Detection of Pathogenic Escherichia coli in Samples Collected at an Abattoir in Zaria, Nigeria and at Different Points in the Surrounding Environment

Lawan Mohammed Kabiru, Mohammed Bello, Junaid Kabir, Laura Grande and Stefano Morabito
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Lawan Mohammed Kabiru: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1096, Zaria 2222, Nigeria
Mohammed Bello: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1096, Zaria 2222, Nigeria
Junaid Kabir: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1096, Zaria 2222, Nigeria
Laura Grande: EU Reference Laboratory for E. coli, Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy
Stefano Morabito: EU Reference Laboratory for E. coli, Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Pathogenic Escherichia coli can be released with the wastes coming from slaughterhouses into the environment, where they can persist. We investigated the presence of diarrheagenic E. coli in specimens taken at an abattoir located in the Zaria region, Nigeria, in samples of water from the river Koreye, where the effluent from the abattoir spills in, and vegetable specimens taken at a nearby farm. All the isolated E. coli were assayed for the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) by using the Ridascreen verotoxin Immunoassay and by PCR amplification of genes associated with the diarrheagenic E. coli . Three strains from the rectal content of two slaughtered animals and a cabbage were positive for the presence of the Stx-coding genes. Additionally we have isolated one Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) from the abattoir effluent and two Subtilase-producing E. coli from the slaughterhouse’s effluent and a sample of carrots. Our results provide evidence that pathogenic E. coli can contaminate the environment as a result of the discharge into the environment of untreated abattoir effluent, representing a reservoir for STEC and other diarrheagenic E. coli favouring their spread to crops.

Keywords: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; slaughterhouse; environmental contamination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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