Sojevi bakterije Escherichia coli koji proizvode verotoksin (VTEC) su u prošlosti povezivani s pojavom masovnih kao i pojedinačnih slučajeva otrovanja mesom i mesnim proizvodima. Simptomi oboljenja su polazili od “jednostavnih” proljeva preko hemoragičnog kolitisa do hemolitičko-uremičkog sindroma (HUS). Dominantni VTEC serotip je O157:H7, koji je jedan od najčešćih uzročnika epidemija bolesti uzrokovanih hranom u cijelom svijetu. Zbog činjenice da se gore spomenuti patogeni veoma često pojavljuju kod goveda, kontrola kontaminacije hrane bi trebala počinjati na nivou farmi i klaonica. Ciljevi našeg istraživanja su bili da ustanovimo zastupljenost VTEC sojeva kod goveda u klaonicama na području Bosne i Hercegovine, te u goveđem mesu i mesnim proizvodima. Ukupno je pretraženo 2040 uzoraka od čega 1560 briseva i 480 uzoraka mesa i mesnih proizvoda. Od ukupnog broja uzoraka, devet je bilo pozitivno na prisustvo verotoksičnih sojeva E. coli, i to šest od njih porijeklom iz klaonice, i tri iz uzoraka mesa. Među njima pet uzoraka je identificiranokao O157:H7, tri kao O96:H19, a jedan kao O27:H7 soj. Važnost istraživanja se može vidjeti u činjenici da je ono rezultiralo prvom izolacijom i identifikacijomverotoksičnihsojeva E. coli u Bosni i Hercegovini.Vero-toxin producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) have been associated with both, outbreaks and sporadic cases of human disease, ranging from uncomplicated diarrhoea to hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). The dominant VTEC serotype is O157:H7, which is also most commonly involved in large outbreaks all over the world. Due to the fact that the above named pathogens also frequently occur in cattle, control of food contamination ought to begin with control of pathogens in domestic animal populations. The objective of our research was to investigate occurrence of VTEC strains in cattle and beef along the feedlot – slaughterhouse chain in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We collected and investigated the total of 2040 samples, out of which 1560 of swabs (swabs of working areas and hands of workers in slaughterhouses and beef specimens) and 480 samples of beef meat and meat products. Out of all the samples, nine strains, which were isolated from swabs from slaughterhouse (six) and meat specimens (three), were identifiedasVTECpositive. Among them, fivestrainswereidentifiedasO157:H7,three as O96:H19 and one as O27:H7. Importance of our research may be seen in fact that our investigation resulted in the first isolation and identification of VTEC strains in Bosnia and Herzegovina and particularly identification of O157:H7 strain, one of worldwide most prevalent foodborne pathogen
