Enterohaemorrhagic E.coli O157 in locally produced soft cheese

Abstract

Escherichia coli is consedered to be one of the normal flora of the human
and animal intestinal tract, but there are some serotypes which are diagnosed
as a pathogenic such as Enteroheamorrhagic E.coli O157 that cause disease
ranging in severity from mild to lethal and it's significant as a major foodborne
pathogen and as a public health problem. The purpose of this study
was to provide the prevalence of E.coli and E.coli O157 in locally produced
soft cheeses, detection and enumeration were carried out using specific
differential media (CT.SMAC,E.M.B.), serological test (Latex O157) and
biochemical test.
A total of 50 samples of locally produced soft cheeses were collected from
supermarket in Baghdad City during the period from April till the end of
May 2007. The result revealed that there was a significant (P<0.05)
difference in the isolation percentage, E.coli was isolated from 47 samples
(94%) while E.coli O157 isolated from 40 samples (80%). The data also
revealed that there was a significant (P<0.05) difference in the mean of
microbial counts E.coli and E.coli O157 recorded (4.7x106 , 2.4x105
CFU/g) respectively. These result suggest that the serotype O157 is
prevalent within dairy product and processing environment.