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| Author(s): |
André Becker Simões Saidenberg
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2009-02-18 |
| Examining board members: |
Antônio José Piantino Ferreira;
Terezinha Knöbl;
Andrea Micke Moreno
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| Advisor: | Antônio José Piantino Ferreira |
| Abstract | |
Virulence factors of pathogenic Escherichia coli (E.coli) have been studied in several animal species due the importance of certain strains. These strains can be classified in serotypes and more recently in pathotypes using molecular biology techniques. The mostly known pathotypes nowadays include ETEC, STEC, EPEC, EIEC, UPEC and APEC. Several pathotypes causing disease and found in animals are also linked to severe disease in humans. A number of bird species are also known to possess pathotypes able to cause zoonotic infections. Besides de zoonotic aspect, infections by Gram-negative bacteria have a special importance as the Taxon Psittacidae includes many of the most threatened species and their maintenance in captivity is compromised by constant bacterial infections, especially E.coli. In this study, 174 samples from cloacal swabs of asymptomatic and symptomatic birds and necropsy cases were tested employing the PCR technique to detect virulence factors and to classify among phylogenetic grups. Ninety three positive samples were detected for virulence factors associations, mostly EPEC, APEC and UPEC, and most of the necropsy samples for the phylogenetic group A. The iss gene was detected with a higher frequency in symptomatic birds (51.7%, n=30) and 23.2%, (n=23) in asymptomatic ones. The results reveal to be of interest not only to the zoonotic potential of the isolates but also for conservation programs that intend to release these birds into the wild. (AU) | |