Non-invasive Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) represents one of the most frequent pathogens involved in fatal enteropathy of commercial ra bbits in Italy. We here report the characterisation of the biotype and the resistance to antimicrobial agents of 60 strains of E. coli isolated from 150 rabbits affected by diarrhoeic enteropathy. Parasitological, bacterioscopical, bacteriological and histological examinations were performed on caecal samples. Biotyping was made according to CAMGUILHEM and MILON (1989), and the antibiotic resistance against 18 different antibiotics was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method. All the strains were isolated from caeca that showed catharral to haemorrhagic entero-tiflitis and, microscopically, attachment/effacement (A/E) lesions. Twelve different biotypes were identified, among which B12 and B14 biotypes were constantly present. Antibiotic resistance patterns varied considerably among the biotypes and within the same biotype among the rabbitries. Only fluoroquinolones resulted highly efficacious against E. coli. The results suggest to adopt quarantine measures for restocking rabbits in order to identify potential reservoirs of EPEC as well as to determine the prevalent biotype/biotypes and its/their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents.
Biotype and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of rabbit Escherichia coli
PICCIRILLO, ALESSANDRA;
2004
Abstract
Non-invasive Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) represents one of the most frequent pathogens involved in fatal enteropathy of commercial ra bbits in Italy. We here report the characterisation of the biotype and the resistance to antimicrobial agents of 60 strains of E. coli isolated from 150 rabbits affected by diarrhoeic enteropathy. Parasitological, bacterioscopical, bacteriological and histological examinations were performed on caecal samples. Biotyping was made according to CAMGUILHEM and MILON (1989), and the antibiotic resistance against 18 different antibiotics was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method. All the strains were isolated from caeca that showed catharral to haemorrhagic entero-tiflitis and, microscopically, attachment/effacement (A/E) lesions. Twelve different biotypes were identified, among which B12 and B14 biotypes were constantly present. Antibiotic resistance patterns varied considerably among the biotypes and within the same biotype among the rabbitries. Only fluoroquinolones resulted highly efficacious against E. coli. The results suggest to adopt quarantine measures for restocking rabbits in order to identify potential reservoirs of EPEC as well as to determine the prevalent biotype/biotypes and its/their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents.
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