Emerging issues: an analysis for Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli on the island of Ireland

This project will assess the capacity for the detection and characterisation of VTEC E.coli (incl. O157 and non-O157 serogroups) on the island of Ireland, and will assist in identifying any gaps in the current arrangements as well as examining international best practice in this area. The aim of this study is to conduct desk research to examine the current procedures and capacity for the detection of VTEC in food, animal and human clinical samples on the island of Ireland, and to investigate best practice in this area.

The objectives of the project are:

to describe the capacity on the island of Ireland for laboratories, both research and analytical, in the public sector to test for VTEC in both O157 and non-O157, including screening for pathogenicity genes
to collate available data throughout the island of Ireland on O157 and non-O157 VTEC detection in samples derived from animals, food and human sources
to outline the capacity for O157 and non-O157 VTEC analysis in other countries in animal, food and human sources and any possible examples of international best practice in such analytical approaches.