The detection of virulence genes of shigatoxin and intimin from Escherichia coli isolated from a pigeon with gastrointestinal symptoms: a case report

Subject Areas :

Majid Gholami-Ahangarn ¹ , mehrdad Ostadpour ² , Anita Khani ³

1 - Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
2 - Graduated of Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
3 - Graduated of Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran

Received: 2020-11-19 Accepted : 2021-05-12 Published : 2022-11-22

Keywords: shigatoxin, hemolysin, pigeon, E. coli, Intimin,

Abstract :

Background & Aim : Escherichia coli (E. coli) is found as a flora in the digestive tract of all warm-blooded animals, including pigeons. This bacterium has many virulent genes including shigatoxin and intimin. Intimin is responsible for binding E. coli to intestinal mucosal cells, and shigatoxin causes cell death. The aim of recent study was to investigate the presence of these virulence genes in E. coli isolated from a case of gastrointestinal infection in pigeons in order to determine the possibility of pathogenic E. coli with origin of pigeons in humans. Materials and Methods: In this regard, to identify virulent genes in E. coli isolated from diarrheic pigeon, a cloaca swab was prepared from a pigeon with diarrhea symptoms. After microbial culture and purification, the infection to E. coli was confirmed by biochemical examinations. Then, DNA was extracted by boiling method and hemolysin, intimin and sub unites of shigatoxin (stx1 & stx2) genes were detected. The target genes were identified by specific primers based on amplification of target genes with specific fragment lengths (165, 890, 614 and 779 bp, respectively). Results: The E. coli strain isolated from pigeon with symptom of diarrhea had the virulence genes of stx1 and intimin and lacks the genes encoding hemolysin and stx2. Conclusion: The results showed that the virulence genes of shigatoxin 1 and intimin were detectable in pigeons with gastrointestinal symptoms. According to these results, contrary to previous perceptions, birds may be the source of shigatoxogenic E. coli, and the symptoms of diarrhea in pigeons may be related to the presence of Shigatoxin and intimine in E. coli, which needs to be further investigated.

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