Presence of Escherichia coli O۱۵۷:H۷ in Dairy Farms located in Najaf, Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Erbil, Iraq

It has been approved that one of the most dangerous foodborne pathogenic bacteria is E. coli O۱۵۷:H۷, which is responsible for several infection and death cases worldwide. It is well documented that in the developing countries E. coli O۱۵۷:H۷ is considered the main causative pathogen of human gastrointestinal infections. Therefore, the current research was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of E. coli O۱۵۷:H۷ in dairy cattle's milk using a rapid method, in Iraq (Najaf, Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Erbil). Over a period of ۶ months (During hot months) samples were obtained and investigated by culturing on selective media (CT-SMAC).  The multiplex PCR (m-PCR) also used for milk sample direct investigation. Using biochemical tests the recorded data showed that, ۲ recognized isolates were E. coli, while the recorded data obtained from m-PCR assay revealed that none of the isolated E. coli was toxigenic E.coli O۱۵۷:H۷. The results of m-PCR on the milk samples revealed that ۴۵ milk samples contained at least one of the following genes: O۱۵۷, H۷, stx۱, stx۲ genes. Also the results of the m-PCR revealed that ۲ samples (raw milk) were toxigenic O۱۵۷:H۷ positive. In conclusion, to the best of authors' knowledge, this investigation was the first report on the prevalence of E. coli O۱۵۷:H۷ in the raw milk samples in Iraq. The results showed that the proportion of contaminated milk samples contaminated with E. coli O۱۵۷:H۷ identified in the current survey were similar to that the results of the previously published research from different dairy products across different countries in the Middle East region.