title: Avian colibacillosis: still many black holes.
abstract: Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains cause severe respiratory and systemic diseases, threatening food security and avian welfare worldwide. Intensification of poultry production and the quick expansion of free-range production systems will increase the incidence of colibacillosis through greater exposure of birds to pathogens and stress. Therapy is mainly based on antibiotherapy and current vaccines have poor efficacy. Serotyping remains the most frequently used diagnostic method, only allowing the identification of a limited number of APEC strains. Several studies have demonstrated that the most common virulence factors studied in APEC are all rarely present in the same isolate, showing that APEC strains constitute a heterogeneous group. Different isolates may harbor different associations of virulence factors, each one able to induce colibacillosis. Despite its economical relevance, pathogenesis of colibacillosis is poorly understood. Our knowledge on the host response to APEC is based on very descriptive studies, mostly restricted to bacteriological and histopathological analysis of infected organs such as lungs. Furthermore, only a small number of APEC isolates have been used in experimental studies. In the present review, we discuss current knowledge on APEC diversity and virulence, including host response to infection and the associated inflammatory response with a focus on pulmonary colibacillosis.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, 37380 Nouzilly, France Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guabiraba
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, 37380 Nouzilly, France Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, 37000 Tours, France catherine.schouler@tours.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schouler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D012703:Serotyping; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Escherichia coli; chicken; colibacillosis; infection; inflammation