Impact of the Prevalence of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) in Dairy Production on Consumer Health
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Date
2026
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JPS Scientific Publications
Abstract
Milk is regarded as a highly nutritious and complete food, but it also serves as an excellent medium for microbial growth, making it vulnerable to contamination by pathogenic microorganisms. Among these, Escherichia coli, particularly Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), represents a major public health concern associated with milk and dairy products. Although the commercialization and pasteurization of milk have significantly reduced milk borne infections, contamination can still occur at various stages of production, processing, and distribution. STEC strains produce potent cytotoxins known as Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2), which are responsible for a range of human illnesses from mild diarrhoea to severe conditions such as haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Cattle are considered the primary reservoir of STEC, and contamination of raw milk and dairy products can occur through faecal shedding and poor hygienic practices during milking and handling. Numerous serotypes of STEC, including O157: H7 and non-O157 serogroups such as O26, O103, O111, O121 and O145, have been implicated in outbreaks worldwide. Detection of virulence genes such as stx1, stx2, eae, and ehxA using molecular techniques like PCR and real-time PCR
has improved the rapid identification and characterization of pathogenic strains. Advanced molecular subtyping methods including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), and other genotyping tools are widely used for epidemiological investigations and outbreak tracking. Additionally, increasing reports of antibiotic-resistant STEC strains highlight the
need for continuous surveillance and responsible antimicrobial use in dairy farming.
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NATURAL SCIENCES::Biology::Organism biology::Microbiology
Citation
Frontiers in Modern Agriculture: A Multidisciplinary Compendium of Innovations and Transformative Technologies – Volume II, Ed. by K. Vignesh, G. Balaji, M. Sunil Suriya, V. Sathiya Aravindan, K. Periyan. 2026; 684-704.