Source: EASTERN REGIONAL RES CENTER submitted to
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SHIGA-TOXIN PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA COLI (STEC) IN SWINE
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0420566
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
1935-42000-070-02R
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Mar 1, 2011
Project End Date
May 1, 2012
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
FRATAMICO P M
Recipient Organization
EASTERN REGIONAL RES CENTER
(N/A)
WYNDMOOR,PA 19118
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
60%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3143260110010%
7123280110010%
3143320110050%
7123470110020%
3143520110010%
Goals / Objectives
Long term goal is to reduce the zoonotic transmission of food-borne pathogens in pork. The overall research objective of this proposal is to fill a critical information gap regarding the epidemiology of shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) shedding in swine.
Project Methods
The approach is phenotypic and genotypic characterization of STEC isolates from longitudinally sampled swine.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Long term goal is to reduce the zoonotic transmission of food-borne pathogens in pork. The overall research objective of this proposal is to fill a critical information gap regarding the epidemiology of shiga-toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC) shedding in swine. Approach (from AD-416): The approach is phenotypic and genotypic characterization of STEC isolates from longitudinally sampled swine. Researchers at the ARS ERRC Molecular Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens Research Unit in Wyndmoor, PA collaborated with scientists at Michigan State University on a project to examine the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in swine and the epidemiology of shedding of these pathogens. This project was funded by the National Pork Board. A method employed involved screening enrichment of swine fecal samples for the genes encoding for the Shiga toxins and the intimin membrane protein by the polymerase chain reaction followed by isolation of the STEC strains from the enrichments. Hundreds of STEC strains were isolated from the fecal samples. The strains were confirmed as STEC, and they were be characterized to determine the presence of additional virulence genes and determine the serogroup. This research provided useful information to establish if swine are a reservoir for STEC, particularly STEC that are potentially highly pathogenic in humans, and the data from the research will help to reduce zoonotic transmission of these pathogens.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications


    Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

    Outputs
    Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Long term goal is to reduce the zoonotic transmission of food-borne pathogens in pork. The overall research objective of this proposal is to fill a critical information gap regarding the epidemiology of shiga-toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC) shedding in swine. Approach (from AD-416) The approach is phenotypic and genotypic characterization of STEC isolates from longitudinally sampled swine. A method based on screening swine fecal enrichments for the genes encoding for STEC Shiga toxins and the intimin membrane protein by the polymerase chain reaction followed by isolation of the STEC strains from the samples was used. The strains were confirmed as STEC, and they will be characterized to determine the presence of additional virulence genes. This research will provide useful information to determine if swine are a reservoir for STEC and will help to reduce the zoonotic transmission of these pathogens.

    Impacts
    (N/A)

    Publications