Abstract

FLORENTIN, Melisa et al. Portability of fimH in isolates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from cattle, Department of Cordillera, Paraguay. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2018, vol.16, n.1, pp.33-38. ISSN 1812-9528.  https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2018.016(01)33-038.

Certain strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have the ability to form biofilm in food and other surfaces, increasing their potential as a source of contamination. The fimH gene has been associated with the capacity for biofilm formation in E. coli. This cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out with the aim of describing the carrying of fimH in STEC isolates from faecal samples of bovine cattle from the Department of Cordillera in 2016. STEC isolates were obtained by cultures, extraction of DNA and PCR amplification of stx1 and stx2 genes. The fimH gene was detected by conventional PCR. A total of 1006 isolates of E.coli were subjected to DNA extraction and PCR amplification for stx1 and stx2 genes. Of these, 269 were identified as STEC, in which the detection of the fimH gene was carried out by conventional PCR. A representative PCR product was subjected to sequencing of the fimH gene and showed 100% homology with sequences from the GenBank Database. Of 269 STEC isolates, 129 isolates (48%) were found to be carriers of the fimH gene and therefore with the potential to form biofilm. This high frequency represents a risk of persistence of these pathogens in elements and work surfaces of meat products sale and handling sites. This work contributes as an essential tool to continue with the line of research, obtaining data of great importance that help to describe the situation of food contamination risk of the country.

Keywords : STEC; biofilm; cattle..

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )