In our first news of the day from the Society for General Microbiology's meeting in the UK this week, scientists from the Institute for Animal Health announced progress towards controlling the deadly E. coli bacterium that causes food poisoning and kidney failure.
In a bid to find a weakness to help control the bacteria, a team of scientists in the UK set about investigating how E. coli O157 survives in sheep and cattle. They pin-pointed 60 genes which could hold the answer.
"This bacterium, E. coli O157, is passed on by eating meat and dairy products or through contact with dung from infected animals. It is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children in the UK," said Dr Mark Stevens from the Institute for Animal Health in Compton, Berkshire.
About one in every 20 cattle in the UK harbours the bacterium, and it can survive in healthy animals for long periods, making direct or indirect contact with dung or contaminated food dangerous, especially for the very young or elderly.
The scientists said that they identified over 60 genes needed by E. coli O157 to survive in calves' intestines. This information will prove valuable in developing drugs or vaccines to prevent the bacterium from colonising the ruminants, which will help cut contamination of food and the environment, reducing the risk of infection for people.
In addition to E. coli O157Dr Stevens warned about the rise of E. coli O26. "This strain of bacteria is rare in the UK at the moment, but it is a rapidly growing threat to human and animal health in continental Europe," he said
"Although E. coli O157 is particularly nasty, causing bloody diarrhoea and life threatening kidney infections mainly linked to contaminated food or contact with farms, we are also worried about E. coli O26," added Dr Stevens.
Dr Stevens will presenting the paper 'Identification of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli genes required for colonisation of cattle' today at the Society of General Microbiology meeting in Manchester, UK.