Risk factor analysis, antimicrobial resistance and pathotyping of Escherichia coli associated with pre- and post-weaning piglet diarrhoea in organised farms, India.

O R Vinodhkumar,Z B Dubal,Ramkumar N Rupner,R Karthikeyan,B R Singh,B S Pruthvishree,Shika Tamta,Y S Malik,D K Sinha

doi:10.1017/s0950268819000591

O R Vinodhkumar, Z B Dubal + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s0950268819000591

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Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2014 to 2017 in 13 organised pig farms located in eight states of India (Northern, North-Eastern and Southern regions) to identify the risk factors, pathotype and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli associated with pre- and post-weaning piglet diarrhoea. The data collected through questionnaire survey were used to identify the risk factors by univariable analysis, in which weaning status, season, altitude, ventilation in the shed, use of heater/cooler for temperature control in the sheds, feed type, water source, and use of disinfectant, were the potential risk factors. In logistic regression model, weaning and source of water were the significant risk factors. The piglet diarrhoea prevalence was almost similar across the regions. Of the 909 faecal samples collected (North - 310, North-East - 194 and South - 405) for isolation of E. coli, pathotyping and antibiotic screening, 531 E. coli were isolated in MacConkey agar added with cefotaxime, where 345 isolates were extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers and were positive for blaCTX-M-1 (n = 147), bla TEM (n = 151), qnrA (n = 98), qnrB (n = 116), qnrS (n = 53), tetA (n = 46), tetB (n = 48) and sul1 (n = 54) genes. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index revealed that 14 (2.64%) isolates had MAR index of 1. On the virulence screening of E. coli, 174 isolates harboured alone or combination of Stx1, Stx2, eaeA, hlyA genes. The isolates from diarrhoeic and post-weaning samples harboured higher number of virulence genes than non-diarrhoeic and pre-weaning. Alleviating the risk factors might reduce the piglet diarrhoea cases. The presence of multidrug-resistant and ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli in piglets appears a public health concern.

Highlights

IntroductionPig rearing plays a vital role in alleviating poverty and development of socio-economic condition in rural farming community in the developing Asian countries including India
This study reveals the point prevalence of E. coli-associated piglet diarrhoea on 13 pig farms from different regions of India along with the risk factor analysis, pathotyping and antimicrobial resistance in pre- and post-weaning piglets
The Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices of the E. coli are given in Supplementary Table S5

Summary

Introduction

Pig rearing plays a vital role in alleviating poverty and development of socio-economic condition in rural farming community in the developing Asian countries including India. Piglet diarrhoea in neonatal and weaned piglets due to Escherichia coli is an economically important disease, affecting pigs during the first 2 weeks and post-weaning and is characterised by sudden death or diarrhoea, dehydration and growth retardation in surviving piglets [2, 3, 4]. Weaning is one of the important causes for piglet diarrhoea, which causes psychological, nutritional, environmental and physiological stress on piglets [5]. The other risk factors associated with piglet diarrhoea are pathogenic E. coli, stress, management factors and excessive feed intake [6, 7]

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