Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli from Beef Carcass

A survey was performed to estimate the frequency of Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) in carcasses obtained from at an abattoir in Brazil. The aim of present study was to verify the presence of virulence gene in E. coli strains isolated from cattle carcasses and also verify the antimicrobial resistance level these isolates. Thus, three carcass among the 80 tested showed a STEC, stx2-encoding gene. The frequency of carcass contamination by E. coli during processing was tested at three situations, respectively: preevisceration, postevisceration and postprocessing, during the rain and dry seasons. The prevalence of E. coli at the three points was of 14.67%, 37.61%, 14.67% in the rain season and of 7.33%, 11.0%, 14.67% during the dry season, respectively. The highest antimicrobials resistances were to cephalotin, followed by ampicilin and amikacin. The lowest were to trimethoprim, tetracycline and streptomycin. These findings suggest that the cattle carcasses can be vehicles from STEC and also from strains with high antimicrobials resistance for consumers.