Modelling the epidemiology and transmission of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroups O26 and O103 in two different calf cohorts

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 135; no. 8; pp. 1316 - 1323
• Main Authors: LIU, W.-C., SHAW, D. J., MATTHEWS, L., HOYLE, D. V., PEARCE, M. C., YATES, C. M., LOW, J. C., AMYES, S. G. B., GUNN, G. J., WOOLHOUSE, M. E. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.11.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Calves; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - epidemiology; Cattle Diseases - microbiology; Cohort Studies; Datasets; Disease models; Disease transmission; DNA Fingerprinting; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Epidemiology; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Escherichia coli Infections - transmission; Escherichia coli Infections - veterinary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Infections; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Models, Theoretical; Molecular Epidemiology; O Antigens - analysis; Parametric models; Serotyping; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Bovine; Escherichia coli; Transmission; Bacteria; Artiodactyla; Veterinary; Epidemiology; Ungulata; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268806007722

Mathematical models are constructed to investigate the population dynamics of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) serogroups O26 and O103 in two different calf cohorts. We compare the epidemiological characteristics of these two serogroups within the same calf cohort as well as the same serogroups between the two calf cohorts. The sources of infection are quantified for both calf cohort studies. VTEC serogroups O26 and O103 mainly differ in the rate at which calves acquire infection from sources other than infected calves, while infected calves typically remain infectious for less than 1 week regardless of the serogroups. Fewer than 20% of VTEC-positive samples are the result of calf-to-calf transmission. PFGE typing data are available for VTEC-positive samples to further subdivide the serogroup data in one of the two calf cohort studies. For serogroup O26 but not O103, there is evidence for unequal environmental exposure to infection with different PFGE types.