Shiga toxin (stx) encoding genes in sheep and goats reared in Trinidad and Tobago.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is estimated to cause over two million cases of human disease annually. Trinidad and Tobago is one of the largest livestock producer and consumer of sheep and goat meat in the Caribbean, however, the potential role of these animals in the epidemiology of STEC infections has not been previously described. To fill this critical gap in knowledge, the prevalence of Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) shed in the faeces of healthy sheep (n = 204) and goats (n = 105) in Trinidad was investigated.

Identification and Subtyping of Isolates Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF).

Subtyping of bacterial isolates of the same genus and species is an important tool in epidemiological investigations. A number of phenotypic and genotypic subtyping methods are available; however, most of these methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming and require considerable operator skill and a wealth of reagents. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), an alternative to conventional subtyping methods, offers a rapid, reproducible method for bacterial identification with a high sensitivity and specificity and at minimal cost.

Diaphyseal nutrient foramina in the humerus, radius, femur, and tibia bones of mixed breed dogs.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the location, number, and direction of the nutrient foramen in the humerus, radius, femur, and tibia bones of mixed breed dogs.

Materials And Methods: The humerus, radius, femur, and tibia of both (left and right) limbs of mixed breed dogs were examined in this study. The number, location, and direction of the nutrient foramina were identified.

Survival of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Various Wild Animal Feces That May Contaminate Produce.

Abstract: Domestic and wild animal intrusions are identified as a food safety risk during fresh produce production. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle, feral pig, waterfowl, deer, and raccoon feces from sources in California, Delaware, Florida, and Ohio. Fecal samples were inoculated with a cocktail of rifampin-resistant STEC serotypes (O103, O104, O111, O145, and O157) (104 to 106 CFU/g of feces).

A Review of Current Research and Knowledge Gaps in the Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing and spp. in Trinidad and Tobago.

and Shiga toxin-producing are two of the main causes of foodborne disease globally, and while they have been implicated as possible causes of foodborne disease within the Caribbean region, the actual incidence is unknown. Trinidad and Tobago, one of the larger countries in the Caribbean, has an estimated annual foodborne disease burden of over 100,000 cases and, similar to other countries, the etiology of most of these cases is unknown. Both pathogens can reside as part of the normal gastrointestinal microflora of many wild and domestic animals, with animals acting as reservoirs, spillover hosts, or dead-end hosts.

Rapid loss of a green fluorescent plasmid in O157:H7.

Plasmids encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) are frequently used to label bacteria, allowing the identification and differentiation from background flora during experimental studies. Because of its common use in survival studies of the foodborne pathogen O157:H7, it is important to know the extent to which the plasmid is retained in this host system. Herein, the stability of a pGFPuv (Clontech Laboratories Inc) plasmid in six O157:H7 isolates was assessed in an oligotrophic environment (phosphate buffered saline, PBS) without antibiotic selective pressure.

Animal Reservoirs of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains have been detected in a wide diversity of mammals, birds, fish, and several insects. Carriage by most animals is asymptomatic, thus allowing for dissemination of the bacterium in the environment without detection. Replication of the organism may occur in the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, notably ruminants.