MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ENTEROPATHOGENIC E. COLI (EPEC) AND SHIGA-TOXIN PRODUCING E. COLI (STEC) FROM DOMESTIC ANIMALS: PREVALENCE, VIRULENCE, COLONIZATION FACTORS AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

INTRODUCTIONEnteropathogenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (SPEC) are frequently found in the feces of food animals and pose greater threats to the health of human beings and livestock [1].Although healthy sheep, cattle, and pigs appear to be important EPEC reservoirs, they have also been linked to diarrhea in several different animal species, including dogs, pigs, rabbits, and cattle [2].STEC strains may also have additional virulence genes for intimin and enterohaemolysin in addition to carrying