Abstract
The aim of the present study was to characterize a collection of Escherichia coli strains isolated from asymptomatic griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) during a reintroduction program in the southeast of Spain, in order to establish if griffon vulture could play a role in the spread of resistant or potentially pathogenic E. coli strains. For this purpose, 14 E. coli strains obtained from 10 griffon vulture were studied to establish their serotypes, phylogroups, virulencegene profiles and antimicrobial resistances. High heterogeneity was observed within the 14 strains isolated which belonged to three phylogroups (A, B1 and D), 8 serogroups (O2, O21, O29, O60, 073, O78, O103 and O141) and 13 different serotypes. Out of 34 genes screened, we have detected eight virulence genes that are typical of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) (fimH, fimAvMT78, iroN, iucD, cvaC, iss, traT and tsh); however, none of the studied strains showed the ExPEC status. The 14 strains were also analyzed for the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and for antimicrobial resistances. None of the 14 strains were ESBL-producing E. coli, but high resistance-prevalences to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole were detected. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of E. coli strains isolated from griffon vulture and although they did not show high virulencegene scores, they showed cotrimoxazole resistance.
Highlights
Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is a large-size bird of prey that greatly relies on food found at muladares and other refuse dumps
The aim of the present study was to characterize the serotypes, phylogroups, virulence-gene profiles and antimicrobial resistances of a group of E. coli strains isolated from asymptomatic griffon vulture, and to establish if griffon vulture could play a role in the spread of resistant or potentially pathogenic E. coli strains
Fourteen different E. coli strains were recovered from 10 out of the 17 griffon vultures sampled (4 animals showed E. coli strains belonging to 2 different serotypes) (Table 1)
Summary
Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is a large-size bird of prey that greatly relies on food found at muladares and other refuse dumps. Few studies have been carried out on the role of vultures in the spread of disease [1] [2], and none in relation to Escherichia coli, a ubiquitous microorganism of the Enterobacteriaceae family. E. coli comprises different intestinal and extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) groups for animals and humans [3]. A wide number of serogroups have been identified within APEC, many of which have been implicated in human extraintestinal infections [4]. Certain important clonal groups have been reported as responsible for human and animal extraintestinal E. coli infections during the last years [5]
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