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| Author(s): |
Adriana Lucatelli
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) |
| Defense date: | 2012-02-24 |
| Examining board members: |
Mariza Landgraf;
Roxane Maria Fontes Piazza;
Véra Lúcia Mores Rall
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| Advisor: | Mariza Landgraf |
| Abstract | |
Although Escherichia coli O157:H7 is still considered the most important serotype involved in foodborne disease outbreaks among Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), other serogroups are receiving more attention such as O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145, that are being called the \"Top Six STEC non O157\". STEC are responsible for symptoms ranging from simple diarrhea to bloody diarrhea, which can further evolve to hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which may cause damage such as chronic renal failure and lead to death. To do so, they have several virulence factors, including the Shiga toxins (Stx) or verotoxins (Vtx). The vehicles of these microorganisms are many foods, most notably, the ground beef. Despite the importance of ground beef as a vehicle for transmitting STEC, little is known about their presence in this kind of food sold in São Paulo, SP. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the presence of STEC in ground beef sold at retail level in Sao Paulo city and characterize the isolates for the presence of the following virulence factors: stx1, stx2, eae and ehx. 248 samples were collected in different districts of Sao Paulo city. For the detection of E. coli O157 serogroup the methodology ISO 16654 was used and for the detection of serogroups O103, O111, O145 and O26 the methodology described by the Surveillance Group for Diseases and Infections of Animals (NRM 006) was used. One sample of ground beef (0.4%) showed the presence of the microorganism studied. The biochemical and genotypical identification characterized this isolate as STEC O157:H7, carrying all of the investigated virulence factors: stx1, stx2, eae and ehx. The expression of stx proteins in Vero cells was also observed. This is the first report on the isolation of E. coli O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing from ground beef in Brazil. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 10/03224-9 - Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ground beef at retail level in São Paulo city, Brazil. |
| Grantee: | Adriana Lucatelli |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |