High Frequency of Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) in Broilers in Hungary

Abstract

Escherichia coli (EC) strains belong to several pathotypes capable of infecting both humans and animals. Some of them have zoonotic potential and can sporadically cause epidemic outbreaks. Our aim was to screen for the distribution of these pathotypes in broilers and their related products. Therefore, E. coli strains were isolated ( n = 118) from poultry intestine ( n = 57), carcass ( n = 57), and wastewater ( n = 4) samples from one slaughterhouse with own reared poultry source and the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) poultry E. coli collection ( n = 170) from the year 2017 was also studied. All 288 E. coli strains were screened by PCR for pathotype-specific genes stx, eae, st-lt, aggR, ipaH , and for further EPEC-specific virulence genes ( bfp, EAF, tir, perA, ler ). Altogether 35 atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) strains from the slaughterhouse and 48 aEPEC strains from the NRL collection were found. Regarding the phylogenetic groups of aEPEC, all four main groups were represented but there was a shift toward the B2 group (25%) as compared with the non-EPEC isolates (3%). The aEPEC isolates belonged to serogroups O14, O108, and O45. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was abundant in aEPEC strains (80 out of 83 aEPEC) with a diverse resistance pattern ( n = 56). Our results of this study indicate that the high frequency of aEPEC in broilers and on their carcass surface, with frequent MDR to several antibiotic groups, raises the possibility that these strains pose a zoonotic risk to humans.

First isolation of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli from geese (Anser anser domestica) and first description of atypical EPEC from turkeys and pigeons in Hungary

“…Three out of the 7 aEPEC strains belonged to phylogenetic groups F and B2, which contain potential ExPEC strains and, therefore, could pose a higher risk of zoonotic infection. Furthermore, groups F and B2 (both of which had belonged to the B2 phylogenetic group earlier) are common among aEPEC strains as we detected earlier [19]. The serotypes of aEPEC strains were uniform from same farms and showed diversity (O76, O145, O109) comparing their origins.…”

“…However, we were curious about the presence of aEPEC in different age groups of chickens. We did not find atypical EPEC in young chicks (n = 14 from 3 farms) and adult chickens (n = 28 from 6 farms), although we could have presumed this from our previous studies and from the findings of other authors [7,9,19].…”

“…: force-feeding) or diseases (causing mortality in our cases) can influence the prevalence of carriage. We assume that poultry do not carry aEPEC in a considerable degree in the first weeks of life, and only in the later phases, around 4-6 weeks of age, can aEPEC propagate in high numbers in the intestines of healthy [9,19] and sick birds [14]. Later on aEPEC will disappear from poultry as recorded by others in sheep [13].…”

“…Broilers frequently harbor aEPEC strains and their meat can also carry this pathogenic E. coli after slaughter [7,9,19,20]. However, so far we have only very limited information about the existence of aEPEC in waterfowl species and pigeons.…”

Occurrence, Phenotypic and Molecular Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Healthy Turkeys in Northern Egypt

“…Colibacillosis is mostly caused by APEC, including systemic and localized infections such as omphalitis, swollen head syndrome, cellulitis, diarrhea, respiratory colisepticaemia and enteric colisepticemia [ 17 , 32 ]. Furthermore, it could have a zoonotic pathogenic potential such as neonatal meningitis [ 33 ]. The infection of E. coli in poultry farms can spread both vertically and horizontally.…”