Aims: To determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) in calves and lambs with diarrhoea in India. Methods and Results: Faecal samples originating from 391 calves and 101 lambs which had diarrhoea were screened for presence of E. coli. A total number of 309 (249 bovine and 60 ovine) E. coli strains were isolated. A total of 113 bovine and 15 ovine strains were subjected to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) for detection of stx 1 , stx 2 , eaeA and EHEC hlyA genes. STEC and EPEC belonging to different serogpoups were detected in 9AE73% of calves studied. Six per cent and 26AE66% of lambs studied were carrying STEC and EPEC, respectively. Majority of the STEC serogroups isolated in this study did not belong to those which have been identified earlier to be associated mainly with diarrhoea and enteritis in cattle and sheep outside India. The most frequent serogroup among bovine and ovine EPEC was O26 (40%). One of the most important STEC serogroup O157, known for certain life-threatening infections in humans, was isolated from both bovine and ovine faecal samples. Conclusions: A high percentage of STEC and EPEC belonging to different serogroups are prevalent in calves and lambs with diarrhoea in India and could be the cause of disease in them. Significance and Impact of the Study: The study reports, for the first time, the isolation and characterization of STEC and EPEC serogroups associated with diarrhoea in calves and lambs in India. Many STEC and EPEC strains belonged to serogoups known for certain life-threatening diseases in humans.

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Aims: To investigate the presence or absence of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in avian species in India. Methods and Results: Faecal samples originating from 500 chicken and 25 free flying pigeons were screened for the presence of E. coli. A total of 426 (chicken, 401; pigeons, 25) E. coli strains were isolated. Of 426 E. coli strains, 387 were grouped into 77 serogroups, while 70 and 59 strains were untypable and rough, respectively. All isolates were subjected to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) for the detection of stx 1 , stx 2 , eaeA, hlyA and saa genes. None of the E. coli strains studied showed the presence of stx 1 , stx 2 or their variants and saa genes. Overall 11 (2AE74%) and seven (1AE74%) strains from chickens possessed eaeA and hlyA genes, respectively, while as only six (1AE49%) strains from chickens possessed both eaeA and hlyA genes. O9, O8, O60 and O25 serogroups were most predominant of which there were 24 (5AE63%), 23 (5AE39%), 23 (5AE39%) and 20 (4AE69%) strains, respectively. None of the isolates from pigeons showed the presence of any of the virulence genes studied. Conclusions: STEC are absent in chickens and pigeons. However, further studies are required in this direction to confirm or contradict our findings. E. coli strains originating from birds are carrying a low percentage eaeA or hlyA genes.