Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa

Turkey cellulitis, also known as clostridial dermatitis is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and carcass condemnation at slaughter resulting in considerable losses for turkey producers. Here, we assessed the potential role of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in a cellulitis outbre...

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Main Authors: Aline Luisa de Oliveira, Darby M. Newman, Yuko Sato, Andrew Noel, Britney Rauk, Lisa K. Nolan, Nicolle L. Barbieri, Catherine M. Logue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00380/full
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spelling doaj-16a839f68e4445b9b0e382e3d64c746b2020-11-25T03:10:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692020-07-01710.3389/fvets.2020.00380550217Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in IowaAline Luisa de Oliveira0Darby M. Newman1Yuko Sato2Andrew Noel3Britney Rauk4Lisa K. Nolan5Nicolle L. Barbieri6Catherine M. Logue7Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesDepartment of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesDepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United StatesDepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United StatesDepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United StatesDepartment of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesDepartment of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesDepartment of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesTurkey cellulitis, also known as clostridial dermatitis is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and carcass condemnation at slaughter resulting in considerable losses for turkey producers. Here, we assessed the potential role of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in a cellulitis outbreak on a turkey farm in Iowa. Birds from one farm with a history of cellulitis and one farm with no history of disease (for comparison) were followed from the age of 10 weeks (before the outbreak) to 18 weeks (just prior to slaughter). E. coli recovered from the litter, from skin lesions of birds with cellulitis, and from systemic lesions of birds submitted for necropsy, were assessed. A total of 333 isolates were analyzed and screened for virulence-associated genes, antimicrobial resistance genes including heavy metal resistance, adhesins, invasins, and protectins, iron acquisition systems and their phylogenetic group through multiplex PCR. In addition, PCR was used to serogroup the isolates, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to analyze a subset of strains from the farm environment (litter) and birds at 17 and 18 weeks of age when the cellulitis infection appeared to peak. Overall, E. coli isolates recovered from cellulitis lesions and systemic infection were identified as APEC, while a lower prevalence of E. coli recovered from the litter met the criteria of APEC-like. Direct comparison of E. coli isolates from the litter, lesions, and systemic strains using PFGE failed to find identical clones across all three sources reflecting the diversity of strains present in the poultry environment causing disease. This study highlights the role of APEC in turkey cellulitis and should not be overlooked as a significant contributor to the disease in turkeys.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00380/fullEscherichia coliAPECTurkey cellulitischaracterizationpoultry
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Aline Luisa de Oliveira
Darby M. Newman
Yuko Sato
Andrew Noel
Britney Rauk
Lisa K. Nolan
Nicolle L. Barbieri
Catherine M. Logue
spellingShingle Aline Luisa de Oliveira
Darby M. Newman
Yuko Sato
Andrew Noel
Britney Rauk
Lisa K. Nolan
Nicolle L. Barbieri
Catherine M. Logue
Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Escherichia coli
APEC
Turkey cellulitis
characterization
poultry
author_facet Aline Luisa de Oliveira
Darby M. Newman
Yuko Sato
Andrew Noel
Britney Rauk
Lisa K. Nolan
Nicolle L. Barbieri
Catherine M. Logue
author_sort Aline Luisa de Oliveira
title Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
title_short Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
title_full Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
title_fullStr Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Associated With Turkey Cellulitis in Iowa
title_sort characterization of avian pathogenic escherichia coli (apec) associated with turkey cellulitis in iowa
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Veterinary Science
issn 2297-1769
publishDate 2020-07-01
description Turkey cellulitis, also known as clostridial dermatitis is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and carcass condemnation at slaughter resulting in considerable losses for turkey producers. Here, we assessed the potential role of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in a cellulitis outbreak on a turkey farm in Iowa. Birds from one farm with a history of cellulitis and one farm with no history of disease (for comparison) were followed from the age of 10 weeks (before the outbreak) to 18 weeks (just prior to slaughter). E. coli recovered from the litter, from skin lesions of birds with cellulitis, and from systemic lesions of birds submitted for necropsy, were assessed. A total of 333 isolates were analyzed and screened for virulence-associated genes, antimicrobial resistance genes including heavy metal resistance, adhesins, invasins, and protectins, iron acquisition systems and their phylogenetic group through multiplex PCR. In addition, PCR was used to serogroup the isolates, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to analyze a subset of strains from the farm environment (litter) and birds at 17 and 18 weeks of age when the cellulitis infection appeared to peak. Overall, E. coli isolates recovered from cellulitis lesions and systemic infection were identified as APEC, while a lower prevalence of E. coli recovered from the litter met the criteria of APEC-like. Direct comparison of E. coli isolates from the litter, lesions, and systemic strains using PFGE failed to find identical clones across all three sources reflecting the diversity of strains present in the poultry environment causing disease. This study highlights the role of APEC in turkey cellulitis and should not be overlooked as a significant contributor to the disease in turkeys.
topic Escherichia coli
APEC
Turkey cellulitis
characterization
poultry
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00380/full
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