Influence of soil microbes on Escherichia coli O157:H7 survival in soil rinse and artificial soil

Aims This research investigated the influence of soil microbiota on Escherichia coli O157:H7 survival in soil rinse and artificial soil. Additionally, the influence of selected soil bacteria on E. coli O157:H7 in soil environments was determined. Methods and Results Escherichia coli O157:H7 counts (log CFU per ml or g−1) were determined by spread plating: (i) artificial soil amended with soil rinse (filter‐sterilized and unfiltered) at 30°C; (ii) unfiltered soil rinse (50 ml) treated with cycloheximide (200 μg ml−1), vancomycin (40 μg ml−1), heat (80°C, 15 min) and no treatment (control) for 7 days at 30°C and (iii) filtered soil rinse with selected soil bacterial isolates over 7 days. There was a significant difference (P = 0·027) in E. coli O157:H7 counts after 35 days between artificial soils amended with filtered (4·45 ± 0·29) and non‐filtered (1·83 ± 0·33) soil rinse. There were significant differences (P