Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy
IntroductionToxin-producing Escherichia coli are gastrointestinal agents found in both animals and humans, potentially leading to mild-to-severe pathogenic outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of toxin-producing E. coli in owned and stray dogs and cats in Southern Italy in...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1557445/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850189758746066944 |
|---|---|
| author | Giovanna De Luca Giorgia Costantini Luca Borrelli Pasquale Izzo Nunzia Riccone Francesca Del Piano Ornella Valvini Amalia Gallo Clementina Auriemma Flora Alfano Marco Paone Giovanni Sgroi Peyman Khademi Nicola D’Alessio Giovanna Fusco Maria Gabriella Lucibelli |
| author_facet | Giovanna De Luca Giorgia Costantini Luca Borrelli Pasquale Izzo Nunzia Riccone Francesca Del Piano Ornella Valvini Amalia Gallo Clementina Auriemma Flora Alfano Marco Paone Giovanni Sgroi Peyman Khademi Nicola D’Alessio Giovanna Fusco Maria Gabriella Lucibelli |
| author_sort | Giovanna De Luca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionToxin-producing Escherichia coli are gastrointestinal agents found in both animals and humans, potentially leading to mild-to-severe pathogenic outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of toxin-producing E. coli in owned and stray dogs and cats in Southern Italy in order to provide insights into the epidemiology of these zoonotic bacterial infections.MethodsDuring necropsy, organ swabs (i.e., intestine, liver, lung, spleen, lymph node, and brain) from dogs and cats were collected and analyzed to isolate E. coli colonies through bacterial culture between 2017 and 2023. The isolated strains were then subjected to biomolecular investigation for pathogenicity factors.ResultsOut of 911 animals, 451 (49.5%) tested positive for E. coli, including 252 (56.1%) dogs and 199 (43.1%) cats. The higher prevalence among dogs was statistical significant (p < 0.01) and associated with a higher risk of infection (OR = 1.69). However, no statistically significant difference in prevalence over the years was found (p = 0.150). At least one virulence factor was detected in 22% of animals, with 12% exhibiting pathogenicity factors (CNF, CDT, LT, and ST) and 10% showing virulence genes (vtx1, vtx2, and eae). Cats were significantly more likely to produce verocytotoxin compared to dogs (p = 0.020, OR = 2.04).DiscussionThese findings suggest a wide circulation of toxin-producing E. coli in dogs and cats in Southern Italy, highlighting the importance of routine screening for these agents to ensure animal welfare and public health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8bc2c4ea669948ae92e71ce91a05ecac |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-8bc2c4ea669948ae92e71ce91a05ecac2025-08-20T02:15:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-05-011210.3389/fvets.2025.15574451557445Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in ItalyGiovanna De Luca0Giorgia Costantini1Luca Borrelli2Pasquale Izzo3Nunzia Riccone4Francesca Del Piano5Ornella Valvini6Amalia Gallo7Clementina Auriemma8Flora Alfano9Marco Paone10Giovanni Sgroi11Peyman Khademi12Nicola D’Alessio13Giovanna Fusco14Maria Gabriella Lucibelli15Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, IranExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Naples, ItalyIntroductionToxin-producing Escherichia coli are gastrointestinal agents found in both animals and humans, potentially leading to mild-to-severe pathogenic outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of toxin-producing E. coli in owned and stray dogs and cats in Southern Italy in order to provide insights into the epidemiology of these zoonotic bacterial infections.MethodsDuring necropsy, organ swabs (i.e., intestine, liver, lung, spleen, lymph node, and brain) from dogs and cats were collected and analyzed to isolate E. coli colonies through bacterial culture between 2017 and 2023. The isolated strains were then subjected to biomolecular investigation for pathogenicity factors.ResultsOut of 911 animals, 451 (49.5%) tested positive for E. coli, including 252 (56.1%) dogs and 199 (43.1%) cats. The higher prevalence among dogs was statistical significant (p < 0.01) and associated with a higher risk of infection (OR = 1.69). However, no statistically significant difference in prevalence over the years was found (p = 0.150). At least one virulence factor was detected in 22% of animals, with 12% exhibiting pathogenicity factors (CNF, CDT, LT, and ST) and 10% showing virulence genes (vtx1, vtx2, and eae). Cats were significantly more likely to produce verocytotoxin compared to dogs (p = 0.020, OR = 2.04).DiscussionThese findings suggest a wide circulation of toxin-producing E. coli in dogs and cats in Southern Italy, highlighting the importance of routine screening for these agents to ensure animal welfare and public health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1557445/fullcatdogEscherichia coliItalypublic healthtoxin |
| spellingShingle | Giovanna De Luca Giorgia Costantini Luca Borrelli Pasquale Izzo Nunzia Riccone Francesca Del Piano Ornella Valvini Amalia Gallo Clementina Auriemma Flora Alfano Marco Paone Giovanni Sgroi Peyman Khademi Nicola D’Alessio Giovanna Fusco Maria Gabriella Lucibelli Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy Frontiers in Veterinary Science cat dog Escherichia coli Italy public health toxin |
| title | Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy |
| title_full | Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy |
| title_short | Toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a long-term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in Italy |
| title_sort | toxin producing escherichia coli a long term retrospective study in dogs and cats between 2017 and 2023 in italy |
| topic | cat dog Escherichia coli Italy public health toxin |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1557445/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giovannadeluca toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT giorgiacostantini toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT lucaborrelli toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT pasqualeizzo toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT nunziariccone toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT francescadelpiano toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT ornellavalvini toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT amaliagallo toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT clementinaauriemma toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT floraalfano toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT marcopaone toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT giovannisgroi toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT peymankhademi toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT nicoladalessio toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT giovannafusco toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly AT mariagabriellalucibelli toxinproducingescherichiacolialongtermretrospectivestudyindogsandcatsbetween2017and2023initaly |