STEC in the natural environment of Uruguay: genomic surveillance and environmental circulation in the framework of One Health
Understanding the presence of Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) in the environment is essential to assess potential exposure pathways for animals and humans. In this study, we analyzed STEC isolates recovered from wildlife and environmental samples within a single watershed under a One Health framework. Comparative genomic analyses revealed considerable diversity and the presence of shared virulence determinants, including the <i>Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation</i> (LAA) pathogenicity island. The detection of related lineages across ecological compartments may suggest possible exchange between environmental and animal reservoirs. These findings provide novel evidence of the environmental presence and dissemination of STEC in this watershed and highlight the importance of integrating genomic surveillance across environmental, animal, and human sectors to better understand the ecological dynamics and public health implications of this pathogen.
Authors
- Pablo Zunino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2375-1408)
- Florencia Bertoglio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2023-8940)
- Gabriela Martínez de la Escalera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8240-0777)
- Stefano Morabito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2467-2912)
- Valeria Michelacci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3147-7974)
- Yanina Figueroa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2218-482X)
- Ana Umpiérrez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5897-0400)
- Carolina Croci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0594-6685)
- Claudia Piccini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2762-1953)
- F. Lepillanca
- Hugo Ignacio Coitiño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6718-9037)
- Roberto Vidal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4223-1985)
- Daniel Cabezas Montero
- Jordan F. Silvera
- C. Stoletniy
Institutions
- Infinera (United States) (US)
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità (IT)
- Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution (FR)
- Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales (ES)
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (UY)
- University of Chile (CL)
- Universidad de Montevideo (UY)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Microbiology Spectrum
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03153-25
- Primary Topic
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00