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. 1999 Sep 15;215(6):792-4.

Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in white-tailed deer sharing rangeland with cattle

J M Sargeant  1 , D J Hafer, J R Gillespie, R D Oberst, S J Flood
Affiliations
  • PMID: 10496130
Free article

Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in white-tailed deer sharing rangeland with cattle

J M Sargeant et al. J Am Vet Med Assoc. .
Free article

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with access to cattle pastures.

Design: Survey study.

Sample population: 212 fecal samples from free ranging white-tailed deer.

Procedure: Fresh feces were collected on multiple pastures from 2 farms in north central Kansas between September 1997 and April 1998. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was identified by bacterial culture and DNA-based methods.

Results: Escherichia coli O157:H7 was identified in 2.4% (5/212) of white-tailed deer fecal samples.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: There is considerable interest in the beef industry in on-farm control of E coli O157:H7 to reduce the risk of this pathogen entering the human food chain. Results of our study suggest that the design of programs for E coli O157:H7 control in domestic livestock on pasture will need to account for fecal shedding in free-ranging deer. In addition, the results have implications for hunters, people consuming venison, and deer-farming enterprises.

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