Detection of pathogenic Escherichia coli in samples collected at an abattoir in Zaria, Nigeria and at different points in the surrounding environment.

Lawan Kabiru,Laura Grande,Stefano Morabito,Junaid Kabir,Mohammed Bello

doi:10.3390/ijerph120100679

Abstract

Pathogenic Escherichia coli can be released with the wastes coming from slaughterhouses into the environment, where they can persist. We investigated the presence of diarrheagenic E. coli in specimens taken at an abattoir located in the Zaria region, Nigeria, in samples of water from the river Koreye, where the effluent from the abattoir spills in, and vegetable specimens taken at a nearby farm. All the isolated E. coli were assayed for the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) by using the Ridascreen verotoxin Immunoassay and by PCR amplification of genes associated with the diarrheagenic E. coli. Three strains from the rectal content of two slaughtered animals and a cabbage were positive for the presence of the Stx-coding genes. Additionally we have isolated one Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) from the abattoir effluent and two Subtilase-producing E. coli from the slaughterhouse’s effluent and a sample of carrots. Our results provide evidence that pathogenic E. coli can contaminate the environment as a result of the discharge into the environment of untreated abattoir effluent, representing a reservoir for STEC and other diarrheagenic E. coli favouring their spread to crops.

Highlights

IntroductionEscherichia coli is a ubiquitous bacterial species commensal of humans and warm blooded animals. some strains have evolved the capability to cause both intestinal and extraintestinal illnesses [1,2]
Escherichia coli is a ubiquitous bacterial species commensal of humans and warm blooded animals. some strains have evolved the capability to cause both intestinal and extraintestinal illnesses [1,2]
We investigated the presence of pathogenic E. coli, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), in specimens taken at a large abattoir, in a water stream receiving the effluent from the slaughterhouse and in a farm producing vegetables that used water from the river to irrigate crops located in the Zaria region, Nigeria

Summary

Introduction

Escherichia coli is a ubiquitous bacterial species commensal of humans and warm blooded animals. some strains have evolved the capability to cause both intestinal and extraintestinal illnesses [1,2]. Escherichia coli is a ubiquitous bacterial species commensal of humans and warm blooded animals. The different pathogenic E. coli are characterized by particular subsets of genes associated with the virulence, identifying distinct groups or pathogroups. Many amongst the enteric infections caused by E. coli are transmitted by inter-human contacts such as those caused by Entero-invasive E. coli (EIEC), Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) or Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) [3,4], while those ascribed to Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), are primarily transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated water or food [5,6]. STEC cause a wide range of human diseases, including mild-to-severe diarrhoea to haemorrhagic colitis (HC) and the life-threatening haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) [6] and are characterised by the production of potent cytotoxins, the Shiga toxins (Stx), whose coding genes are conveyed by temperate bacteriophages [7].

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Conclusion