rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 in fresh animal feces could identify potential shedders and permit interventions to be put in place to minimize the spread and potential risk of disease by this organism. The Ruggedized Advanced Pathogen Identification Device (R.A.P.I.D.) system E. coli O157 detection kit (Idaho Technology Inc.) is an air thermocycler with fluorescence monitoring capabilities capable of identifying E. coli O157 in as little as 30 minutes. Ninety-six of ninety-six E. coli O157:H7 isolates from bovine, human and food were positive using the E. coli O157 detection kit. We also sampled 49 bovine fecal samples from a known E. coli O157:H7 infected beef feedlot and compared the R.A.P.I.D. results to a standard culturing and isolation method. Twenty-nine of the 49 bovine fecal samples were positiv by the E. coli O157 detection kit compared to 12 positives by standard culturing method. The 12 positive samples and 13 negative samples by culturing when assayed by the E. coli O157 Detection kit after a 6-hour incubation in GN broth containing vancomycin, cefixime, and cefsulodin were positive. These results demonstrate the potential use of this kit for identifying E. coli O157.