Relationship between the Tsh autotransporter and pathogenicity of avian Escherichia coli and localization and analysis of the Tsh genetic region.

ABSTRACT: The temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin Tsh is a member of the autotransporter group of proteins and was first identified in avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strain chi7122. The prevalence of tsh was investigated in 300 E. coli isolates of avian origin and characterized for virulence in a 1-day-old chick lethality test. Results indicate that among the tsh-positive APEC isolates, 90.6% belonged to the highest virulence class. Experimental inoculation of chickens with chi7122 and an isogenic tsh mutant demonstrated that Tsh may contribute to the development of lesions within the air sacs of birds but is not required for subsequent generalized infection manifesting as perihepatitis, pericarditis, and septicemia. Conjugation and hybridization experiments revealed that the tsh gene is l

SUBMITTER: Dozois CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC101714 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature