Occurrence of virulence genes in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolates from Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) in Portugal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

simoes, r (Author) Other; ferreira, c (Author) Other; goncalves, j (Author) ICBAS; alvares, f (Author) Other; rio-maior, h (Author) Other; roque, s (Author) Other; brandao, r (Author) Other; da costa, pm (Author) ICBAS

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Vol. 58

Pages: 677-684

ISSN: 1612-4642

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-7J2

DOI: 10.1007/s10344-012-0616-4

Abstract (EN): While much evidence supports the view that the total consumption of antimicrobials is the critical factor in selecting resistance, the possibility of resistant isolates and/or genes encoding resistance being transferred among different living communities has raised serious concerns. In the present study, Escherichia coli isolates recovered from faecal samples (n = 34) of Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) were characterized for their antimicrobial drug susceptibility. Nearly two thirds of the isolates carried resistance to one or more antimicrobial drugs (in a panel of 19 antibiotics), and resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin and streptomycin was most widespread. By screening a set of 20 multidrug-resistant E. coli for virulence genes, we found strains positive for cdt, chuA, cvaC, eaeA, paa and bfpA, which was the most common virulence trait. Phylogenetic analyses have shown that the majority of these E. coli strains fall into phylogenetic groups A and B1. In this study, the diversity of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing strains was expressed by both polymorphism of the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns and the presence of various resistance and virulence genes profiles. Finding the specific implications of these multi-resistant bacteria (hosting several virulence factors) in wolf conservation is a challenging topic to be addressed in further investigations.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8