Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia

The purpose of this study was to identify Escherichia coli isolates in diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia and characterise their virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. In the 2014-2015 period, 60 faecal samples from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits were collected from different breeding far...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Raouia Ben Rhouma, Ahlem Jouini, Amira Klibi, Safa Hamrouni, Aziza Boubaker, Souhir Kmiha, Abderrazek Maaroufi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2020-06-01
Series:World Rabbit Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/10879
_version_ 1819236585219031040
author Raouia Ben Rhouma
Ahlem Jouini
Amira Klibi
Safa Hamrouni
Aziza Boubaker
Souhir Kmiha
Abderrazek Maaroufi
author_facet Raouia Ben Rhouma
Ahlem Jouini
Amira Klibi
Safa Hamrouni
Aziza Boubaker
Souhir Kmiha
Abderrazek Maaroufi
author_sort Raouia Ben Rhouma
collection DOAJ
description The purpose of this study was to identify Escherichia coli isolates in diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia and characterise their virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. In the 2014-2015 period, 60 faecal samples from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits were collected from different breeding farms in Tunisia. Susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents was tested by disc diffusion method and the mechanisms of gene resistance were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods. Forty E. coli isolates were recovered in selective media. High frequency of resistance to tetracycline (95%) was detected, followed by different levels of resistance to sulphonamide (72.5%), streptomycin (62.5%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (60%), nalidixic acid (32.5%), ampicillin (37.5%) and ticarcillin (35%). E. coli strains were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime and imipenem. Different variants of blaTEM, tet, sul genes were detected in most of the strains resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline and sulphonamide, respectively. The presence of class 1 integron was studied in 29 sulphonamide-resistant E. coli strains from which 15 harboured class 1 integron with four different arrangements of gene cassettes, dfrA17+aadA5 (n=9), dfrA1 + aadA1 (n=4), dfrA12 + addA2 (n=1), dfrA12+orf+addA2 (n=1). The qnrB gene was detected in six strains out of 13 quinolone-resistant E. coli strains. Seventeen E. coli isolates from diarrhoeic rabbits harboured the enteropathogenic eae genes associated with different virulence genes tested (fimA, cnf1, aer), and affiliated to B2 (n=8) and D (n=9) phylogroups. Isolated E. coli strains from healthy rabbit were harbouring fim A and/or cnf1 genes and affiliated to A and B1 phylogroups. This study showed that E. coli strains from the intestinal tract of rabbits are resistant to the widely prescribed antibiotics in medicine. Therefore, they constitute a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant genes, which may play a significant role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, the eae virulence gene seemed to be implicated in diarrhoea in breeder rabbits in Tunisia.
first_indexed 2024-12-23T13:06:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-4fa6369b77884d1b94d9c337e0b80a95
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1257-5011
1989-8886
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-23T13:06:46Z
publishDate 2020-06-01
publisher Universitat Politècnica de València
record_format Article
series World Rabbit Science
spelling doaj.art-4fa6369b77884d1b94d9c337e0b80a952022-12-21T17:45:52ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaWorld Rabbit Science1257-50111989-88862020-06-01282819110.4995/wrs.2020.108798217Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in TunisiaRaouia Ben Rhouma0Ahlem Jouini1Amira Klibi2Safa Hamrouni3Aziza Boubaker4Souhir Kmiha5Abderrazek Maaroufi6National Institute of Agronomy of TunisInstitute Pasteur of TunisInstitute Pasteur of TunisInstitute Pasteur of TunisNational Institute of Agronomy of TunisInstitute Pasteur of TunisInstitute Pasteur of TunisThe purpose of this study was to identify Escherichia coli isolates in diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia and characterise their virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. In the 2014-2015 period, 60 faecal samples from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits were collected from different breeding farms in Tunisia. Susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents was tested by disc diffusion method and the mechanisms of gene resistance were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods. Forty E. coli isolates were recovered in selective media. High frequency of resistance to tetracycline (95%) was detected, followed by different levels of resistance to sulphonamide (72.5%), streptomycin (62.5%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (60%), nalidixic acid (32.5%), ampicillin (37.5%) and ticarcillin (35%). E. coli strains were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime and imipenem. Different variants of blaTEM, tet, sul genes were detected in most of the strains resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline and sulphonamide, respectively. The presence of class 1 integron was studied in 29 sulphonamide-resistant E. coli strains from which 15 harboured class 1 integron with four different arrangements of gene cassettes, dfrA17+aadA5 (n=9), dfrA1 + aadA1 (n=4), dfrA12 + addA2 (n=1), dfrA12+orf+addA2 (n=1). The qnrB gene was detected in six strains out of 13 quinolone-resistant E. coli strains. Seventeen E. coli isolates from diarrhoeic rabbits harboured the enteropathogenic eae genes associated with different virulence genes tested (fimA, cnf1, aer), and affiliated to B2 (n=8) and D (n=9) phylogroups. Isolated E. coli strains from healthy rabbit were harbouring fim A and/or cnf1 genes and affiliated to A and B1 phylogroups. This study showed that E. coli strains from the intestinal tract of rabbits are resistant to the widely prescribed antibiotics in medicine. Therefore, they constitute a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant genes, which may play a significant role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, the eae virulence gene seemed to be implicated in diarrhoea in breeder rabbits in Tunisia.https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/10879antibiotic resistance genesbreeding rabbitse. coli isolatesintegronsvirulence genestunisia
spellingShingle Raouia Ben Rhouma
Ahlem Jouini
Amira Klibi
Safa Hamrouni
Aziza Boubaker
Souhir Kmiha
Abderrazek Maaroufi
Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
World Rabbit Science
antibiotic resistance genes
breeding rabbits
e. coli isolates
integrons
virulence genes
tunisia
title Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
title_full Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
title_fullStr Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
title_full_unstemmed Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
title_short Molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in Tunisia
title_sort molecular characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic and healthy rabbits in tunisia
topic antibiotic resistance genes
breeding rabbits
e. coli isolates
integrons
virulence genes
tunisia
url https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/10879
work_keys_str_mv AT raouiabenrhouma molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT ahlemjouini molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT amiraklibi molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT safahamrouni molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT azizaboubaker molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT souhirkmiha molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia
AT abderrazekmaaroufi molecularcharacterisationofantimicrobialresistanceandvirulencegenesinescherichiacolistrainsisolatedfromdiarrhoeicandhealthyrabbitsintunisia