title: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC): Zoonotic risks associated with psittacine pet birds in home environments.
abstract: Psittacidae are frequently bred as pets worldwide, but little is known about the zoonotic risks of these animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in the feces of psittacine birds housed as pets. A total of 171 fecal samples (67 cockatiels, 59 budgerigars, and 45 agapornis) were cultured. Forty-two (E. coli) strains were identified, and the presence of the eae, stx1, and stx2 genes was determined using PCR. The antimicrobial resistance profiles of the STEC strains were determined using the disk diffusion method and phylogenetic analysis according to the new Clermont phylotyping method. Using these methods, 19.4% (8/42) of the STEC strains were determined to be positive for the eae and stx2 genes. The results revealed a STEC frequency of 4.6% in the birds (8/171), with a percentage of 8.47% in budgerigars (5/59), 4.47% in cockatiels (3/67), and 0% in agapornis (0/45). None of the STEC isolates belonged to the O157 serogroup. Most of the strains were classified as sensitive to the 18 antibiotics tested. None of the strains exhibited a multiresistance profile. In the phylogenetic analysis, two strains were classified as non-typeable, three were classified as B2, two were classified as F, and one was classified as Clade I. Seven of the eight STEC strains showed a clonal profile using AFLP. E. coli strains that are stx2(+) plus eae(+) are usually associated with severe human diseases such as hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The STEC-positive results indicate the zoonotic risk of breeding psittacidae in home environments.
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: tknobl@usp.br.
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Gioia-Di Chiacchio
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: M P V
authors: MP
authors: Cunha
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Sturn
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: L Z
authors: LZ
authors: Moreno
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Moreno
authors: Instituto Butantan, Bacteriology Laboratory, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: C B P
authors: CB
authors: Pereira
authors: Instituto Butantan, Bacteriology Laboratory, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: F H
authors: FH
authors: Martins
authors: Instituto Butantan, Bacteriology Laboratory, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Franzolin
authors: Instituto Butantan, Bacteriology Laboratory, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: R M F
authors: RM
authors: Piazza
authors: FMVZ-USP-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Knöbl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D010311:Parrots / Q000382:microbiology*; D057805:Pets / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins
keywords: Escherichia coli; Psittacine birds; STEC; Zoonoses