ISS’s activity

In the field of infections caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) conducts research, control activities, epidemiological surveillance, and provides technical-scientific consultancy following a One Health approach. These activities are carried out through the following structures:

• Italian National Reference Laboratory for Escherichia coli
• European Union Reference Laboratory for Escherichia coli, including Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (EURL-VTEC)
• Italian Registry of Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

These initiatives are carried out within the Department of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Veterinary Public Health (SANV) at the ISS, specifically under the Unit on Food Microbiological Safety and Foodborne Diseases – One Health MTA Unit.
Projects on STEC

• JIP03-IA2.3-CARE “Cross-sectoral framework for quality Assurance Resources for countries in the European Union” finanziato come Joint Integrative Project del One Health European Joint Programme
• JRP12-AMRSH5-FARMED “Fast Antimicrobial Resistance and Mobile-Element Detection using metagenomics for animal and human on-site tests” finanziato come Joint Research Project del One Health European Joint Programme
• Executive project – Ccm programme (Centro nazionale per la prevenzione e il controllo delle malattie) 2019 “Azioni mirate a ridurre l’impatto di salute delle infezioni da E. coli produttore di Shigatossina (STEC) nella popolazione pediatrica ed a supporto dei programmi di controllo One-Health del rischio epidemico da STEC” finanziato dal Centro nazionale per la prevenzione e il controllo delle malattie del Ministero della Salute.
• DiSCoVeR project (Discovering the sources of Salmonella, Campylobacter, VTEC and Antimicrobial Resistance), work package 4.3 “source attribution on STEC”. Progetto finanziato come Joint Research Project dal programma “European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 773830”.