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FDA Ground Rounds: five-year study finds diverse STEC across Central Coast environment
Summary
FDA researchers reported results from a five-year environmental study (2020'spring 2025) that collected 6,134 samples across the Central Coastal California agricultural region and found diverse Shiga toxin'producing E. coli (STEC) in livestock and wildlife feces, river and creek water and sediment, with genomic matches across matrices up to ~71 miles apart.
At an FDA Ground Rounds presentation, Dr. Julie Case and Dr. Susan Leonard summarized the findings of a five'year longitudinal environmental study of Shiga toxin'producing E. coli (STEC) in California's Central Coastal agricultural region. "We had a total of 6,134 samples collected," Dr. Case said, describing repeated sampling across a roughly 7,000'square'mile area from summer 2020 to late spring 2025.
The study tested air, biological soil amendments/compost, livestock and wildlife feces, insects, leaves, soil, sediment and both surface and well water. Researchers reported the highest STEC prevalence in animal feces and in river and creek water and sediment; lower percentages were found in air, soil and compost. Using whole'genome sequencing, the team identified genetically similar strains of STEC recovered from cattle, wildlife, water, sediment and soil, in some cases spanning distances of decades of months and up to about 70 miles.
The researchers emphasized the study's collaborative nature and its goal to provide a science basis for practical prevention measures for producers and public health stakeholders. "These longitudinal studies are highly collaborative in nature," Dr. Case said, noting partnerships with UC Davis's Western Center for Food Safety and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The presenters said forthcoming publications will provide more detailed analyses and meteorological overlays that the study team used to interpret positive and negative sampling events.
