Indian Journal of Comparative Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Year : 2009, Volume : 30, Issue : 1
First page : ( 39) Last page : ( 41)
Print ISSN : 0790-9320. Online ISSN : 0974-0147.

Characteristics of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry birds of certain farms of Kolkata

Mitra D., Sarkar A., Joardar S.N.*, Mukhopadhyay S.K.

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, 37, K.B. Sarani, Kolkata - 700 037.

*Corresponding author: e.mail - sid_nj@indiatimes.com

Abstract

The worldwide use of antimicrobials in different fields has created enormous pressure for the selection of resistance among opportunistic bacterial pathogens. One hundred and thirty six samples collected from morbid or dead poultry birds with symptoms of colibacillosis were screened for presence of E. coli. Fifty-four samples were found positive for E. coli. Ten representative samples were serotyped which revealed presence of six different serogroups and two untypable strains. The isolates showed highly resistant to sulphafurazole (100%), neomycin (80%), oxytetracycline (80%) and ciprofloxacin (60%) in antimicrobial succeptibility test. Moreover, all the isolates showed multiple antimicrobial resistance to more than 4 antibiotics, and 80% of them were resistant to more than 7 of total 10 antimicrobial agents. Five (O20, O27, O29, O39 and O119) of the isolated serogroups of E. coli were found highly pathogenic (83.33%) and the serogroups O2 were least pathogenic in mice. From the present study, it can be concluded that presence of pathogenic and antibiotic resistant E. coli strains are alarmingly high in poultry birds in and around Kolkata.

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