Abstract

POLIFRONI, R; ETCHEVERRIA, A. I; PADOLA, N. L  and  PARMA, A. E. Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC): Characteristics of virulence and persistence in the environment. InVet [online]. 2009, vol.11, n.1, pp.65-70. ISSN 1668-3498.

Argentina has the highest recorded frequency of HUS in the world. Cattle are the main reservoir of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) and Argentine herds have a high prevalence of these pathogens. In the Pampeana region, grazing and feedlot cattle are carriers of highly virulent serotypes. Despite this, VTEC is isolated with low frequency from the environment. An explanation could be the ability of VTEC to form biofilm or to enter in a nonculturable state. These characteristics would make these clusters of cells undetectable by traditional microbiology methods, justifying the use of molecular techniques.

Keywords : VTEC; Environment; Cattle; Uremic hemolytic sindrome.

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