PREVALENCE OF VEROCYTOTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 ON CHICKEN CARCASSES SOLD IN TURKEY

Abstract

The prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was investigated on samples of various portions of 190 chicken carcasses, obtained from local retail markets and poultry shops in Turkey. Immunomagnetic separation methods was used to isolate E. coli O157:H7 from the samples. Verotoxin 1 (VT1) and verotoxin 2 (VT2) productions by the isolated E. coli strains was also investigated. E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from two (1.05%) of the 190 samples of poultry meat examined. All the strains isolated produced both VT1 and VT2. These findings indicate that poultry meat can also be a source of E. coli O157:H7 infections for humans. Appropriate control measures should be developed and implemented to eliminate this human pathogen from foods of animal origin, including poultry, in order to protect human health.