Animal sources of common serotypes of escherichia coli in the food of hospital patients possible significance in urinary-tract infections
TL;DR: It is suggested that the administration of antibiotics to animals may be followed by the establishment of antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli in the human bowel, with the subsequent appearance of urinary-tract infections which are more difficult to treat.
About: This article is published in The Lancet.The article was published on 1970-08-01. It has received 68 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Population & Escherichia coli.
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TL;DR: This review addresses the problems associated with these pathogens, demonstrating that increasing the awareness of them is a major part of the problem and some methods of improving isolation of these pathogens are addressed.
Abstract: Following a brief review of the ecology of Escherichia coli in general, the role of Shiga-Toxigenic (Verocytotoxigenic) E. coli (STEC) as pathogens is addressed. While STEC belonging to the serogroup O157 have been extensively studied and shown to be involved in many cases and outbreaks of human disease, the importance of STEC belonging to other serogroups has not been recognized as much. This review addresses the problems associated with these pathogens, demonstrating that increasing the awareness of them is a major part of the problem. This review then demonstrates how widespread isolations especially from food animals and human disease have been, discussing in particular STEC belonging to serogroups O8, O26, O103, O111, O113 and O128. The animal host-specificity of these STEC is also reviewed. In conclusion some methods of improving isolation of these pathogens is addressed.
283Â citations
Cites background from "Animal sources of common serotypes ..."
...It has been shown many years ago that E. coli isolated from the feces of animals at slaughter can be isolated throughout the food chain (Shooter et al. 1970, 1974)....
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TL;DR: The widespread occurrence of plasmids among NMEC strains and members of the mixed cluster suggests that plasmid-mediated virulence in these pathotypes warrants further attention.
Abstract: Since extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains from human and avian hosts encounter similar challenges in establishing infection in extraintestinal locations, they may share similar contents of virulence genes and capacities to cause disease. In the present study, 1,074 ExPEC isolates were classified by phylogenetic group and possession of 67 other traits, including virulence-associated genes and plasmid replicon types. These ExPEC isolates included 452 avian pathogenic E. coli strains from avian colibacillosis, 91 neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strains causing human neonatal meningitis, and 531 uropathogenic E. coli strains from human urinary tract infections. Cluster analysis of the data revealed that most members of each subpathotype represent a genetically distinct group and have distinguishing characteristics. However, a genotyping cluster containing 108 ExPEC isolates was identified, heavily mixed with regard to subpathotype, in which there was substantial trait overlap. Many of the isolates within this cluster belonged to the O1, O2, or O18 serogroup. Also, 58% belonged to the ST95 multilocus sequence typing group, and over 90% of them were assigned to the B2 phylogenetic group typical of human ExPEC strains. This cluster contained strains with a high number of both chromosome- and plasmid-associated ExPEC genes. Further characterization of this ExPEC subset with zoonotic potential urges future studies exploring the potential for the transmission of certain ExPEC strains between humans and animals. Also, the widespread occurrence of plasmids among NMEC strains and members of the mixed cluster suggests that plasmid-mediated virulence in these pathotypes warrants further attention.
252Â citations
Cites background from "Animal sources of common serotypes ..."
...Speculation has long existed regarding a food-borne origin for extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains (28, 33, 42) and has spawned recent work investigating E....
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TL;DR: There is evidence that a proportion of human extraintestinal ESCR-EC infections originate from FPAs, and poultry, in particular, is probably a source, but the quantitative and geographical extent of the problem is unclear and requires further investigation.
Abstract: To find out whether food-producing animals (FPAs) are a source of extraintestinal expanded-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli (ESCR-EC) infections in humans, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically reviewed. Thirty-four original, peer-reviewed publications were identified for inclusion. Six molecular epidemiology studies supported the transfer of resistance via whole bacterium transmission (WBT), which was best characterized among poultry in the Netherlands. Thirteen molecular epidemiology studies supported transmission of resistance via mobile genetic elements, which demonstrated greater diversity of geography and host FPA. Seventeen molecular epidemiology studies did not support WBT and two did not support mobile genetic element-mediated transmission. Four observational epidemiology studies were consistent with zoonotic transmission. Overall, there is evidence that a proportion of human extraintestinal ESCR-EC infections originate from FPAs. Poultry, in particular, is probably a source, but the quantitative and geographical extent of the problem is unclear and requires further investigation.
206Â citations
TL;DR: To determine the rate of antibiotic resistance transmission between commensal and pathogenic representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae, a large number of animals from around the world have been infected with E. coli.
Abstract: Aim: To determine the rate of antibiotic resistance transmission between commensal and pathogenic representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae.
Methods and Results: Through the use of a validated in vitro simulation of the porcine ileum, the transmission of antibiotic resistance was detected between commensal Escherichia coli, E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. Countable transconjugant populations arose readily and, in one example, proved capable of indefinite persistence.
Conclusions: Genetic material conferring antibiotic resistance is readily transmissible between members of the Enterobacteriaceae under ileal conditions. Recipient phenotype influences the persistence of multi-resistant transconjugants.
Significance and Impact of the Study: The observation that the conjugal transmission of antibiotic resistance is commonplace under ileal conditions impacts primarily on the risk of food contamination by multi-resistant bacteria. The establishment of a multi-resistant transconjugant population as a dominant member of the microflora maintains a genetic reservoir of antimicrobial resistance.
157Â citations
Cites background from "Animal sources of common serotypes ..."
...The reality of bacterial food contamination (e.g. Shooter et al. 1970; Linton et al. 1977) and transmission of Enterobacteriaceae both between animals and man (e.g. Levy et al. 1976; Calvert et al. 1998) has been well established....
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TL;DR: Findings suggest that APEC plasmids, such as pAPEC-O2-ColV, contribute to the pathogenesis of avian colibacillosis, since avian E. coli and their plasmid may be transmitted to humans, evaluation of APECplasmids as possible reservoirs of urovirulence genes for human UPEC may be warranted.
Abstract: We have found an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) plasmid, pAPEC-O2-ColV, which contains many of the genes associated with APEC virulence and also shows similarity in content to a plasmid and pathogenicity island of human uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). To test the possible role of this plasmid in virulence, it was transferred by conjugation along with a large R plasmid, pAPEC-O2-R, into a commensal avian E. coli strain. The transconjugant was compared to recipient strain NC, UPEC strain HE300, and donor strain APEC O2 using various assays, including lethality for chicken embryos, growth in human urine, and ability to cause urinary tract infection in mice. The transconjugant killed significantly more chicken embryos than did the recipient. In human urine, APEC O2 grew at a rate equivalent to that of UPEC strain HE300, and the transconjugant showed significantly increased growth compared to the recipient. The transconjugant also significantly outcompeted the recipient in colonization of the murine kidney. These findings suggest that APEC plasmids, such as pAPEC-O2-ColV, contribute to the pathogenesis of avian colibacillosis. Moreover, since avian E. coli and their plasmids may be transmitted to humans, evaluation of APEC plasmids as possible reservoirs of urovirulence genes for human UPEC may be warranted.
151Â citations
Cites background from "Animal sources of common serotypes ..."
...So too, evidence exists that this microbial transfer from birds to human beings may involve potential human pathogens (24, 43)....
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References
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TL;DR: For most organisms there would be no way to study the strain composition of material containing them, but the great antigenic diversity of E. coli offers an opportunity to determine at least whether the number of strains present at any one time is small or large and whether individual strains tend to persist over long periods or whether their tenure is very brief.
Abstract: There is ample evidence that man invariably acquires E8cherichia coli during the first day or two of life, if not, indeed, even before birth, and that he is never thereafter without it. The constancy of this occurrence makes it a safe presumption that every day throughout life new strains of this organism are introduced into the intestinal tract. If all strains established themselves there and multiplied with equal facility, one would expect that the strain composition of the E. coli of the feces of any individual over a period of time would present an exceedingly complicated and constantly changing picture. There are so many unknown factors involved in this picture, however, that inferences are of little value unless supported by observed facts. For most organisms there would be no way to study the strain composition of material containing them, but the great antigenic diversity of E. coli offers an opportunity to determine at least whether the number of strains present at any one time is small or large and whether individual strains tend to persist over long periods or whether their tenure is very brief. Two studies have been made in recent years that throw some light on this subject. Kauffmann and Perch (1943) studied two persons over a period of approximately 4 months, plating out stool specimens from each at irregular intervals, selecting 2 to 4 colonies from each plate and classifying them with respect to their 0 groups. The results from one of their subjects revealed one to three different antigenic groups in each specimen. In only one instance was the same group found in two specimens, and in this case the interval between its first and last appearance was so long (90 days) as to suggest that it more likely represented the appearance of a new strain of the group than the persistence in the bowel of the original one. Their other subject, however, yielded the same antigenic group in each of 10 successive specimens collected over a period of 42 days, together with occasional more transient groups, and after its disappearance another group appeared in 3 successive specimens collected during a period of 58 days. Waliick and Stuart (1943) made a study on a single subject, collecting specimens at more frequent and more regular intervals and picking 10 colonies from each specimen. Their study continued over a period of 15 months and revealed a more or less definite pattern in the E. coli strain composition of the feces of the individual studied. Three of their antigenic groups were almost continuously present for several months each, but not concurrently, though there was some overlapping. Along with these, in most specimens, there appeared from one to three others that were either not found at all in later specimens or in only a few successive
171Â citations
TL;DR: Of 873 samples of hospital food examined, 63 contained Escherichia coli in numbers between 25 and 10 4 per gramme, and it was found that the faecal serotypes of E. coli of ward patients were generally similar to those present in food.
77Â citations
TL;DR: The faecal E. coli population of the patients was constantly changing, and on 31 occasions during the year small clusters of patients carried the same type of e.
Abstract: Specimens of faeces were obtained at weekly intervals for one year from patients in a female medical ward and Escherichia coli present were typed. The faecal E. coli population of the patients was constantly changing. No serotypes of E. coli were dominant, but on 31 occasions during the year small clusters of patients carried the same type.
67Â citations