Study of the Prevalence of E. Coli in Poultry and Selection of Specific Bacteriophages

Abstract

Avian colibacillosis is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity associated with economic losses in the industry throughout the world. The problem is enhanced by the growing resistance of pathogenic pathogens towards antibiotics. This situation has strongly stimulated a renewal of scientists’ interest in bacteriophages (phages), viruses of bacteria. They are abundant in nature, and accompany bacteria in each environment they colonize, including human microbiota. The aim of our work was to study the prevalence of pathogenic E-coli in poultry, isolate, characterize, and evaluate the potential use of isolated bacteriophages to control E. coli infections in poultry. 35 pathogenic E. coli strains were isolated from 90 sample of poultry excreta. The most common phylogenetic groups were A1 (25%), A2 (15%), B1 (35%), and B2 (25%). E. coli was 100% resistant to five antibiotics (Bacitracin, Clindamycin, Carbapenem, Cephalexin, Clarithromycin). E. coli was least resistant to oxacillin (40%), followed by tetracycline (48.6%). The prevalence of multidrug resistance was 91.4%. Such high levels of resistance in E. coli isolated from poultry excreta could pose a serious threat to humans. Five novel phages against pathogenic E. coli were isolated from sewage water and characterized in vitro. The electron microscopic analysis showed that two phages belonged to the
Myoviridae family and three bacteriophages belonged to the Siphoviridae family, in the order Caudovirales.