'Super' or just 'above average'? Supershedders and the transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among feedlot cattle.

ABSTRACT: Supershedders have been suggested to be major drivers of transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) among cattle in feedlot environments, despite our relatively limited knowledge of the processes that govern periods of high shedding within an individual animal. In this study, we attempt a data-driven approach, estimating the key characteristics of high shedding behaviour, including effects on transmission to other animals, directly from a study of natural E. coli O157:H7 infection of cattle in a research feedlot, in order to develop an evidence-based definition of supershedding. In contrast to the hypothesized role of supershedders, we found that high shedding individuals only modestly increased the risk of transmission: individuals shedding over 10(3) cfu g(-1) faeces were

SUBMITTER: Spencer SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4614454 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature