Invasin gimB found in a bovine intestinal <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> with an adherent and invasive profile

Matter, Letícia BSpricigo, Denis ATasca, Caianede Vargas, Agueda C

<p>The invasin <italic>gimB</italic> (genetic island associated with human newborn meningitis) is usually found in ExPEC (Extraintestinal Pathogenic <italic>Escherichia coli</italic>) such as UPEC (uropathogenic <italic>E. coli</italic>), NMEC (neonatal meningitis <italic>E. coli</italic>) and APEC (avian pathogenic <italic>E. coli</italic>). In NMEC, <italic>gimB</italic> is associated with the invasion process of the host cells. Due to the importance of <italic>E. coli</italic> as a zoonotic agent and the scarce information about the frequency of <italic>gimB</italic>-carrying strains in different animal species, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of <italic>gimB</italic> in isolates from bovine, swine, canine and feline clinical samples. PCR was conducted on 196 isolates and the identity of the amplicons was confirmed by sequencing. Of the samples tested, only <italic>E. coli</italic> SB278/94 from a bovine specimen was positive (1/47) for <italic>gimB</italic>, which represents 2.1% of the bovine isolates. The ability of SB278/94 to adhere to and invade eukaryotic cells was confirmed by adherence and gentamicin-protection assays using HeLa cells. This is the first study that investigates for <italic>gimB</italic> in bovine, canine and feline <italic>E. coli</italic> isolates and shows <italic>E. coli</italic> from the intestinal-bovine samples harboring <italic>gimB</italic>.</p>.(AU)

1. Livestock
2. Adherence
3. Invasiveness
4. Zoonotic potential
5. <italic>gimB</italic>
6. Companion animals