Enumeration, Serotypes and Virulence Genes Associated with Shigatoxigenic (STEC) and Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) Escherichia coli from Beef and Chicken of Mizoram, India

Background: E. coli is one of the most important zoonotic pathogen and also an indicator of faecal contamination of food and water. There is paucity of data regarding the level of contamination of raw meat and characterization of pathogenic E. coli from slaughtered cattle and chicken in un-organized sector from Mizoram, India. Methods: Raw meat samples from traditionally slaughtered cattle and chicken were collected from Aizawl, Kolasib and Champhai districts of Mizoram and analyzed for E. coli count (ECC), serotypes and virulence genes of STEC and ETEC. Result: A proportion of 65.55 per cent beef and 58.89 per cent chicken had unacceptable level of ECC. The most predominant serotypes of E. coli were O118 (13.33%) in beef and O8 (13.89%) in chicken. Both STEC (8.00% and 6.94%) and ETEC (12.00% and 26.38%) pathotypes were detected in beef and chicken, respectively. Detection of serotype O121 in chicken and O26 and O111 in both beef and chicken along with virulence genes of STEC indicated the contamination of raw meat with highly pathogenic STEC strains.