Molecular detection of virulence genes and multi-drug resistance patterns in Escherichia coli (STEC) in clinical bovine mastitis: Alborz province, Iran

The aim of this study was to identify virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from bovine clinical mastitis in dairy herds in Iran. Sampling was done from 86 inflamed quarters of dairy cows in 8 commercial farms of Alborz province, Iran in summer 2015. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) virulence genes were detected by multiplex PCR and multi-drug resistance profiles were confirmed using disk diffusion method. Among 60 E. coli isolated from examined samples, 13 (21.6%) of them were STEC. The results of PCR assay showed that eaeA gene was carried by 4 (30.8%) of STEC isolates. Although stx1 in combination with eaeA gene was detected from 7 (53.8%) of STEC isolates, stx1 and stx2 genes were detected from only 1 (7.7%) of the examined samples. The result of the disk diffusion method showed that all E. coli isolates were resistant to penicillin, tylosin, oxytetracycline, erythromycin, ampicillin, streptomycin and neomycin. However all isolates were susceptible to enrofloxacin. Therefore, according to the results establishing a regular monitoring system for identification of cases with clinical mastitis and conducting antibiotic sensitivity tests are recommended.