Unveiling the traits of antibiotic resistance and virulence in Escherichia coli obtained from poultry waste.

Antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) have become significant concerns, contributing to adverse environmental effects. The extensive use of antibiotics in poultry farming has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant APEC strains. This study prioritizes the molecular screening of APEC to uncover their antibiotic resistance and virulence attributes, with specific attention to their environmental impact. To address the imperative of understanding APEC pathogenesis, our study analyzed 50 poultry waste samples including 10 poultry litter, 15 fecal matter, 15 wastewater, and 10 anatomical waste samples. For the presence of virulence genes, 35 Escherichia coli isolates were subjected to molecular characterization. Amongst these, 27 were APEC strains demonstrating the presence of at least four virulence genes each. Notably, virulence genes such as fimH, ompA, ybjX, waaL, cvaC, hlyF, iss, ompT, and iroN were observed among all the E. coli isolates. Furthermore, eleven of the APEC strains exhibited resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, sulphonamides, and fluoroquinolones. These findings highlight the role of APEC as a potential source of environmental pollution serving as a reservoir for virulence and resistance genes. Understanding the dynamics of antibiotic resistance and virulence in APEC is essential due to its potential threat to broiler chickens and the broader population through the food chain, intensifying concerns related to environmental pollution. Recognizing the ecological impact of APEC is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate environmental pollution and safeguard the health of ecosystems and human populations. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The data of the study can be provided by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors are grateful towards the infrastructure and laboratory support given by Nitte Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University) for carrying out the research. Author information Authors and Affiliations Contributions All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design “Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Rajeshwari Vittal and Akhila Sannejal; Methodology, Sahil Bhambure, Lakiesha Inacia Coelho E Costa, Ashwitha M Gatty and Kavitha Guladahalli Manjunatha”. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Corresponding author Ethics declarations Conflicts of interest The authors declare no competing interests. Additional information Responsible Editor: Maria Aparecida Scatamburlo Moreira Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Rights and permissions Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. About this article Cite this article Yoginath Bhambure, S., E Costa, L.I.C., Gatty, A.M. et al. Unveiling the traits of antibiotic resistance and virulence in Escherichia coli obtained from poultry waste. Braz J Microbiol 55, 2997–3007 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01367-1 Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01367-1