Background and Aim: Escherichia coli, a commensal intestine bacterium of vertebrates, is widely distributed in the environment and indicates the microbiological quality of food products in relation to coliforms. In addition, virulent strains, particularly E. coli O157:H7, cause outbreaks of toxic infections caused by consuming dairy products. Because food safety studies regarding E. coli have not been conducted in Central Asia, this research aimed to study the characteristics of contamination, microbiological and genotypic properties, and resistance to antimicrobial agents of E. coli strains that contaminate various types of commercialized cheeses originating from Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: In retail outlets, 207 samples of three types of cheese produced by 22 industrial and eight small enterprises in the central, eastern, southern, and northern regions of Kazakhstan were selected in 2020–2023. E. coli contamination was examined using standard microbiological, mass spectrometric, and molecular genetic methods. The discodiffuse European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing method was used to test the resistance of the identified E. coli isolates (65/207; 31.4%) to 20 antibacterial drugs. The Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (VT1 and VT2) and E. coli O157:H7 (eae) genes were investigated in all E. coli isolates using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Results: An average of 31.4% samples of commercial Kazakhstani cheeses of various types were found to be contaminated with E. coli in almost all geographical regions of Kazakhstan, regardless of the productivity of the dairy enterprises. Soft cheeses produced by small farms (80% of samples) packaged at the retail site (100%) were the most contaminated with E. coli. The microbiological index (colony-forming unit/g) was unsatisfactory and unsuitable in 6.2% of such cheese samples. For the first time in Central Asia, the enteropathogenic strain E. coli O157:H7 was detected in 0.5% of cheese samples. E. coli isolates from cheese samples were resistant to 65% of antibacterial drugs and contained resistance genes to β-lactams, sulfonamides, and quinolones groups. At the same time, 25% of the E. coli isolates were multi-resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. Conclusion: The high level of contamination caused by multi-antibiotic resistant E. coli strains, including pathogenic pathogens, poses a risk to public health and highlights the need for further research on the monitoring and control of coliform enteropathogens in food products. Keywords: antibiotic resistance, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Kazakhstan cheese, microbial contamination.

Introduction: This study investigates the epidemiological characteristics of significant gastrointestinal protozoa diseases among calves, including cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, and eimeriosis, in Kazakhstan.Methods: Using cross-sectional surveys and laboratory diagnostics we examined the age and seasonal dynamics of intestinal parasitic infestations in calves, specifically focusing on Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Eimeria spp. For this purpose, samples of feces were individually collected from 1,586 calves of varying ages and breeds in 12 industrialized farms from 11 districts of Akmola and Northern Kazakhstan Regions. Parasites were identified using Fuelleborn, Heine and ZnSO4 flotation microscopic techniques. Calves were categorized into four age groups (1–30, 31–90, 91–120, and >120 days) to evaluate the prevalence and age- associated risk of infection with above parasite species, and their combinations. Logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using calves aged 1-30 days as the reference group. To examine the effects of age and time of year on the likelihood of parasitic infection ANOVA and a generalized additive logistic model (GAM) were used. It was found that in all investigated farms the age significantly influences the likelihood of infection with each parasite.Results and discussion: Cryptosporidium spp. infections were highly concentrated in the youngest calves, with prevalence 49.2% detected in the 1-30-day group. The risk of infection dropped dramatically with older age (p < 0.001). Prevalence Eimeria spp. in the 1-month group was 2.0% and significantly increased with age. Calves aged 31-90 days had 27.3 times higher odds of infection (95% CI: 17.07–45.35, p < 0.001), with elevated odds persisting in older groups (p < 0.001). 5.2% of the youngest calves were infected with Giardia spp., and the species was more evenly distributed across age groups, with no statistically significant variation. No significant seasonal variation in infection rates was found. These findings suggest that at the conditions of intensive dairy farming in central and northern Kazakhstan the age-targeted parasite control strategies may be more effective than seasonal approaches for managing parasitic infections' control in calves.

Totally 97 sources from digitalized databases were analyzed with aim to assess the epidemiological significance and the introducing risk of feline intestinal zoonotic protozoa infections into Kazakhstan from neighboring countries. It was concluded that pet and stray cats in China, Russia, Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan serve as reservoirs for Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia duodenalis. They pose a significant threat to both humans and animals but are often overlooked due to a lack of awareness at the regional level. The diseases caused by them can be classified as neglected feline and human parasitic infections in Kazakhstan. To implement the One Health Concept, it is necessary to consolidate research and coordinate the work of public health, veterinary, and ecological services at an intergovernmental level for the study the molecular epidemiology and systematic monitoring the catborne zoonotic protozoa among definitive and intermediate hosts’ populations and environment.