Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Phylotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes and virulence determinants of Escherichia coli isolates from broiler chickens infected with colibacillosis

Weam Naji Mohamed, Department of Bacteriology, Mycology, and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Amal Awad, Department of Bacteriology, Mycology, and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptFollow
Gamal Younis, Department of Bacteriology, Mycology, and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt

Document Type

Original Article

Keywords

E. coli, Broiler chickens, antimicrobial susceptibility, virulence, phylogrouping.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to isolate Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) from diseased broiler chickens, assess their virulence-associated genes (VAGs), and determine their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles.

Design: Descriptive study.

Samples: Forty-four APEC isolates were obtained from 115 colibacillosis-suspected broiler chickens collected from Dakahalyia poultry farms.

Procedures: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to investigate the presence of 11 virulence-associated genes (VAGs). E. coli isolates were tested against ten antimicrobial agents, including ampicillin, amoxicillin, doxycycline, colistin, imipenem, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, amikacin and chloramphenicol, using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

Results: Concerning VAGs, the detection rate of ompT, hly, iuc,irp, astA, iorN, iutA, cva/cvi, tsh, iss, papC was 88.60%, 97.70%, 86.40%, 81.80%, 95.50%, 93.20%, 84.10%, 15.90%, 27.30%, 88.60% and 34.10% respectively. Among APEC isolates, 42 isolates (95.45%) carried five or more virulence genes, and 41 isolates harbored three or more APEC virulence genes (hlyA, iut, ompT, iss, iorN). In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that all retrieved APEC isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. The highest levels of multidrug-resistant APEC were observed for ampicillin, amoxicillin, cefuroxime, clindamycin, and doxycycline. The Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates were highly susceptible to colistin, imipenem, ciprofloxacin and amikacin.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: The present study highlights the need for frequent monitoring of poultry farms for the presence of VAGs and antimicrobial susceptibility of APEC to control the spread of colibacillosis and the potential public health hazard resulting from the spread of MDR strains.

How to Cite This Article

Mohamed, Weam Naji; Awad, Amal; and Younis, Gamal (2023) "Phylotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes and virulence determinants of Escherichia coli isolates from broiler chickens infected with colibacillosis," Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal: Vol. 24: Iss. 3, Article 6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35943/2682-2512.1003