Co-relationship between Escherichia coli in broiler cellulitis and liver lesions

Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli may invade the subcutaneous tissue of poultry and cause cellulitis, whilst the pathogen may also cause lesions in internal organs such as the liver. Current paper co-relates Escherichia coli and virulence genes characteristic of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in broilers´ cellulitis and liver lesions. One hundred carcasses were retrieved from the production chain in an avian abattoir in the state of Bahia, Brazil, between August 2013 and January 2014, due to detection of cellulitis lesions. Cellulitis and liver samples were retrieved aseptically to quantify E. coli by Petrifilm™ count fast method (3M Company) (AOAC 998.8). Virulent genes iss and iutA were removed from E. coli isolates by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Escherichia coli was isolated from 82.0% of broilers removed from the production chain and the bacterium was concomitantly detected in cellulitis and liver lesions in 40.0% of broilers. E. coli counts ranged between 1.00 and 4.73 log CFU/g in liver lesions and between 2.00 and 9.00 log UFC/g in cellulitis lesions. Virulent genes iutA and iss were detected in 97.56% and 89.02% of E. coli isolates, respectively. Genotype analysis demonstrated the concomitant amplification of genes iutA and iss in 60.0% (n=40) of samples of cellulitis and liver lesions in which the simultaneous isolation of E. coli occurred. There was a positive and significant co-relationship (r=0.22; p<0.05) between the variables occurrence of E. coli isolated from liver samples and the occurrence of E. coli isolated from cellulitis lesions. There were also positive and significant co-relationships between populations of E. coli from liver isolates and cellulitis lesions (r=0.46; p<0.05) when E. coli isolated in the liver and in cellulitis lesions was detected. Since results showed a relationship between E. coli in cellulitis and liver lesions and possible systemic infection, the occurrence of cellulitis lesions as a criterion for total discarding of carcass may be suggested.