Fecal metagenome sequences from lactating dairy cows shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7

Authors: SALAHEEN, SARAJUS - University Of Maryland; KIM, SEON-WOO - University Of Maryland; KARN, JEFFREY - Collaborator; Haley, Bradd; Van Kessel, Jo Ann

Submitted to: Microbiology Resource Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/17/2018
Publication Date: 11/8/2018
Citation: Salaheen, S., Kim, S., Karn, J.S., Haley, B.J., Van Kessel, J.S. 2018. Fecal metagenome sequences from lactating dairy cows shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 7:e01279-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01279-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01279-18

Interpretive Summary: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major bacterial pathogen estimated to cause 63,000 domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, 2000 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths in the U.S. per year. Cattle can carry this bacterium in their intestinal tracts without typical symptoms of infection, and they intermittently excrete it in their feces. This can lead to contamination of meat and milk, produce, water, and the environment. The normal microorganisms in the intestines of cattle may have a role in the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in the cow gut and when it is shed in the feces. To identify E. coli O157:H7-associated microbial flora, we sequenced the genetic materials in the feces from E. coli O157:H7-shedding and non-shedding cows. The sequences have been added to the public domain. This information can be used by other researchers to further understand the dynamics of bovine gut microorganisms.

Technical Abstract: Cattle are primary reservoirs of Escherichia coli O157:H7, a causative agent of human infections To facilitate analyses of the communities in which this pathogen is found we sequenced the fecal metagenomes of 10 dairy cows that were shedding and 4 dairy cows that were not shedding E. coli O157:H7 and added the sequences to the public domain.