Regional variation in the prevalence of E. coli O157 in cattle: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Md Zohorul Islam,Paritosh Kumar Biswas,Shahana Ahmed,Sharmin Chowdhury,Kamrul Islam,Alfred Musekiwa,Abdul Ahad,Qijing Zhang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093299

Md Zohorul Islam, Paritosh Kumar Biswas + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093299

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Abstract

Background Escherichia coli O157 (EcO157) infection has been recognized as an important global public health concern. But information on the prevalence of EcO157 in cattle at the global and at the wider geographical levels is limited, if not absent. This is the first meta-analysis to investigate the point prevalence of EcO157 in cattle at the global level and to explore the factors contributing to variation in prevalence estimates.MethodsSeven electronic databases- CAB s, PubMed, Biosis Citation Index, Medline, Web of Knowledge, Scirus and Scopus were searched for relevant publications from 1980 to 2012. A random effect meta-analysis model was used to produce the pooled estimates. The potential sources of between study heterogeneity were identified using meta-regression.Principal findingsA total of 140 studies consisting 220,427 cattle were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence estimate of EcO157 in cattle at the global level was 5.68% (95% CI, 5.16–6.20). The random effects pooled prevalence estimates in Africa, Northern America, Oceania, Europe, Asia and Latin America-Caribbean were 31.20% (95% CI, 12.35–50.04), 7.35% (95% CI, 6.44–8.26), 6.85% (95% CI, 2.41–11.29), 5.15% (95% CI, 4.21–6.09), 4.69% (95% CI, 3.05–6.33) and 1.65% (95% CI, 0.77–2.53), respectively. Between studies heterogeneity was evidenced in most regions. World region (p<0.001), type of cattle (p<0.001) and to some extent, specimens (p = 0.074) as well as method of pre-enrichment (p = 0.110), were identified as factors for variation in the prevalence estimates of EcO157 in cattle.ConclusionThe prevalence of the organism seems to be higher in the African and Northern American regions. The important factors that might have influence in the estimates of EcO157 are type of cattle and kind of screening specimen. Their roles need to be determined and they should be properly handled in any survey to estimate the true prevalence of EcO157.

Highlights

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 (EHEC O157), known as verocytotoxin producing or shiga toxin producing EcO157, is a very important and world-wide reported food-borne pathogen
The important factors that might have influence in the estimates of EcO157 are type of cattle and kind of screening specimen. Their roles need to be determined and they should be properly handled in any survey to estimate the true prevalence of EcO157
It causes hemorrhagic colitis with some severe sequelae including hemolytic uremic syndrome which is caused by the effect of shiga toxin produced by the organism that acts on kidney, intestine and other parenchymatous organs [1]

Summary

Introduction

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 (EHEC O157), known as verocytotoxin producing or shiga toxin producing EcO157, is a very important and world-wide reported food-borne pathogen. It causes hemorrhagic colitis with some severe sequelae including hemolytic uremic syndrome which is caused by the effect of shiga toxin produced by the organism that acts on kidney, intestine and other parenchymatous organs [1]. Escherichia coli O157 (EcO157) infection has been recognized as an important global public health concern. Information on the prevalence of EcO157 in cattle at the global and at the wider geographical levels is limited, if not absent. This is the first meta-analysis to investigate the point prevalence of EcO157 in cattle at the global level and to explore the factors contributing to variation in prevalence estimates

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