Infection and Drug Resistance (Aug 2022)
Sequence Analysis, Antibiogram Profile, Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of XDR and MDR Gallibacterium anatis Isolated from Layer Chickens in Egypt
Abstract
Abelazeem M Algammal,1 Marwa E Abo Hashem,1 Khyreyah J Alfifi,2 Amenah S Al-otaibi,2 Marfat Alatawy,2 Reham M ElTarabili,1 Wafaa A Abd El-Ghany,3 Helal F Hetta,4 Ahmed M Hamouda,5 Amira A Elewa,5 Marwa M Azab6 1Department of Bacteriology, Immunology, and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt; 2Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Tabuk University, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; 3Poultry Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; 4Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 5Animal Health Research Institute, Zagazig Branch, Zagazig, Egypt; 6Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, EgyptCorrespondence: Abelazeem M Algammal, Department of Bacteriology, Immunology and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, Email [email protected]: Gallibacterium anatis is incriminated frequently in severe economic losses and mortalities in the poultry industry. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of G. anatis in layer chickens, sequence analysis, the antibiogram profiles, and PCR screening of virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance genes.Methods: Accordingly, 300 samples (tracheal swabs, ovary and oviduct, and lung) were randomly collected from 100 diseased layer chickens from private commercial layer farms at Elsharkia Governorate, Egypt. The bacteriological examination was carried out. The retrieved isolates were tested for 16S rRNA-23S rRNA gene sequencing, antibiogram profiling, PCR screening of virulence (gtxA, fifA, and gyrB), and antibiotic resistance genes (blaROB, aphA1, tetB, and tetH).Results: The prevalence of G. anatis was 25% in the examined diseased layer chickens. The sequence analyses emphasized that the tested strains derived from a common ancestor and exhibited a notable genetic similarity with other G. anatis strains from USA, China, and Denmark. The isolated G. anatis strains were highly resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, oxytetracycline, penicillin, ampicillin, kanamycin, neomycin, and erythromycin. The PCR revealed that the retrieved G. anatis strains carried gtxA, gyrB, and fifA virulence genes with a prevalence of 100%, 100%, and 38.3%, respectively. Approximately 30.1% of the retrieved G. anatis isolates were XDR to six antimicrobial classes and harbored blaROB, aphA1, and tetB resistance genes. Moreover, 20.5% of the isolated G. anatis strains were MDR to three different classes and carried blaROB and tetH resistance genes.Conclusion: Briefly, this study emphasized the existence of XDR and MDR G. anatis strains in poultry. Florfenicol and norfloxacin displayed a promising antimicrobial effect against the emerging XDR and MDR G. anatis in poultry. The emergence of XDR and MDR G. anatis is considered a public health alarm.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: G. anatis, poultry, antibiogram, XDR, sequence analyses, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes