Occurrence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance and virulence genes in avian Escherichia coli isolates from Algeria

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence and spread of quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli in poultry products puts consumers at risk of exposure to the strains of E. coli that resist antibiotic treatment. The objective of this study was to define the prevalence and virulence potential of poultryassociated nalidixic acid (NAL)-resistant E. coli in the Annaba city, Algeria. Methodology: In total, 33 samples of retail chicken meat were purchased from various butcher shops and examined for bacterial contamination with NAL-resistant E. coli. These isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and were also investigated for the presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes and virulence genes using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic grouping of the NAL-resistant E. coli isolates was determined by the conventional multiplex PCR method. Results: Twenty-nine (87.8%) products yielded NAL-resistant E. coli. Antibiograms revealed that 96.55% of NAL-resistant E. coli isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR). Resistance was most frequently observed against sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (96.6%), tetracycline (96.6%), ciprofloxacin (72%), and amoxicillin (65.5%). Group A was the most prevalent phylogenetic group, followed by groups D, B1, and B2. The PMQR determinants were detected in three isolates with qnrB72 and qnrS1 type identified. Four (13.8%) isolates carried one of the Shiga toxin E. coli-associated genes stx1, stx2, and ehxA alleles. Conclusions: The high prevalence of NAL-resistant E. coli isolated from retail chicken meat with detection of MDR E. coli harboring Shiga toxin genes in this study gives a warning signal for possible occurrence of foodborne infections with failure in antibiotic treatment.

Occurrence of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli in raw chicken and beef meat in northern Egypt and dissemination of their antibiotic resistance markers

“…The results of this study showed that the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli isolated from poultry was higher than from beef to the most of tested antibiotics. The high resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxycillin–clavulanic acid, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and streptomycin in this study was in agreement with previous reports conducted in Egypt [ 10 , 43 ] and Algeria [ 44 ]. While in Spain, most of E. coli isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy lambs were highly resistant to tetracycline and streptomycin but show lower resistance to ampicillin [ 45 ].…”

“…In isolated E. coli , qnr A and qnr B detected in 33.3% of isolates, all nalidixic acid and/or ciprofloxacin resistant isolates harboured both genes. While qnr B and qnr S were identified in 10.4% of nalidixic acid resistant E. coli isolated from Algerian retail chicken meat [ 44 ] and in 10.0% of E. coli isolates obtained from bovine carcasses in Mexico [ 58 ]. In contrast, qnr A, qrn B and qrn S genes could not be identified in enrofloxacin-resistant E. coli strains from poultry in Mexico [ 59 ].…”

Virulence and antibiotic resistance profile of avian Escherichia coli strains isolated from colibacillosis lesions in central of Algeria

“…Among these rare studies, Lounis et al [27] have reported, in opposition to our results, that the most prevalent genes in APEC were iutA (90.6%) followed by ompT (86.9%) and iss (85.8%). While Laarem et al [28] detected the presence of 4 isolates (13.8%) of avian E. coli carried one of Shiga toxin E. coli-associated genes stx1, stx2, and ehxA alleles. Likewise, in a recent study in Algeria [29], a set of plasmidic virulence genes (iutA, fyuA, irp2, iroN, fimH, cvaC, traT, iss, sitA, ompT, hlyF, cvaA, etsA, etsB, eitA, and tsh) and chromosomal virulence genes (sitA fyuA, vat, and ibeA) associated with APEC have been detected, paradoxically, in fecal E. coli strains isolated from clinically healthy chickens.…”

Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Gene Patterns Associated with Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) from Broiler Chickens in Qatar

“…The mcr- 1 gene was found in all isolates that exhibited colistin resistance, demonstrating its role in colistin resistance. Several international studies have investigated the phenotypic resistance profile of E. coli isolates from chicken, such as those conducted in Saudi Arabia [ 23 ], Algeria [ 24 ], China [ 25 ], Canada [ 26 ], and the Netherlands [ 27 ]. Our results showed a high resistance profile to the first-line therapeutic antibiotics that are commonly used in poultry disease treatment like ampicillin and tetracycline [ 28 ].…”