Every year during the summer months, our laboratory monitors Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) strains in swabs taken from cattle and pig carcasses. This monitoring is carried out in three rounds and includes analysis of the STX1, STX2 and EAE genes.
STEC are zoonotic pathogenic bacteria that occur naturally in the digestive tract of ruminants, which are considered to be the main reservoir of these bacteria. In humans, these bacteria can cause severe intestinal infections. Infection occurs through consumption of contaminated food, unpasteurised milk, undercooked meat or contaminated water. STEC includes a wide range of serogroups, with serogroups O157, O26, O111, O103 and O145 causing the most serious infections.
This year our laboratory tested 40 bovine samples, of which 13 were positive. For swine samples, we analysed 51 samples, of which 13 were positive. Typing of positive samples will continue in the coming weeks.
