[Detection of verotoxin-producing E. coli in field isolates from domestic and agricultural animals in Sachsen-Anhalt].

A report is given on the detection of verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) strains from field isolates of healthy or ill cattle (n = 141), pigs (n = 306), sheep (n = 15), cats (n = 29) and dogs (n = 25) in the region of the new federal land Sachsen-Anhalt. 5% of the strains isolated from cattle, 32% from pigs, 20% from sheep, 4% from dogs and 0% from cats have shown VTEC. The E. coli-strains were checked for the presence of other factors of virulence, too. A good correlation (82%) was found between the colonization factor F107 and SLT 2/2v-containing strains from pigs in the region of Sachsen-Anhalt, too. Enterohemolysin was not found in SLT 2/2v-positive strains. 91% of the VTEC, isolated from pigs, produced alpha-Hemolysin. The correlation of SLT-containing strains and the production of enterohemolysin was confirmed for ruminants, only. Plasmidprofilings of VTEC from pigs showed mainly a 60 MDa or a 68 MDa plasmid or both, too. The occurrence of heat labile (LT) and in some cases of heat stable (ST) toxin was also checked, to differentiate the VTEC-strains from the enterotoxigenic E. coli strains (ETEC). These investigations showed, that VTEC produce SLT almost without exception. Correlations and conclusions on the pathogenicity for humans are discussed.