International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics

ISSN 2756-3650

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics ISSN 2756-3650, Vol. 13 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Epidemiology and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strains Causing Colibacillosis in Broiler Farms in Eastern Algeria

Chafik Redha Messaï1,2, Khatima Aït-Oudhia1,2, Djamel Khelef1,2*, Taha Mossadek Hamdi1,2, Nadia Safia Chenouf3 and Mohamed Ramzi Messaï4

1High National Veterinary School of Algiers, BP 161 Hacène Badi, EL Harrach, Algiers, Algeria. 2Research Laboratory, Food Hygiene and Quality Assurance System (HASAQ), High National Veterinary School of Algiers, BP 161 Hacène Badi, EL Harrach, Algiers, Algeria. 3Exploration laboratory and recovery of steppe ecosystems, University of Ziane Achour Djelfa, Algeria. 4SAND George Hospital Centre, Service Chopin Bourges, France. *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: (+213) 0773012972.

Received 28 May, 2023; Accepted 25 September, 2023

Abstract

In East Algeria, 100 Escherichia coli strains were isolated from livers and spleens of 120 broiler carcasses that presented colibacillosis lesions at autopsy. Serogrouping of these strains demonstrated that 83% of their serogroups belong to the most pathogenic serogroups of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC): O1 (14%), O2 (53%) and O78 (16%). In vitro susceptibility to antimicrobials of veterinary significance was determined by disc diffusion test. Antibiogram demonstrated a high level of resistance to enrofloxacin (82%), trimethoprim-sulfmethoxazole (82%), ampicillin (89%) and amoxicillin/ Ac clavulanic (90%), nalidixic acid (99%) and tetracycline (100%). There were moderate levels of resistance to neomycin (49%) and nitrofurantoin (53%). There were low levels of resistance to gentamicin (2%), chloramphenicol (13%) and no resistance to colistin sulfate (0%). All strains were multi-drug resistant and more than half (58%) of the isolates were resistant to seven antibiotics at least. Thus, thirty one antibiotic resistant patterns of E. coli strains were detected, of which 11 were present significantly. Co-resistance was found in eight of the eleven most common multidrug resistant patterns, 62% of the strains expressed this co-resistance. E. coli strains isolated expressed resistances to molecules that are routinely used in the field. It is clear that these are less effective against colibacillosis. It is more than ever necessary to perform antibiotic susceptibility testing prior to treatment in order to prescribe the molecule of choice, and set up a monitoring program in Algeria to monitor antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria that could be potentially transmitted to humans from animal food.

Key words: Algeria, antibiotic resistance, colibacillosis, Escherichia coli, serogroups.