Phylogenetic analysis of Escherichia coli (EPEC) isolated from psittacine feces: evaluation of zoonotic potential

• Grant number: 13/24052-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Terezinha Knöbl
• Grantee: Jessica Nacarato Reple
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Escherichia coli is one of the principal inhabitants of the humans and birds intestinal tract and it may cause enteric problems in both species. Drastic ecological changes and human behavior, as the population boom and the intense contact with exotic pets, contributed to the emergence of zoonoses and damages on animal health. The bacteria belongs the Enterobacteriaceae family and can be classified by serological, phylogenetic and molecular methods. EPEC is a group of diarrheagenic E. coli that produces characteristic changes in the intestinal cells, as injury A / E ( " attaching and effacing " ), but it doesn't produce Shiga toxin , heat labile or heat stable enterotoxin. EPEC is known as a major cause of childhood diarrhea. The EPEC strains are still classified as typical when harbor the plasmid for the EPEC adherence factor (EAF) which encodes bfp (bundle forming pili), while atypical strains are negative for the gene bfp. Considering the zoonotic impact and the need for conservation of wild and exotic birds, this study aims to determine phylogenetic groups of Escherichia coli (EPEC) isolated from feces of psittacine and performs clonal analysis of these samples.