Abstract
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 are responsible for repeated food-poisoning cases often caused by contaminated burgers. EHEC infection is predominantly a pediatric illness, which can lead to life-threatening diseases. Ruminants are the main natural reservoir for EHEC and food contamination almost always originates from faecal contamination. In beef meat products, primary bacterial contamination occurs at the dehiding stage of slaughtering. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the most exposed part of the skeletal muscles in beef carcasses. Investigating the adhesion to the main muscle fibrous ECM proteins, insoluble fibronectin, collagen I, III and IV, laminin-α2 and elastin, results demonstrated that the preceding growth conditions had a great influence on subsequent bacterial attachment. In the tested experimental conditions, maximal adhesion to fibril-forming collagens I or III occurred at 25°C and pH 7. Once initially adhered, exposure to lower temperatures, as applied to meat during cutting and storage, or acidification, as in the course of post-mortem physiological modifications of muscle, had no effect on detachment, except at pHu. In addition, dense biofilm formation occurred on immobilized collagen I or III and was induced in growth medium supplemented with collagen I in solution. From this first comprehensive investigation of EHEC adhesion to ECM proteins with respect to muscle biology and meat processing, new research directions for the development of innovative practices to minimize the risk of meat contamination are further discussed.
Highlights
Worldwide, the occurrence of food poisoning following the consumption of products contaminated with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is recurrent [1]
The EHEC reference strain O157:H7 EDL933 was originally isolated from contaminated burgers responsible for an outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis that occurred in the United States of America [4]
Besides chemically defined or complex basal nutrient media generally used for growth of EHEC strains in laboratory, more specific undefined media close to the conditions encountered in the digestive tract of ruminants, i.e. before faecal contamination of meat products, were used, namely LH (Leedle Hespell) containing fluid rumen content (22), BJIC and BCC [38]
Summary
The occurrence of food poisoning following the consumption of products contaminated with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is recurrent [1]. The EHEC reference strain O157:H7 EDL933 was originally isolated from contaminated burgers (beef patty) responsible for an outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis that occurred in the United States of America [4]. From this episode in 1982, the significance of EHEC as a serious public health problem was first recognized. EHEC infection manifests clinically with diarrhea and abdominal cramps before proceeding to hemorrhagic colitis characterized by bloody diarrhea [5,6] It can occur at any age, EHEC infection is predominantly a pediatric illness [7]. It can cause into most acute forms of life-threatening complications, namely haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) especially in young children less than 5 years old, or more rarely into thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) [8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
