Escherichia coli patogênica em aviários, celulites e fígados de frango e consequências para a avicultura

Abstract

This study aimed to research Escherichia coli (E. coli) in broiler houses, cellulitis lesions and livers and the consequences of the presence of this pathogen for aviculture. From August 2013 to January 2014 100 samples of cellulitis injuries and 100 broiler livers were collected from a slaughter line in a poultry slaughterhouse in the Bahia Recôncavo Region. The number of nine broiler houses identified as being broilers producers and between 3 and 7 days after the slaughterhouse collect the aviary were visited twice to take samples from litter, feed and water. The broiler houses three and seven did not allow collections. It was found the population of E. coli by count method Petrifilm™ (3M Company) (AOAC 998.8) and water by the chromogenic method Readycult® (Merck). Genes characteristic of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli, iss and iutA, were investigated in E. coli isolates using Polimerse Chain Reaction (PCR). Histopathological analyzes were performed under light microscopy after histological section and routine staining (hematoxylin eosin (HE)). Descriptive analyzes were performed and for the correlation statistics were used parametric and non-parametric tests in accordance with the sample groups A positive and significant correlation between E. coli isolates from environmental samples of broiler houses and cellulitis lesions allows traced the route taken by the pathogen from broiler houses to consumers reinforcing the need for greater attention in sanitary management in broiler houses and in research of the avian pathogenic E.coli (APEC) potential zoonotic risk. The presence of virulence factors and iutA and iss, as often than E. coli was isolated simultaneously in cellulitis and livers reinforces the possibility that APEC is present in the two biological tissues providing the hypothesis that the bacteria infect the animal initially from skin lesions and subsequently reaches the liver, which would configure the systemic character of this infection, suggesting that occurs the total disposal of the carcass when cellulitis lesions are found. Macroscopic liver changes should continue to be used as a criterion for complete carcasses disposal because it reduces the risk of delivering unsafe food to the consumer. Added to this is necessesary the inclusion of microbiological and histopathological analysis in poultry meat production sanitary inspection routines.