CHARACTERIZATION PATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATES OBTAINED FROM THE BEEF PRODUCTION CHAIN

Pathogenic Escherichia coli including Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a food and water borne pathogen reported in numerous outbreaks worldwide with diverse clinical spectra. In South Africa, little has been done about the application of WGS as subtyping method involving bovine isolates recovered along the beef chain. Hence, this study aimed to apply WGS as an epidemiological surveillance tool to assess the virulence potentials, phylogenetic relationship and diversity of pathogenic E. coli together with STEC isolates recovered along the beef chain, which include the feedlot, abattoir environment, carcasses, raw beef and processed beef products. The objectives were to determine stx gene variants along the beef production chain, to determine the prevalent serotypes the various subtypes of associated virulence genes of pathogenic STEC and to determine relatedness and transmission pathways along the beef production chain.