en تخصصي Special Original article Original article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><strong>Background: </strong>Shiga toxin-producing <em>Escherichia coli</em> (STEC) are group of <em>E. coli&nbsp;</em>causing bloody diarrhea. The goal of this survey was to determine the prevalence of multidrug resistant shiga toxin-producing <em>E. coli</em> in cattle meat and its contact surfaces.<br> <strong>Methods:</strong> Swab samples (n=120) were randomly collected from meat and contact surface of butchery shops in Sharkia province, Egypt. Prevalence of <em>E. coli</em> was examined using culture, biochemical, and serological methods. Identification of shiga toxin-encoding genes (<em>stx1 </em>and <em>stx2</em>) in the <em>E. coli</em> serotypes was done using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Screening of multidrug resistance profile was done using the disk-diffusion method. Data were analyzed using JMP statistical package, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> The prevalence rates of <em>E. coli</em> in the chuck, round, masseter muscles, cutting-boards, walls, and floors were 20, 10, 30, 50, 40, and 60%, respectively. Among the isolates, <em>E. coli </em>O111:H4 and<em> E. coli </em>O26:H11 harbored the two mentioned genes.<em> E. coli </em>O86 and<em> E. coli </em>O114:H21 harbored only<em> stx1</em>; while<em> E. coli </em>O55:H7 encoded only<em> stx2. </em>Just <em>E. coli </em>O124 had no express of <em>stx1 </em>and<em> stx2</em>. The isolated <em>E. coli </em>serovars showed a multidrug resistance profile.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Considering the results of this study, strict hygienic procedures should be followed to avoid or reduce carcass cross-contamination. In addition, proper handling and efficient cooking of meat are highly recommended by consumers to reduce the risk of human exposure to STEC.<br> <br> <strong>DOI:</strong> 10.29252/jfqhc.5.4.6</span></span><br> &nbsp;</div> Escherichia coli, Meat, Drug Resistance, Microbial , Polymerase Chain Reaction, Egypt 146 153 http://jfqhc.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-689-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 W.S. Darwish wagehdarwish@zu.edu.eg 0000-0002-4399-1401 Yes Food Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University 44519, Egypt A.S. Atia No Department of Veterinary Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University 44519, Egypt W.R. El-Ghareeb No Department of Veterinary Public Health and Animal Husbandry, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia A.E. Elhelaly No Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan