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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #260809
Title: Ribotype and serotype diversity of Escherichia coli isolates from poultry and human sources

Author
item Sheffield, Cynthia
item ROSARIO-CORTES, CECILIA - Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico
item Bischoff, Kenneth

Submitted to: International Journal of Food, Agriculture, and the Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2010
Publication Date: 12/22/2010
Citation: Sheffield, C.L., Rosario-Cortes, C., Bischoff, K.M. 2010. Ribotype and serotype diversity of Escherichia coli isolates from poultry and human sources. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. 8:211-216.

Interpretive Summary: This study examined the genetic relatedness and serotypes of Escherichia coli isolates that were not able to be typed using conventional means. Ribotypes were characterized on the RiboPrinter® Microbial Characterization System following DNA digestion with the restriction enzyme EcoRI. E. coli isolates segregated into 41 ribogroups. These were divided into three clusters, one cluster contained only poultry isolates, the second contained only human isolates, and the third contained 55% poultry isolates and 45% human isolates. The highest degree of genetic diversity was observed within the cluster containing only human isolates, while the cluster which contained both human and poultry isolates showed the lowest level of genetic diversity. A total of 22 serotypes were identified, of which six were typical of the avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strains and six contained both human and poultry isolates. The data from this study indicates that automated ribotyping can provide an accurate and reproducible method to further characterize E. coli isolates that have resisted more traditional methods of analysis.

Technical Abstract: Escherichia coli isolates from the poultry and human sources were analyzed to evaluate the genetic relatedness and serotype. Ribotype was determined using the RiboPrinter® Microbial Characterization System following DNA digestion with the restriction enzyme EcoRI. A total of 41 ribogroups were isolated. These segregated into three clusters, one cluster contained only poultry isolates, the second contained only human isolates, and the third contained 55% poultry isolates and 45% human isolates. Results showed a high level of ribotypic relatedness within the E. coli isolates that could infect both poultry and human sources, while E. coli isolates collected from exclusively poultry or human sources showed a high level of ribotypic diversity. Serotype was determined using antisera against somatic (O) antigens. A total of 22 serotypes were identified, of which six were typical of the avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strains and six contained both human and poultry isolates.