Advanced molecular characterization of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from diarrheic camel neonates in Egypt

• Published in: Veterinary World Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 85 - 91
• Main Authors: Shahein, Momtaz A, Dapgh, Amany N, Kamel, Essam, Ali, Samah F, Khairy, Eman A, Abuelhag, Hussein A, Hakim, Ashraf S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Veterinary World 01-01-2021
• Subjects: Ampicillin; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotics; camel; Camelidae; Ciprofloxacin; Developing countries; Diarrhea; Drug resistance; Drug resistance in microorganisms; E coli; Escherichia coli; Genes; Health aspects; Infants (Newborn); Infection; LDCs; Livestock; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Methylene blue; Multidrug resistance; multidrug-resistant escherichia coli; Neonates; Norfloxacin; Polymerase chain reaction; real-time polymerase chain reaction; Selective media; sequencing; Serotypes; Serotyping; Tetracycline; Tetracyclines; Vancomycin; Virulence; Virulence (Microbiology); Japan; Germany; Egypt; multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli; virulence; camel; real-time polymerase chain reaction; sequencing
• DOI: 10.14202/VETWORLD.2021.85-91
• EISSN: 2231-0916
• ISSN: 0972-8988

Camels are important livestock in Egypt on cultural and economic bases, but studies of etiological agents of camelid diseases are limited. The enteropathogen
is a cause of broad spectrum gastrointestinal infections among humans and animals, especially in developing countries. Severe infections can lead to death. The current study aimed to identify pathogenic
strains that cause diarrhea in camel calves and characterize their virulence and drug resistance at a molecular level.
Seventy fecal samples were collected from diarrheic neonatal camel calves in Giza Governorate during 2018-2019. Samples were cultured on a selective medium for
, and positive colonies were confirmed biochemically, serotyped, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility.
isolates were further confirmed through detection of the housekeeping gene,
O, and examined for the presence of virulence genes;
T and
H and for genes responsible for antibiotic resistance,
C,
B, and
A. The isolates in the important isolated serotype,
O26, were examined for toxigenic genes and sequenced.
The bacteriological and biochemical examination identified 12
isolates from 70 fecal samples (17.1%). Serotyping of these isolates showed four types: O26, four isolates, 33.3%; O103, O111, three isolates each, 25%; and O45, two isolates, 16.7%. The isolates showed resistance to vancomycin (75%) and ampicillin (66.6%), but were highly susceptible to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and tetracycline (100%). The structural gene,
O (115 bp), was amplified from all 12
isolates and
T and
H genes were amplified from 10 and 8 isolates, respectively. Antibiotic resistance genes,
C,
A, and
B, were harbored in 9 (75%), 8 (66.6%), and 5 (41.7%), respectively. Seven isolates (58.3%) were MDR. Real-time-polymerase chain reaction of the O26 isolates identified one isolate harboring
1, two with
2, and one isolate with neither
. Sequencing of the isolates revealed similarities to
O157 strains.
Camels and other livestock suffer various diseases, including diarrhea often caused by microbial pathogens. Enteropathogenic
.
serotypes were isolated from diarrheic neonatal camel calves. These isolates exhibited virulence and multiple drug resistance genes.