Genotyping of Riemerella anatipestifer by ERIC-PCR and correlation with serotypes

Area of Science:

• Bacteriology
• Poultry Disease Research
• Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

• Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) causes significant economic losses in poultry, particularly waterfowl.
• Understanding the genomic diversity of RA is crucial for effective disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the genomic diversity of 166 field isolates of Riemerella anatipestifer.
• To evaluate the utility of enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for differentiating RA strains and correlating with serotypes.

Main Methods:

• Genomic DNA was extracted from 166 field isolates and 5 reference strains of RA.
• Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to analyze genetic polymorphism.
• ERIC-PCR patterns were compared with host species, isolation location, year, and serotype.

Main Results:

• Seventeen distinct ERIC-PCR patterns were identified among the RA isolates.
• The majority of strains clustered into two closely related ERIC-PCR types (A and B).
• ERIC-PCR patterns showed a strong correlation with serotypes, with specific types predominantly associated with serotype 1, 7, and others. Some serotypes could be further subdivided.

Conclusions:

• ERIC-PCR is a valuable tool for the molecular identification and serotyping of Riemerella anatipestifer.
• The detection of subtypes within certain serotypes using ERIC-PCR can enhance epidemiological investigations of RA outbreaks.