ABSTRACT
Pathogens of importance in beef include Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), especially STEC that cause haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome known as enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Beef and dairy cattle are an important reservoir of STEC and EHEC belonging to a variety of serotypes (Presad and Lejeune, 2014). Salmonella are also carried by beef cattle and can cause illness in cattle when they are stressed due to transportation, crowding, food deprivation and other stresses (Stevens et al., 2009). Salmonella of multiple serotypes can carry antibiotic resistance genes, and when these infect humans, treatment of illnesses is more difficult. Other pathogens affecting beef include Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and Clostridium difficile.
