Short communication: survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in dairy cattle drinking water

Cattle drinking water from two dairy farms was used in a study to determine the survival characteristics of the bacterial pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 and wild-type E. coli. The E. coli O157:H7 inoculum consisted of a consortium of isolates obtained from dairy cattle. Fresh manure was used as the source for the wild-type E. coli. In the water source from farm 1 the pathogens were present at both 5 and 15 degrees C during the 16-d duration of the study. In the water source from farm 2, the pathogens were detected at 5 degrees C through d 8 and through d 4 at 15 degrees C. The fecal indicator, wild-type E. coli, was always present when the pathogens were present.