A survey of beef carcases in abattoirs in the UK was carried
out in order to estimate the
prevalence of contamination with verocytotoxin – producing
Escherichia coli (VTEC) serogroup
O157. Contamination with verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC)
O157 was confirmed in
0·47% of the 4067 (95% confidence limits 0·22–1·00%)
of neck muscle samples. A significant
tendency for carcases present in the same abattoir on the same day to have
similar results was
found, thus suggesting cross contamination.
VTEC O157 was found in 0·83% of 6495 bovine faeces samples routinely
submitted for
diagnostic purposes to Veterinary Investigation Centres in England and
Wales. Of the samples
from cattle less than 6 months old, 3·7% of 68 samples from
animals without gastrointestinal
disease were positive for E. coli O157, in contrast to
0·75% of 2321 samples from cases of
gastrointestinal disease. No association with season or herd type (beef
or dairy) was found.