Detection of the saa gene in verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli from ruminants. |
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| Authors: | José A Orden Carmen Cortés José A Ruiz-Santa-quiteria Susana Martínez Ricardo de la Fuente |
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| Institution: | Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. |
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| Abstract: | A total of 163 verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) strains isolated from diarrheic and healthy cattle, sheep, and goats were analyzed for the presence of the saa gene by polymerase chain reaction. Seventeen (45.9%) and 5 (29.4%) of the VTEC isolated from healthy cattle and diarrheic calves, respectively, had the saa gene. None of the saa-positive strains carried the eae gene, but 20 of the 22 saa positive were ehxA positive. In contrast with cattle VTEC, none of the VTEC isolated from small ruminants were saa positive. These results show that the saa gene is commonly associated with bovine eae-negative VTEC strains but not with ovine or caprine VTEC strains. |
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