Important: New recommendations for risk assessments by the ZKBS (II)

In a statement from May 2019, the Central Commission for Biological Safety (ZKBS) also addressed the classification of a large number of Escherichia coli isolates. Mastitis isolates of E. coli (MAEC) often cause inflammation of the udder (so-called mastitis) in dairy cows, which can either heal within a few days or be fatal. Only limited information from animal models or cell cultures is available regarding the pathogenicity of the various E. coli isolates evaluated. Below, we have broken down the classification of the various strains: Risk Group 1:

• Escherichia coli 131/07
• 2772a
• 3234/A
• D6-117.07
• D6-117.29
• O157:H43 T22
• RiKo 2299/09
• RiKo 2305/09
• RiKo 2308/09
• RiKo 2331/09
• RiKo 2340/09
• UVM2

Risk group 2:

• Escherichia coli 1303
• AA86
• D6-113.11
• ECA-727
• ECA-O157
• ECC-1470
• ECC-Z
• MPEC4839
• MPEC4969
• O32:H37 P4
• P4-NR
• RiKo 2351/09
• W26
  
  The ZKBS justifies its classification recommendation by stating that those isolates for which no further information is currently available have been assigned to risk group 2. For those isolates for which sufficient information is available, there was the possibility of downgrading to risk group 1. Although more detailed information is available for the strains E. coli 1303, ECA-727, ECA-O157, ECC-1470, ECC-Z, and O32:H37 P4, this gives the ZKBS reason to recommend risk group 2 due to increased pathogenicity. The ZKBS also provides further justification for the classification of E. coli D6-117.29 in risk group 1. After analysis of the virulence factor matrix, classification in R2 was considered, but after analysis of the experimental data, the strain is classified in R1.