Fatores de virulência e similaridade genética de Escherichia coli isoladas de úteros e urina em cadelas com e sem piometra

Abstract

This research evaluates the occurrence of Escherichia coli in the uterine contents and urine of healthy and pyometra female dogs. At the isolate was determined the presence of virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance and genetic proximity. The results were associated with histopathological changes and observed the relationship between uterine infections and urinary tract by the agent. Of the 87 samples, the results show bacterial growth in 46/87 (52.9%), 36/52 (69.2%) from the uterine contents and 10/35 (28.6%) of urine. Positivity was observed for E. coli 25/36 (69.4%) uterus samples with pyometra and 7/10 (70.0%) urine s samples. For the healthy female dogs was observed a growth of micro-organisms in 28/49 (57.1%) samples, but no one has been identified as E. coli, what means that agent was associated with sick animals. There was 100% sensitivity to ceftiofur, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and cefoxitin and erythromycin resistance (100%), ampicillin (34.4%) and sulfonamide (25.0%). The isolate of E. coli showed a large number of virulence genes studied: 31/32 (96.9%) had the gene sfa, 19/32 (59.4%) afa, 15/32 (46.9%) pap, 17/32 (53.1%) and hly 22/32 (68.75%) cnf. Histopathological analysis found that 6/22 (27.3%) animals showed grade I in the classification, 9/22 (40.9%) grade II, and 7/22 (31.8%) grade III, being that, there was an interconnection between greater inflammatory response and highest number of virulence genes. The genetic similarity analysis showed high phylogenetic diversity in E. coli, but found that the strains isolated from the same animal had the similar genotype, as soon as cystitis and pyometra showed a direct relationship. The study demonstrates the importance of E. coli in pyometras female dogs and the presence of phenotypic and genotypic active in disease pathogenesis.