Is the prevalence and shedding concentrations of E. coli O157 in beef cattle in Scotland seasonal?

Iain D Ogden; Marion MacRae; Norval J C Strachan

doi:10.1016/j.femsle.2004.02.021

Is the prevalence and shedding concentrations of E. coli O157 in beef cattle in Scotland seasonal?

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2004 Apr 15;233(2):297-300. doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.02.021.

Authors

Iain D Ogden¹, Marion MacRae, Norval J C Strachan

Affiliation

¹ Applied Food Microbiology Group, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK. i.ogden@abdn.ac.uk

PMID: 15063499
DOI: 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.02.021

Abstract

The prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in Scottish beef cattle at abattoir was found to be greater during the cooler months [11.2% (95% CI, 8.4-13.9%)] compared to the warmer months [7.5% (95% CI, 5.4-9.6%)]; the reverse of seasonality of human infections. However, high shedding beef cattle (excreting 10(-4) g(-1)) appear to shed greater concentrations of E. coli O157 in the warmer months which may partly explain increased human infection seasonality at this time.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle
Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
Cattle Diseases / microbiology*
Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology*
Escherichia coli O157 / isolation & purification*
Escherichia coli O157 / pathogenicity
Feces / microbiology
Meat / microbiology
Prevalence
Scotland
Seasons*
Virulence