title: Presence of pathogenicity islands and virulence genes of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) in isolates from avian organic fertilizer.
abstract: Poultry litter is commonly used as fertilizer in agriculture. However, this poultry litter must be processed prior to use, since poultry have a large number of pathogenic microorganisms. The aims of this study were to isolate and genotypically and phenotypically characterize Escherichia coli from avian organic fertilizer. Sixty-four E. coli isolates were identified from avian organic fertilizer and characterized for ExPEC virulence factors, pathogenicity islands, phylogenetic groups, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation, and adhesion to HEp-2 cells. Sixty-three isolates (98.4%) showed at least one virulence gene (fimH, ecpA, sitA, traT, iutA, iroN, hlyF, ompT and iss). The predominant phylogenetic groups were groups A (59.3%) and B1 (34.3%). The pathogenicity island CFT073II (51.5%) was the most prevalent among the isolates tested. Thirty-two isolates (50%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent. Approximately 90% of isolates adhered to HEp-2 cells, and the predominant pattern was aggregative adherence (74.1%). In the biofilm assay, it was observed that 75% of isolates did not produce biofilm. These results lead us to conclude that some E. coli isolates from avian organic fertilizer could be pathogenic for humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001.
authors.forename: Luís Eduardo S
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Gazal
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001.
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Puño-Sarmiento
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001.
authors.forename: Leonardo P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001.
authors.forename: Paula S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cyoia
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic, Molecular Biology and Bioagents, Biology Institute, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, CP6001.
authors.forename: Wanderlei D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001.
authors.forename: Renata K T
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, CP 6001 gersonakazato@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Gerson
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001938:Brazil; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis*; D044404:Genomic Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D011200:Poultry; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005308:Fertilizers; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Escherichia coli; antimicrobial resistance; organic fertilizer; poultry; virulence factors