Pathogen Responsible For The German E. Coli CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2


sprouts as the source of the E. coli strain in this case explains the larger number of women affected by this outbreak because they eat more sprouts than other groups in the general population. “In the past 15 years, only a single E. coli


O104:H4 has been isolated from a patient with hemolytic uremic syndrome in Germany. A sin- gle additional case of the syndrome associated with E. coli O104:H4 has also been reported from a woman in Korea.” Karch’s team analyzed 80 stool samples from


a wide area in Germany. Their analysis showed that all of the cases belonged to E. coli serotype O104:H4 and were from a single clone so there is ultimately a single source of the bacteria. One of the characteristics of this particular bacteria is that it is a combination of the nor- mal O104:H4 that has the gene for “Shiga- toxin 2…and the aggregative (so-called stacked-brick) adherence pattern on intestinal epithelial cells.” The authors theorize that the stacked-brick


adherence pattern allowed the E. coli cells to stick to the walls of the intestines in greater numbers than in other adherence patterns. This then could have allowed an increased amount of Shiga-toxin to make its way into the bloodstream, producing the larger percentage of HUS cases than is typical of other out- breaks. The study authors write, “our data do not


permit us to state if the Shiga-toxin- producing and [stacked-brick adherence pat-


tern] traits…combined recently, or if this pathogen is coming to light now because of conditions suitable for its spread.” There are a number of lessons that can be


learned from this study. First, early identifica- tion of the characteristics of the strain respon- sible for an outbreak of bloody diarrhea is crucial because in the German case, “the out- break strain…would have been missed by standard diagnostic procedures focused on the O157:H7 strain.” Second, the identification of any antibiotic re-


sistance in an outbreak strain needs to be completed so that if antibiotics are adminis- tered, they are ones that the pathogen is sus- ceptible to. Otherwise the antibiotics may suppress competing microbiota, making room for the pathogen to multiply rapidly. Third, “the value of standing collections of


well characterized pathogens with known provenance” shorten up the time required to identify the various characteristics of an out- break-causing pathogen. The authors conclude, “although we lack an


explanation for increased virulence, this out- break tragically shows that blended virulence profiles in enteric pathogens introduced into susceptible populations can have serious con- sequences for infected people.”


Overcoming Drought CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11


done in very high precision trials over several years now in over 200 locations in the western Corn Belt. We have very specific and strict criteria for putting the AQUAmax label on these products and the products that we released this year have met those spec- ifications.” While the target area for these products is the western dryland


markets, AQUAmax products will be available throughout the United States for those who want to try them. “They will be in relatively much more limited quantities the fur-


ther east you go compared to, say, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Texas, that’s really the primary area. As you go into Missouri, Iowa, Illinois the allocations will be much reduced.” Quite a few studies have been done on how these products will


fit with the farmer who is 100 percent irrigated. “The good news is they’re very comparable to other products out


there under irrigated conditions,” he said. “We don’t seem to have yield drag associated with them, that’s very reassuring. So we ex- pect growers can plant in basically all of their environments. Their real value, though, we think is going to be exhibited under drought stress. “If you have a well that has a limited water availability, we’re also


looking at improved yields there because water is your main driver there. When you have limited water, that’s where the products are going to shine.” Only select hybrids will meet the criteria set for AQUAmax. “The challenge is these are being developed as unique hybrids all


∆ DR. DARYLL E. RAY: Blasingame Chair of Ex-


cellence in Agricultural Policy, Institute of Agri- culture, University of Tennessee DR. HARWOOD D. SCHAFFER: Research As-


sistant Professor at APAC, University of Ten- nessee


along the way,” he said. “We simply can’t add it to an existing hy- brid. It has to be developed all along through many years of re- search, so we will continue to release new AQUAmax products and expand that portfolio, but it’s not a trait that you can just stick into a currently existing set of genetics.” One question from the audience centered on whether a farmer


could reduce irrigation in areas where the crop is totally irrigated. “We are actually conducting studies on that right now,” he said. “We have some new scientists hired specifically in Kansas to start looking at those water manage- ment approaches. Can we reduce the number of spins the pivots run? Can we work in limited irrigation more


produc-


tively? Now that we have the initial response of the hybrids evaluated, we’re looking at these manage- ment


tions.” $1


interac- ∆


BETTY VALLE


GEGG-NAEGER: Senior Staff Writer, M i d A m e r i c a Farmer Grower


Call Today! MidAmerica Farm


Publications 573-547-2244


14• MidAmerica Farmer Grower / July 1, 2011


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