Ecology and modelling of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in cattle manure and soil

The number of food poisoning cases caused by enteropathogens has increased in recent years. A significant part of the outbreaks associated with the consumption of raw vegetables has been attributed to Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. Bovine manure and slurry are the main environmental sources of these pathogens. Thus, reduction of the multiplication of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella serovar Typhimurium in cattle and their survival in manure and slurry are important tasks to minimize the risks of contamination of plant products and outbreaks of food-borne diseases. This thesis describes the influence of various environmental factors on survival of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella serovar Typhimurium in manure, slurry and soil amended with manure or slurry. The results presented in this thesis can be used for risk assessment of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella serovar Typhimurium in dairy farming systems and will help to identify and evaluate potential control strategies to minimize the chance of pathogen spread in the vegetable production chain