Escherichia coli from Horses Reared in and around Bangladesh Agricultural University Campus- A Study on Isolation and Characterization

Abstract

The present study was conducted with a view to isolate and characterize Escherichia coli (E. coli) from horses reared in and around Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) campus and to know the clonal relationship of the isolates with E. coli of cattle, goat and chicken. It also focused on the determination of antimicrobial sensitivity and resistant pattern of the isolated horse E. coli. A total of 10 faecal samples, comprising 4 from diarrhoeic horses and 6 from apparently healthy horses were collected. The overall prevalence of E. coli was recorded as 60%. All isolates fermented dextrose, maltose, sucrose, lactose and mannitol with the production of both acid and gas. The isolates were positive to MR and Indole tests, but negative to VP test. DNA fingerprinting analysis using PFGE of Xbal-digested genomic DNA revealed that the strains of E. coli from different areas seem to be same clonal lineage, although no genetic clue could be found related to cattle, goat and chicken E. coli strains. The antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance pattern showed that the isolates of horse E. coli were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol but to the amoxicillin and cephalexin, the isolates were highly resistant.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v22i1-2.16464

Progress. Agric. 22(1 & 2): 27 - 35, 2011