Survival of Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 in cultivable and meadow soils.

Survival of one strain of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli serotype O157:H7, isolated from milk in Poland, in cultivable and meadow soils at 5°C and 20°C was tested. It was found that the death rate of pathogenic bacteria depends on soil fertility and incubation temperature. At 5°C, in such soils as light loam and loamy silt, with humus content of 2.16% to 3.43%, bacteria died after 140-158 days of incubation, and in such soils as loamy sand with humus content of ca. 1.50% they died after 70-85 days of incubation. At 20°C, these periods for experimental options mentioned above were 70-90 days and 49-63 days, respectively.