Shigatoxin producing Escherichia coli in camel meat marketed in Behaira governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Objective: To detect incidence of Shigatoxin producing Escherichia coli in the examined camel meat samples.

Samples:123 samples

Procedure: All samples were collected from retailed camel carcasses distributed at Albeheira governorate, Egypt. Each individual sample was packaged into a sterile plastic bag then marked and transferred in an insulated icebox to the research laboratory of Food Hygiene and Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, wherein the microbiological examination was done.

Results: Biochemical characteristics suggestive for E. coli colonies (128/156 isolates) were identified as indole +ve, methyl red reaction +ve, Voges Proskauer –ve result, and citrate –ve results. The biochemical tests for the presumptive isolates revealed that only 128 isolates from total of 156 isolates by a percent of 71.87% were biochemically positive E coli and only 92 isolates were confirmed as E. coli based on serological identification and molecular confirmation of E. coli while 46 isolates were confirmed as Shigatoxin producing E. coli containing virulence genes of stx1, stx2, eaeA and hlyA. These results emphasized that retailed camel meat may be a vehicle for EHEC O157:H7 strains which may be of a public health concern, and there is a need to implement protective measures to reduce the levels of their occurrence in meat.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: To our knowledge, this study is one of the fewest studies done to detect the occurrence of shigatoxin producing E. coli in camel carcasses worldwide. Our results clearly determine the incidence of shigatoxin producing E. coli in camels, which may contaminate meat consumed by humans.