Cattle Water Troughs as Reservoirs of Escherichia coli O157

Abstract

Environmental survival of Escherichia coli O157 may play an important role in the persistence and dissemination of this organism on farms. The survival of culturable and infectious E. coli O157 was studied using microcosms simulating cattle water troughs. Culturable E. coli O157 survived for at least 245 days in the microcosm sediments. Furthermore, E. coli O157 strains surviving more than 6 months in contaminated microcosms were infectious to a group of 10-week-old calves. Fecal excretion of E. coli O157 by these calves persisted for 87 days after challenge. Water trough sediments contaminated with feces from cattle excreting E. coli O157 may serve as a long-term reservoir of this organism on farms and a source of infection for cattle.

Farm-level risk factors for fluoroquinolone resistance inE. coliand thermophilicCampylobacterspp. on finisher pig farms

“…This emphasises the importance of hygiene barriers and is consistent with the possibility of resistant E. coli being brought on farm by various 'overland' fomites such as people and wild animals. E. coli are robust, may persist for months or years in the environment [37,38] and be transferred by many fomites such as workers' or animals' feet and vehicle tyres. Therefore, barrier biosecurity measures such as separation from other farms and requirements for visitors are important.…”

Mathematical Modeling of the Transmission and Control of Foodborne Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance at Preharvest

“…In addition, foodborne pathogens often behave as commensals in the animal reservoirs, and therefore the animals are asymptomatically colonized. Foodborne pathogens can often survive and even grow in the farm environment (e.g., in water troughs and feedbunks) and in animal reservoirs other than farm animals (e.g., in pest and wildlife animals) (Lejeune et al, 2001;Oliver et al, 2007). As a consequence, there are multiple direct (e.g., fecal-oral and oral-oral) and indirect (e.g., through environment or mechanical vectors) routes of transmission.…”

Reproduction numbers for infections with free-living pathogens growing in the environment

“…A contaminated environment such as food, water, soil, objects and contact surfaces may transmit infection to susceptible hosts [6,12,44]. Pathogens in a free-living state adapt to the environment by morphological and physiological changes that promote their survival [5] and even growth [36] in the environment. In addition, the presence of a free-living pathogen (FLP) in the environment can be replenished by infectious hosts that excrete the pathogen for a considerable amount of time.…”