Transmission and genetic diversity of Enterococcus faecalis among layer chickens during hatch

Abstract

BackgroundStudies on transmission of Enterococcus faecalis among chickens during hatch have not been carried out so far. Information about vertical transmission and subsequent spreading and colonization of the cloacal mucosa through cloacal 'drinking' during hatch are important to understand the epidemiology of E. faecalis infections. In the present investigation vertical transmission and subsequent spreading and colonization of the cloacal mucosa of chickens by E. faecalis through cloacal 'drinking' were examined.MethodsTwo different batches of layer chickens originating from 45 weeks old Brown and White Lohmann parents, respectively from the same farm were sampled in the hatcher. Isolates were confirmed to be E. faecalis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and further by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to state their population structure and comparison made to sequence types previously obtained from chicken.ResultsA total of 480 chickens were swabbed from the cloacae just after hatch and after 24 hours. A total of 101 isolates were confirmed as E. faecalis by a species specific PCR. The prevalence of E. faecalis increased from 14% at 0 h to 97% after 24 h for the Brown Lohmann chickens and from 0.5% to 23% for the White Lohmann flock. The 84 isolates analysed by MLST were distributed on 14 sequence types (ST). Three ST (401, 82 and 249) accounted for 64% of all isolates analysed by MLST after 24 h. ST 82 has previously been reported from amyloid arthropathy and other lesions in poultry.ConclusionsThe present findings demonstrated a high potential of a few contaminated eggs or embryos to rapidly facilitate the spread of E. faecalis to almost all chickens during hatch.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus strains isolated from poultry

“…In studies carried out in other countries, E. faecalis was also the predominant Enterococcus species in faecal samples from poultry (Yoshimura et al, 2000;Kuhn et al, 2003;Poeta et al, 2006). According to the literature, chickens are initially colonised by E. faecalis (Fertner et al, 2011), but this population is then displaced, mainly by E. faecium (Kaukas et al, 1987). In this study, the dominance of E. faecalis could be linked to the age of the birds tested.…”

Characterization ofEnterococcus faecalisisolated from the cloaca of ‘fancy breeds’ and confined chickens

“…, ,b; Fertner et al . ; Thayer and Waltman ). Enterococcus faecalis affects avian species of all ages; however, the majority of serious infections have been associated with embryos and young birds (Fertner et al .…”

“…Enterococcus faecalis affects avian species of all ages; however, the majority of serious infections have been associated with embryos and young birds (Fertner et al . ; Olsen et al . , ,b; Thayer and Waltman ).…”

“…Colonization of E. faecalis in newly hatched chicks occurs by both vertical and horizontal transmission including environmental sources (Fertner et al . ; Olsen et al . 2012b).…”

Interference in Pheromone-Responsive Conjugation of a High-Level Bacitracin Resistant Enterococcus faecalis Plasmid of Poultry Origin

“…Clinical conditions observed in poultry include pulmonary hypertension syndrome [3], and amyloid arthropathy [4], in addition to first week mortality [2]. Also, a study has demonstrated the high potential of a few E. faecalis -contaminated eggs or embryos to rapidly facilitate the spread of this bacterium to almost all chickens during hatch [5]. More recently, it was demonstrated that E. faecalis of human and poultry origin shared virulence genes supporting the zoonotic potential of E. faecalis [6].…”