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Zoonotic potential of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) isolated from puppies with diarrhoea in Brazil
- Source :
- Veterinary microbiology. 227
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Recent studies point atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) to be an important agent in childhood diarrhoea in Brazil. aEPEC are commonly found in various animal species, including dogs. Although the true zoonotic risk remains unknown, some strains recovered from dogs present the same serotypes and carry the same virulence genes implicated in human disease. In this study, we compared the virulence and genetic relationship among a set of aEPEC strains previously isolated from diarrheic faeces from companion dogs and humans. A total of 17 strains, 12 from puppies and five from children, were studied. The strains were assessed for: (i) presence of virulence-associated genes (a total of 31 genes) using PCR assays; (ii) genetic relationship by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) and Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE); and (iii) adherence pattern in intestinal Caco-2 cells. The occurrence of virulence genes was similar between the canine and human isolates presenting the same serotype. The fimbrial genes ecpA and fimH were the most frequently detected, followed by hcpA, tccP, tccP2, lpfA1, lpfA2, astA and toxB genes. Several nle genes were also detected, with one canine strain (O156:H- / ST327) showing all PAI O-122 genes investigated (efa-1, nleB, nleE and ent/espL2). Canine and human strains of the same serotype were grouped into a single cluster by RAPD and PFGE, in which the ST10 and ST206 were identified. Additionally, most of the strains exhibited a localized adherence-like phenotype when interacting with Caco-2 cells. The results showed that some canine aEPEC strains share virulence genes commonly found in human pathogenic strains. Moreover, strains of the same serotype, isolated from dogs and children, share virulence genes and are phylogenetically close, suggesting a potential zoonotic risk.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Serotype
Diarrhea
030106 microbiology
Virulence
Biology
Serogroup
Microbiology
03 medical and health sciences
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Feces
Dogs
Zoonoses
medicine
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
Animals
Humans
Dog Diseases
Child
Gene
Escherichia coli Infections
Phylogeny
General Veterinary
Zoonosis
Age Factors
General Medicine
medicine.disease
RAPD
Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
030104 developmental biology
Multilocus sequence typing
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18732542
- Volume :
- 227
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Veterinary microbiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9ed4f26faa8e967139d3d18d0df11759