Isolation and Characterization of <i>Escherichia albertii</i> from Retail Meats and Vegetables in Akita Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Escherichia albertii is a newly emerging food-borne pathogen; however, little is known about the infection routes to patients. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize E. albertii from retail meats and vegetables in Akita Prefecture of Japan. A total of 12 E. albertii strains were isolated from five retail meats, including a chicken meat, two chicken giblets, and two pork offals, and seven vegetables, including three samples of Japanese parsley, Mitsuba, Mizu (Elatostema umbellata), watercress, and cucumber. The results of O-genotyping showed that 10 isolates were shared by eight other O-genotypes and two isolates were untypable. Biochemical proporties and virulence genes of isolates were similar to those of E. albertii strains of human and environmental water origin. Only two isolates from pork offals were non-susceptible against streptomycin and/or tetracycline. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis showed that some isolates from vegetables were included together human or environmental water strains in clusters at >80% similarity. Our results suggest that vegetables, in addtion to meats, are important as the source of E. albertii infection to humans.