Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt
Abstract Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections cause significant losses in the poultry industry and pose zoonotic risks due to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence factors. This study investigates E. coli prevalence, AMR, and virulence genes (papC, vgrG1, iss) in Egyptian chickens and...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94177-w |
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| author | Zeinab S. Ahmed Mahmoud E. Hashad Yasser Atef Heba Badr Mahmoud Elhariri Mona Kadry |
| author_facet | Zeinab S. Ahmed Mahmoud E. Hashad Yasser Atef Heba Badr Mahmoud Elhariri Mona Kadry |
| author_sort | Zeinab S. Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections cause significant losses in the poultry industry and pose zoonotic risks due to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence factors. This study investigates E. coli prevalence, AMR, and virulence genes (papC, vgrG1, iss) in Egyptian chickens and farm workers. A total of 35 dead chickens from 14 flocks and 17 farm workers urine samples were examined bacteriologically to investigate E. coli presence followed by biochemical identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 14 antibiotics using the disk diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton agar, following ‘Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) (2020) guidelines with Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) activity evaluated via the Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) with ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and their clavulanate combinations following CLSI protocols. virulence genes were detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and phylogenetic analysis of the vgrG1 gene evaluated genetic relatedness between the chicken and human isolates. The study analysed 52 samples, identifying E. coli in 18 chicken organs (51.4%) and 11 human urine samples (64.7%), with no significant difference. various antimicrobic sensitivity profiles were identified phenotypically among all isolates in which 29 isolates, 58.6% were ESBL-producing, and 96.5% exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR), with chicken isolates showing higher resistance overall. virulence genes were detected in similar proportions across the isolates highlighting significant public health risks due to resistant and virulent E. coli. This study emphasized the public health risks of multidrug-resistant E. coli with virulence genes, highlighting potential zoonotic transmission and antibiotic use and food safety. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-880cbedf45a1443aaeb19819ca3ff839 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-880cbedf45a1443aaeb19819ca3ff8392025-08-20T03:10:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-011511910.1038/s41598-025-94177-wPublic health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in EgyptZeinab S. Ahmed0Mahmoud E. Hashad1Yasser Atef2Heba Badr3Mahmoud Elhariri4Mona Kadry5Department of Zoonoses, Veterinary Medicine, Cairo UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Cairo UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Cairo UniversityAnimal Health Research InstituteDepartment of Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Cairo UniversityDepartment of Zoonoses, Veterinary Medicine, Cairo UniversityAbstract Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections cause significant losses in the poultry industry and pose zoonotic risks due to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence factors. This study investigates E. coli prevalence, AMR, and virulence genes (papC, vgrG1, iss) in Egyptian chickens and farm workers. A total of 35 dead chickens from 14 flocks and 17 farm workers urine samples were examined bacteriologically to investigate E. coli presence followed by biochemical identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 14 antibiotics using the disk diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton agar, following ‘Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) (2020) guidelines with Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) activity evaluated via the Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) with ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and their clavulanate combinations following CLSI protocols. virulence genes were detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and phylogenetic analysis of the vgrG1 gene evaluated genetic relatedness between the chicken and human isolates. The study analysed 52 samples, identifying E. coli in 18 chicken organs (51.4%) and 11 human urine samples (64.7%), with no significant difference. various antimicrobic sensitivity profiles were identified phenotypically among all isolates in which 29 isolates, 58.6% were ESBL-producing, and 96.5% exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR), with chicken isolates showing higher resistance overall. virulence genes were detected in similar proportions across the isolates highlighting significant public health risks due to resistant and virulent E. coli. This study emphasized the public health risks of multidrug-resistant E. coli with virulence genes, highlighting potential zoonotic transmission and antibiotic use and food safety.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94177-wE. coliMulti-drug resistanceExtended-spectrum β-lactamasesVirulence genesPoultry |
| spellingShingle | Zeinab S. Ahmed Mahmoud E. Hashad Yasser Atef Heba Badr Mahmoud Elhariri Mona Kadry Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt Scientific Reports E. coli Multi-drug resistance Extended-spectrum β-lactamases Virulence genes Poultry |
| title | Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt |
| title_full | Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt |
| title_fullStr | Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt |
| title_short | Public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Escherichia coli from human-chicken transmission in Egypt |
| title_sort | public health threat of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in escherichia coli from human chicken transmission in egypt |
| topic | E. coli Multi-drug resistance Extended-spectrum β-lactamases Virulence genes Poultry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94177-w |
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