PROFILE OF PATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOIL OF VEGETABLE FARM

Abstract

Escherichia coli is a harmful bacterium found with vegetables that has been linked to illness outbreaks all over the world. E. coli may be found in a variety of places, including vegetables. The soil of vegetable fields, on the other hand, has not been tested for the presence of pathogenic E. coli. As a result, our research is based on soil from vegetable fields that has been routinely treated with poultry manure. To determine the E. coli, a molecular method was used, specifically the utilization of 16S rRNA and multiplex PCR. On SMAC, all five isolates were identified as potential enterobacteriaceae containing E. coli. Further identification with 16S rRNA revealed that E. coli was present in four of the five possible enterobacteriaceae. Using shiga toxin primers and multiplex PCR, the E. coli was found to be non-pathogenic. In conclusion, there are no harmful E. coli present, however there are E. coli strains that use 16S rRNA but do not possess the shiga toxin gene. This research should be expanded to include additional areas.