Edirne İlindeki Sığırlarda Escherichia coli O157:H7’nin Moleküler Prevalansı

Abstract

Escherichia coli O157:H7, rezervuarı olduğu sığırların bağırsak florasında bulunan ve dışkılarının yayılmasıyla gıda ve suyu kontamine eden zoonotik bir bakteridir. Direkt temas veya indirekt aracılarla bulaşabilen etken insanlarda ciddi hastalıklara sebep olabilmektedir. Bu nedenle, sığırların etken taşıyıcılıklarının araştırılması olası bulaşların önlenmesi açısından önem arz etmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Edirne İlinde yetiştirilen sığırlarda E. coli O157:H7’nin varlığının Real-Time PCR ile araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın materyalini, Edirne il ve ilçelerindeki köylerde bulunan yarı ekstansif (n=59) ve entansif (n=20) işletmelerden alınan toplam 400 taze dışkı örneği oluşturdu. Bu örnekler, klinik duruma göre asemptomatik (n=260) ve semptomatik (n=140) hayvanlardan; yaş grubuna göre ise buzağı (n=120), düve (n=80) ve erişkin sığırdan (n=200) alınmıştır. Dışkı örneklerinin E. coli O157:H7 yönünden analizi Real-Time PCR yöntemi ile gerçekleştirildi. Biri entansif işletmeye ait halsizlik, iştahsızlık ve hafif kanlı sulu ishalli bir buzağı ve biri yarı ekstansif bir işletmeye ait asemptomatik ergin bir sığır olmak üzere toplam iki (%0,5) örnekte E. coli O157:H7 pozitifliği tespit edildi. Sığırlarda yetiştirme türü, klinik durum ve yaş gibi faktörlerle E. coli O157:H7 pozitifliği arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamasına rağmen (p>0,05), farklı karakteristikleriyle ile değişen oranlarda rezervuarlık yaptıkları E. coli O157:H7’nin epidemiyolojisini etkileyebilecekleri düşündürmektedir. Ancak, pozitif numunelerin sınırlı sayısı, anlamlı farklılıkları tespit etme gücünü azaltmış olabilir, bu nedenle bu bulgular dikkatle yorumlanmalıdır.

Keywords

• Escherichia coli O157:H7
• Sığır dışkı örnekleri
• Rezervuar
• Moleküler tanı

Molecular Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Cattle in Edirne Province, Türkiye

Abstract

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a zoonotic bacterium that resides in the intestinal flora of cattle, which serve as reservoirs, and contaminates food and water through the spread of their feces. The causative agent can be transmitted by direct contact or indirect intermediaries and can cause serious diseases in humans. Therefore, it is important to investigate the carrier status of cattle to prevent possible transmission. This study aimed to investigate the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle raised in the Edirne Province (Türkiye) by Real-Time PCR. The study material consisted of a total of 400 fresh fecal samples collected from semi-extensive (n=59) and intensive (n=20) farms located in villages of Edirne province and its districts. These samples were obtained from asymptomatic (n=260) and symptomatic (n=140) cattle based on clinical status, and from calves (n=120), heifers (n=80), and adult cattle (n=200) based on age group. The samples were analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 by Real-Time PCR. E. coli O157:H7 positivity was detected in a total of two (0.5%) samples, one of which was a calf with malaise, anorexia, and mild bloody diarrhea from an intensive farm and one asymptomatic adult cattle from a semi-extensive farm. Although no statistically significant relationship was found between E. coli O157:H7 positivity and factors such as breeding type, clinical condition, and age in cattle (p>0.05), their potential role as reservoirs with different characteristics and varying reservoir rates suggests they may influence the epidemiology of the pathogen. However, the limited number of positive samples may have reduced the power to detect significant differences, so these findings should be interpreted with caution.

Keywords

• Escherichia coli O157:H7
• Bovine fecal samples
• Reservoir
• Molecular diagnostics

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