STUDIES ON E. coli causing cross reaction with brucella in cattle

Abstract

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is part of the normal intestinal flora of human and warm blooded animals (mammals and birds). The organism is excreted with the faeces and may survive in the environment, however, it appears that there is no independent existence outside the body. Thus, E. coli is considered as an indicator organism for faecal contamination and as important parameter in food and water hygiene. Although the majority of E. coli are considered avirulent in the intestine, different types of diseases in humans and animals have been reported to be due to infection with E. coli strains. In man, pathogenic strains of E. coli have been blamed in septicaemia, pneumonia, meningitis, bladder and kidney infections, haemolytic uraemiC syndrome, diarrhoea and dysentery. Infections with E. coli develop through either endogenous routes, or via contaminated equipment and by the hands of the nursing staff in the hospital (Altwegg and Bockem u hi, 1998 ).

In the past, E. coli strains capable of causmg any type of enteric disease were referred to as enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). This term is now used very specifically for one of six different classes of enterovirulent or diarrhoegenic E. coli (Kaper,1994). Members of the first group are called enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) which cause profuse watery diarrhoea of varying severity and persistance and often accampanied by fever and vomiling. Second, is the enterotoxigenic group of E. coli (ETEC) where