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<OL> <LI> Compare recovery methods for isolation of E. coli O157:H7 from complex samples from produce, animals and the environment.
<LI> Compare genetic fingerprinting and antibiotic resistance patterns to ion profiles identified by mass spectrometry and new PCR-based methods, and confirm if specific profiles for O157:H7 strains are shared among isolates from produce, animals, environment and clinical isolates from different locations.
Strains isolated from various environments including produce, animals, and humans will be shared among investigators and tested by a variety of techniques to determine whether they cluster in clades related to source, antibiotic resistance, or other important characteristics. New methods for isolation from produce will be developed by growing O157:H7 strains on various produce (cilantro, lettuce, sprouts) and comparing various enrichment and capture systems for recovering viable cells. Documents SCA with University of Tennessee.