ABSTRACT
Appropriately managed animal waste material is a valuable nutrient source for sustainable agriculture systems [1,2]. Animal waste can supply organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium as well as other nutrients needed for plant growth when it is used in the agricultural eld. However, animal waste is rich in infectious agents or pathogenic organisms, which can cause waterborne diseases [3,4]. Bacteria are the most common pathogenic microorganisms found in animal waste. When animal waste is used in an agricultural eld, these pathogenic bacteria are usually retained in the soil [5]. Infectious agents or pathogenic organisms in the soil are usually represented by Escherichia coli. Among the E. coli strains, E. coli O157:H7 is believed to be the most notorious pathogen. E. coli O157:H7 mostly lives in the intestines of cattle but has also been found in the intestines of chickens, deer, sheep, and pigs [6,7]. E. coli O157:H7 does not cause illness in animals, but the animals can serve as carriers for it. Infected animals, especially young ones, can shed the bacteria in their feces.
