Prevalence of Escherichia coli adhesion-related genes in neonatal calf diarrhea in Uruguay

Authors

  • Ana Umpiérrez Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Sofía Acquistapace Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Sofía Fernández Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Martín Oliver Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Patricia Acuña Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Eduardo Reolón Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Pablo Zunino Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.7102

Keywords:

Escherichia coli, NCD, clpG, f5, f17A, f17G(II)

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD), one of the most important diseases of neonatal dairy and beef calves in Uruguay, has become relevant in association with intensive systems. This disease generates substantial economic losses every year worldwide as a result of increased morbidity and mortality. Escherichia coli, one of the pathogens associated with NCD, can express several fimbrial and afimbrial adhesins. The objective of this study was to assess the presence of clpG, f5, f17A, f17G(II), and f17G(I) genes that encode three important adhesins expressed in diarrheagenic E. coli: F5, F17 and CS31A, isolated from feces of calves in Uruguay.

Methodology: Feces of 86 (70 diarrheic and 16 healthy) calves, from 15 animal facilities in Uruguay, were collected between 2012 and 2013. Biochemical and molecular identification were performed to finally obtain 298 E. coli isolates. Partial amplification of adhesion-related genes was performed by polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The most prevalent gene was f17A (31.2%), followed by f17G(II), clpG, f17G(I) and f5 (25.8%, 17.5%, 3.7% and 0.7%, respectively). All genes were present in diarrheic and healthy animals except f5 and f17G(I); these genes were present only in affected calves, although in low numbers.

Conclusions: This is the first report of the presence of F5, F17, and CS31A genes in E. coli strains from NCD cases in Uruguay. Prevalence values of the genes, except f5, were in accordance with regional findings. It is expected that further characterization of locally transmitted strains will contribute to control a problem of regional and international magnitude.

Author Biographies

Ana Umpiérrez, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Microbiología, IIBCE

Sofía Acquistapace, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Microbiología, IIBCE

Sofía Fernández, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Microbiología, IIBCE

Martín Oliver, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Microbiología, IIBCE

Patricia Acuña, Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo. Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA.

Eduardo Reolón, Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo. Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA.

Pablo Zunino, Laboratorios Santa Elena-VIRBAC SA, Montevideo, Uruguay

Departmento de Microbiología, IIBCE

Downloads

Published

2016-05-31

How to Cite

1.
Umpiérrez A, Acquistapace S, Fernández S, Oliver M, Acuña P, Reolón E, Zunino P (2016) Prevalence of Escherichia coli adhesion-related genes in neonatal calf diarrhea in Uruguay. J Infect Dev Ctries 10:472–477. doi: 10.3855/jidc.7102

Issue

Section

Original Articles