The phylogenomics of human and cattle E. coli O157
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The phylogenomics of human and cattle Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 and the strain genotypes associated with super-shedding and human disease
IRAS ID
219497
Contact name
David Gally
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, days
Research summary
Pathogenic E. coli O157 is associated with serious human disease in the UK. Rates of infection in Scotland are higher than in most other United Kingdom, European and North American countries and these rates have not changed substantially since 1998. Cattle are a major source of E. coli O157 infections in Scotland, especially cattle that shed high concentrations of E. coli O157. These super-shedders are hypothesized to be shedding “types” of E. coli O157 that are more likely to cause human illness. In 2013 our research group was awarded funding from the Food Standards Agency/ Food Standards Scotland (FSA/FSS) to investigate the role of super-shedding cattle in human illness. Between September 2014 and September 2015, we performed a survey of cattle farms in Scotland, re-sampling farms that were sampled in a previous cattle survey (2002-2004). Both surveys have provided us with information on the types of E. coli O157 in Scottish cattle, especially those deemed super-shedders. The next step in our research is to integrate the Scottish cattle data held by the University of Edinburgh with the data collected by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) from patients with E. coli O157 infection. HPS collates data as part of their enhanced surveillance programme. This includes information on the type of E. coli O157 (Phage type and toxin type) causing human illness as well as information about potential exposures of illness including contact with animals, type of food consumed and travel outside of the UK. We will be requesting data for all human E. coli O157 cases in Scotland for the time frames that overlap our cattle surveys. We will analyse these data with our cattle data to look for associations between the type of E. coli O157 that causes super-shedding in cattle and the type that causes severe human illness.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
17/WS/0117
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion