[Epidemiological role of pets in urban transmission cycle of STEC]
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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Cities As Interfaces of Zoonotic Hazard Emergence: Development of the New York City Tick and Wildlife Urban Surveillance System
Published on: March 10, 2026
1Cátedra Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires. aben@fvet.uba.ar
Abstract:
Escherichia coli is an important constitutional element of both animal's and men's microbiote. Rumiants in general and bovine in particular have been pointed out as reservoirs of shigatoxigenic (STEC) and enterohemorragic strains (EHEC). These strains are rarely reported in pets isolations and are badly documented. Revisions of the pathogenic role of E. coli in small animals, particulary based on intestinal and urogenital isolations, involve in a very low proportion the STEC strains. In dogs, ocasional isolations are reported, from feces coming from both healthy and diarreic dogs. The STEC intestinal strains prevalence in dogs and cats from urban centers, based on the habit of including regular or ocasional raw meat in their diet, should not be understimated.
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