Detection of Virulent Genes in E. coli O157:H7 Isolated from Puppies and Adult Dogs by Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

| E. coli O157:H7 is considered as an important pathogen of diarrhea in adult dogs and puppies. The presented study aimed to isolate E. coli O157:H7 serotypes from dogs and puppies and to detection of the stx1, stx2 and eaeA virulence genes in these strains using conventional PCR assay. One hundred and four fecal swab samples were collected from dogs and puppies with different ages, breeds and sex. After primary cultivation of the collected samples onto MacConkey's and EMB agar media, the suspected E. coli colonies were subcultured onto CHROM and CT-SMAC agar media. The non sorbitol fermenter E. coli were serotyped using latex agglutination test for detection of O157 and H7 antigens. The results of latex test revealed 18 E. coli O157:H7 isolates. From 16 diarrheic animals, 11 (68.75%) were positive for E. coli O157:H7; 8 (72.72%) from puppies and 3 (60%) from adults. Meanwhile, 7 E. coli O157:H7 isolates were recovered from 88 non diarrheic animals (7.95 %); 4 (9.52%) from puppies and 3 (6.52%) from adults. The 18 isolates of E. coli O157:H7 were conducted to PCR assay, the results showed that 6 (33.33%) and 1(5.55%) E. coli isolates had stx1 and eaeA genes, respectively. The results also showed that three isolates (16.66%) had all the investigated genes, three isolates (16.66%) had Stx1 and eaeA genes, one isolate (5.55%) had Stx2 and eaeA genes, while four (22.22%) isolates were negative for these virulence genes. In conclusion, we may suggest that dogs and puppies can be regarded as important reservoirs for E. coli O157:H7 which is one of the main causes of diarrhea and other diseases in human.

Zoonotic Escherichia coli is a potential Driver of Antimicrobial Resistance among Pastoralist Communities in Uganda: A Laboratory based Cross sectional Study

“…The high prevalence of Vero toxin genes VT1 (100%) and VT2e (93%) observed in our study is in agreement with Omisakin et al, 2003, and reflects the high pathogenic nature of our zoonotic E. coli study isolates [15]. These Vero toxin genes mediate the virulence factors that enhance the organism's potential to cause disease [8,[16][17][18]. Vero toxin gene VT2e is animal specific and is common among isolates that have encountered the animal host [19]; hence its high prevalence in our study suggests a possible zoonosis.…”

“…The high prevalence of resistant, enterohemorrhagic E.coli is of utmost significance because these bacteria have been reported as the most common causative agents of diarrheal disease, a major cause of death in humans especially children under five years [8,23]. The linkage of this serotype to zoonosis creates a risk for the development of MDR phenotypes when the already resistant zoonotic strains get exposed to new classes of antimicrobial agents while in the human host.…”

High Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistant Escherichia coli Serotype O157: H7 among Pastoral Communities in Rural Uganda

“…A Positive control, ATCC 35401 and the negative control K. pneumoniae ATCC 700603 that were used were procured from Kenya Medical Research Institute. Phylogenetic groups were deduced from the PCR results using a phylogenetic identification key [8].…”

“…The emergent zoonotic strains may pass on to humans via the food chain [5][6][7]. At present, E. coli O157:H7 is one of major pathogens implicated in the zoonotic spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally [8]. In East Africa, and Uganda in particular, antimicrobial resistant E. coli with the potential for transmission from animals to humans are commonly implicated in human diarrheal diseases [9,10].…”

Detection of Escherichia coli O157 H7 isolated from infected dogs with urinary tract infections using real time – polymerase chain reaction

“…In the present study only 2 (16.6%) cases were give positive result for API 20E system that's used to confirm the presence of E coli O157:H7 strains of the infected dogs with UTIs. This reflect important mater that the E coli O157:H7 strains must be considered as a bacterial causative agent for developing UTIs in the dogs since the dogs and puppies observed as significant reservoirs for E. coli O157:H7, which is one of the highest reasons of diarrhea and other diseases in human (Ball et al, 2008;Hasan et al, 2016).…”