Integrated study on the occurrence and genomic features of Escherichia albertii in environmental water and raccoons in Japan

Understanding how zoonotic pathogens circulate in the environment is essential for preventing emerging infectious diseases. E. albertii is increasingly recognized as a clinically relevant, emerging foodborne pathogen with global distribution. However, its ecological reservoirs, environmental persistence, and transmission dynamics remain poorly understood. This study is the first report to demonstrate a high prevalence and repeated detectability of E. albertii in environmental water and to show its genetic links among strains isolated from environmental water, wild raccoons, and human clinical cases. These findings improve our understanding of the environmental ecology of E. albertii and suggest its potential for transmission across environmental, animal, and human interfaces. The results underscore the importance of a One Health-based surveillance strategy to effectively monitor and control this pathogen. Furthermore, this work provides a basis for future investigations into environmental sources of bacterial zoonotic agents.