Informally raw milk and Kareish cheese investigation on the occurrence of toxigenic Escherichia coli in Qena city, Egypt with emphasis on molecular characterization

Abstract EN

The informally raw milk and Kareish cheese sold in Qena city (Upper Egypt) were analyzed to determine the presence of toxigenic E .coli i.

The isolates were screened for the presence of Vero toxigenic E .coli i (VTEC) and enter toxigenic E .coli i (ETEC) by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

Bio-resistance to antimicrobial agents was evaluated by the disk diffusion method.

E coli were recovered from 38 (76 %) of raw milk and 11 (47.8 %) of Kareish cheese samples.

Three (6.1 %) of the E.

coli isolates were VTEC and none of them hat ease gene encoded a pathogenicity island typical of E.

coli O157 : H7 (EHEC).

PCR of enterotoxins showed that only one isolate carried LT enterotoxins of ETEC.

Bio-resistance was frequently observed to nalidixic acid (42.9 %), ampicillin (32.7 %), tetracycline (22.4 %), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazol (14.3 %), ciprofloxacin (4.1 %) and cefoxtin (2.0 %).

Results suggested a possibility of potential public health threat of E.

coli originating from raw milk sources.