Prevalence of shigatoxinogenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in several species of carnivoras and poultry as well as some other species

MacConkey broth cultures of fecal samples and intestinal contents (hens = 372, turkies = 102, birds = 74, dogs = 152, cats = 69) as well as E. coli isolates (hens = 130, pheasants = 5, dogs = 113, cats = 72, horses = 5, red foxes = 506, wild rabbits = 65, roes = 10 and 1 kagu) were tested by PCR for stx-genes. The results were verified by dot-blot with DIG-labeled probes and the STEC strains were isolated by using colony hybridisation. STEC strains were examined by PCR for further virulence genes (eaeA, EHEC-hylA, pcvd419, sta, It), O-serotyped and tested for adherence on HeLa-cells. Shigatoxin production of stx-positive samples were detected by using ELISA. Stx-genes were found in samples of dogs (1.9 %), red foxes (1.2 %) and hens (1.2 %) as well as in 1 (10 %) sample of wild ducks, 1 (10 %) of roes and 1 of a kagu. By colony hybridisation 60 STEC strains were isolated from 20 stx-positive samples of animals. Seventeen of them belonged to serovare O138, three to O147 and one to O8, the remaining thirty-nine STEC isolates were untypable. The EHEC-hlyA-gene was found in fifteen isolates of foxes in twelve together with the pcvd419-gene. The eaeA-gene could be detected in three isolates of ducks, sta in nine isolates of hens, in one isolate of dogs and It in three strains of foxes. The HeLa-cell-test was only positive in three isolates of foxes. The shigatoxin production was detected by ELISA in seven of twenty stx-positive samples.