Review of the State of Knowledge on Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli and the Role of Whole Genome Sequencing as an Emerging Technology Supporting Regulatory Food Safety in Canada

Contributing Editor: Alexander Gill, Health Canada

Contributors:

• Burton Blais, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Catherine Carrillo, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Kelvin Chau, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Rita Finley, Public Health Agency of Canada
• Penelope Kirsch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Marie-Claude Lavoie, Health Canada
• Amalia Martinez, Health Canada
• Marina Steele, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Preface

Introduction

Mandates and Roles of Canadian Federal Food Safety Partners

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Health Canada
• Public Health Agency of Canada

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli

• VTEC: Definition
• VTEC as a Health Hazard
• VTEC Infectivity
• Features of Vulnerable Populations
• Summary

VTEC Virulence Markers and their Association with Severity of Illness

• Verotoxin
• Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE)
• Aggregative Adhesion (AA)
• Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation
• Other Virulence Factors
• Hybrid Pathotypes
• Subtyping
  • Serotyping
• Summary

Food and VTEC Exposure

• Foods Associated with VTEC illness
• Food Preparation Practices Associated with VTEC Illness
• Levels of VTEC in Outbreak-Associated Foods
• Summary

VTEC Illness Monitoring In Canada

• National Enteric Surveillance Program
• PulseNet Canada
• FoodNet Canada
• Summary

Monitoring VTEC in Food

• Federal VTEC Monitoring/Testing Programs
• Results of Federal VTEC Monitoring/Testing Programs in Food
  • Raw Ground Beef, Pork and Veal and Precursor Materials
  • Ready-to-Eat Meats
  • Raw Milk cheeses
  • Fresh produce
  • Other Plant-Based Foods
• Industry VTEC Monitoring/Testing
• Summary

Analytical Methodology for VTEC

• Food Testing Methods
• Clinical Methods
• Summary

Risk Mitigation

• Meat
• Milk and Dairy Products
• Fresh Produce

Knowledge Gaps and Research Agenda

Conclusions

References

• Graphs and data