Aims:  Fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly recognized as vectors for food‐borne illness. On farm contamination through contaminated irrigation water is considered likely source of the pathogen for several outbreaks. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible similarity of strains of Escherichia coli isolated from the soil and vegetables irrigated by treated wastewater. Methods and Results:  Seventy‐five strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from vegetables, soil and irrigation water were tested for sensitivity to antibiotics and shown to be sensitive. The result of enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)‐PCR shows similarities between analysed strains isolated from the three different samples. Moreover strains of E. coli isolated from vegetables over different periods of time have the same ERIC‐PCR profile. Conclusions:  The isolated strains of enteropathogenic E. coli can persist in soil and in vegetables growing in fields treated with contaminated irrigation water for an extended period of time. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Contaminated irrigation water can transport pathogenic bacteria, which persists in the soil for a long period of time and contaminates the vegetables growing in the field irrigated by this contaminated water.

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In Morocco, shellfish sanitary quality analysis does not currently include enteric virus detection. Enteroviruses are classically detected by cell culture, but molecular methods such as RT-PCR are now broadly used alone or associated to cell culture. RT-PCR has the advantage of requiring less time and budget than cell culture. Bivalve mussels, being filter-feeders tend to accumulate viruses in contaminated seawater. In order to assess mussel contamination by enteroviruses, we screened samples of two origins, an aquaculture system and an area where wild mussels grow. Domestic sewage samples from an outlet near the above wild mussels growing area were also analysed. Viruses were concentrated from mussel meat by direct glycine elution and PEG 8000 precipitation. Total RNA was then extracted from the PEG precipitate by the guanidine thiocyanate method and used in RT-PCR. Enterovirus genomes were detected in 10% of wild shellfish samples, whilst none was present in the aquaculture samples. Since organisms harvested in both growing areas are used for human consumption, the enterovirus contamination observed in this study may highlight a potential public health risk and illustrate the importance of including routine virological analysis of shellfish in Morocco.