Molecular Characterization of Shiga Toxin-ProducingEscherichia coliIsolated from Ruminant and Donkey Raw Milk Samples and Traditional Dairy Products in Iran

Abstract

The aims of the current study were to detect the virulence factors and antibiotic resistance of Shiga toxin-producingE. coli, in animal milk and dairy products in Iran. AfterE. colidentification with culture method, PCR assay were developed for detection of pathogenic genes, serotypes and antibiotic resistance genes ofE. coli. Results showed that out of 719 samples, 102 (14.18%) were confirmed to be positive forE. coliand out of 102 positive samples, 17.64% were O26 and 13.72% were O157 and 1.96% were O91 and 1.96% were O145 serotypes. Totally, the prevalence ofstx1 andpapAgenes were the highest while the prevalence ofsfaSandfyuAwere the lowest in the positive samples. PCR results showed thattetA, tetBwere the highest (64.70%) andaac(3)-IVwere the lowest (27.45%) antibiotic resistant genes inE. colipositive samples. Our study indicated that the isolatedE. colitrains in these regions had a highest antibiotic resistance to tetracycline (58.82%) and the lowest to nitrofurantoin (3.92%).tetAgene andE. coliO157 serotype had highest andaac(3)-IVgene, andE. coliO145 serotype had a lowest frequency rates of antibiotics resistance genes, in the region.