Pathogenic Escherichia coli detected in food producing ruminants in Turkey

Abstract

Clinical Escherichia coli (E.coli) isolates (n:181) recovered from feces of cattle (n:111), sheep (n:25) and goats (n:45) between 2012-2015 in Turkey were screened for the presence of the virulence genes encoding Shiga toxins (Stxl and Stx2), intimin (eae), heat-stabile enterotoxin a (STa), fimbria-related antigens F41 and K99 with multiplex PCR. The presence of E.coli 0157:H7 was also investigated using Cefxime-Tellurite Sorbitol MacConkey Agar (CT-SMAC) and WellcollexEcoli (Remel (R)). Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion testcarried out todetect resistance pattern of the isolates for enrofloxacin, ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ceftiofur, tetracycline and amoxycillin/clavulanic acid. The results showed that the virulence genes were detected in 9 (8.1%), 13 (52%), and 15 (33.3%) of the isolates recovered from cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. Verotoxin-producing E.coli (VTEC) represents 7.2%, 40% and 33.3% while Enterotoxigenic E.coli (ETEC) represent 0.9%, 8% and 0% of the isolates recovered from cattle, sheep and goats respectively. Enteropathogenic E.coli (EPEC) was detected only in cattle (0.9%) and none of isolate was serotyped as E.coli. 0157:H7. Among all E.coli isolates which carried virulence genes (at least one), 7 (18.9%) were multi-resistant, 6 (16.2%) were resistant for at least one antimicrobial agent and 24 (64.8%) were susceptible to all anti-microbial agents.