Association of iss and iucA, but not tsh, with plasmid-mediated virulence of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is an economically important respiratory pathogen of chickens worldwide. Factors previously associated with the virulence of APEC include adhesins, iron-scavenging mechanisms, the production of colicin V (ColV), serum resistance, and temperature-sensitive hemagglutination, but virulence has generally been assessed by parenteral inoculation, which does not replicate the normal respiratory route of infection. A large plasmid, pVM01, is essential for virulence in APEC strain E3 in chickens after aerosol exposure. Here we establish the size of pVM01 to be approximately 160 kb and show that the putative virulence genes iss (increased serum survival) and tsh (temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin) and the aerobactin operon are on the plasmid. These genes we

SUBMITTER: Tivendale KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC523064 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature