الفهرس 
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Abstract
Escherichia coli is an important cause of foodborne illness in humans. This
study aimed to investigate the distribution of E. coli with focusing on Shiga toxinproducing E. coli (STEC) in fishes and its probable hazard to seafood consumers at
Suez Canal Area, Egypt. A total of 355 Samples from finfish; 100 of tilapia
(Oreochromis niloticus) and 100 of mullets (Mugil cephalus), shellfish; 45 shrimp,
“Metapenaeus sp.”,45 crab “Portunus segnis”and 45 oyster “Paphia undulate”
batches and human hand swabs (n = 20), were examined bacteriologically for the
presence of E. coli. STEC isolates were tested for the occurrence of virulence genes
(stx1, stx2 and eaeA) using PCR and their antibiotic sensitivity. Overall E. coli and
presumptive STEC isolate rates were 36.5% and 12.5% of finfish tissues, 55.6% and
5.9% of shellfish surfaces, 42.2% and 8.9% of shellfish tissues, and 60% and 40% of
human hand swabs, respectively. Forty-five presumptive STEC isolates of finfish
(17), shellfish (20) and humans (8) were identified serologically and belonged to:
O26:H11, O125:H6, O146:H21, O159, O44:H18, O128:H2, O117:H4, O121:H7,
O113:H4, O119:H6, O153:H2, O91:H21, O124, O78, O15:H2, O103:H2 and
O55:H7 serogroups. Regarding the detection rates of stx1, stx2, and eaeA genes
among the isolated presumptive STEC serotypes of finfish, shellfish and humans
were 70.58%, 58.82% and 41.2%; 10%, 15% and 55%, and 100%, 87.5% and 62.5%,
respectively. This result confirmed only 28 STEC isolates of finfish (15), shellfish (5)
and humans (8) of the examined presumptive STEC. All presumptive STEC isolates
V
were shown complete resistance to penicillins, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, colistin,
fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline, however they were sensitive to
gentamycin, azithromycin and trimethoprim- sulphamethoxazole.
In conclusion, the high prevalence of E. coli and STEC isolates from finfish,
shellfish and human hand swabs, together with detection of virulence genes, suggest
a potential risk for food poisoning infections for seafood consumers in Suez Canal
area. In addition, these findings are of great importance in understanding the
epidemiology of this pathogen in fishes and demonstrate how these creatures can
transmit E. coli related diseases in humans.