Abstract
The green iguana appears to be a carrier for bacteria causing gastrointestinal infections in humans. The presence of diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) pathotypes, however, has not been studied in this reptile. The aim of the current work was to investigate the prevalence of DEC in the intestines of 240 captive green iguanas, their phylogenetic groups, and the antibiotic susceptibility profile. E. coli strains were isolated from 41.7% (N = 100/240) of the intestinal content of green iguanas. DEC strains was identified in 25.9% of the screened population and were detected in the majority (62%, p = 0.009) of those reptiles carrying E. coli strains. Among DEC strains, STEC strains carrying the stx1 gene were the most prevalent pathotype isolated (38.7%), followed by EAEC and ETEC (27.4% each). Genetic markers of DEC strains belonging to the EHEC pathotype were not detected. More than a half of DEC strains were classified into the Clade I-II phylogroup (64.5%), followed by the phylogroup A (14.5%). The antibiotic susceptibility method demonstrated that a high proportion of DEC strains were resistance, or non-susceptible, to carbenicillin, amikacin, and ampicillin. We conclude that the green iguana kept in captivity is a carrier of DEC strains bearing resistance to first-line antibiotics, including penicillins. Given the increase presence of the green iguana in Latin American households, these reptiles represent a potential source of transmission to susceptible humans and therefore a potential source of gastrointestinal disease.
Highlights
Escherichia coli is a commensal bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract of human and animals
Diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains was identified in 25.9% of the screened population of I. iguana and were detected in the majority [62% (N = 62), p = 0.009] of those reptiles carrying E. coli strains (N = 100)
This study revealed that the majority of E. coli strains isolated from I. iguana carried genes encoding virulence factors associated with diarrhea in humans (62%) such as those carried by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Enteroagregative E. coli (EAEC), or Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) pathotypes
Summary
Escherichia coli is a commensal bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract of human and animals. Its ability to acquire virulence genes has originated strains that cause serious gastrointestinal infections in humans as well as animals [1]. Based on the virulence traits of this Gram-negative bacterium and the location of the infection within the human host, pathogenic E. coli strains are classified in Diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) and Extra intestinal Escherichia coli (ExPEC). This last group includes uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC). STEC virulence is mainly based on its ability to produce two isoforms of the Shiga toxin (Stx): Stx and Stx, related to infections in human, mainly subtypes Stx2 [6]. Multiple STEC serotypes have been reported in outbreaks of human disease, being the most frequent STEC O157, followed by non-O157 serotypes including O26, O103, O111, O21, O45, and O145 strains [7]
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