Establishing the occurence of non-O157 verocytotoxic Escherichia coli (VTEC) in New Zealand farming population using molecular and culture-based methods.

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The faecal samples provided by volunteers will contribute to the research on toxigenic Escherichia coli also known as verocytotoxic E. coli or VTEC. They are over 150 different serotypes of VTEC which have been associated with diseases. The O157 serotype has been recognised since the 1980s as an important human pathogen causing outbreak overseas and serious sequalae such as haemolytic uremic syndrome or HUS. In New Zealand, O157 VTEC represent a significant burden and hospital, private and community laboratories have to report any case of O157 VTEC they detect. The other serotypes which are referred to as the non-O157 VTEC have become as important as the O157 VTEC in some overseas countries. In New Zealand, however, the true incidence of non-O157 VTEC is unknown as no routine surveillance is undertaken. This project will initially look at optimising the methods to detect and isolate VTEC. A clinical trial will then be undertaken which will look at (approximately)150 faecal samples from patients in the Waikato region. This pilot study will allow us to establish whether or not these non-O157 VTEC represent a health problem in New Zealand.

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