Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Resistance Patterns According to Poultry Species in Albania, a Two Years Study

¹ Veterinary Public Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, Rruga: “Pajsi Vodica”, KodërKamëz, Tirana, Albania
² Food Safety and Veterinary Institute, Rruga: “Aleksandër Moisiu” 82, Tirana, Albania
³ Department of Engineering Management in Biotechnology, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Cvecarska 2, 20100 Novi Sad, Serbia
⁴ Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Sp. per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy

^* Corrensponding author; E-mail: tana.shtylla@ubt.edu.al

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Abstract

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains cause colibacillosis, an acute and systemic poultry disease. Poultry infections with E. coli result in substantial economic losses in the poultry sector worldwide, by reducing levels of meat and egg production. To investigate resistance patterns of avian Eschericia coli, 77 tissue samples were collected from 6 poultry different species found-dead in Albania, during the years 2021 and 2022. This present study co-examines colibacillosis manifestation in different poultry species regarding the prevalence of the multidrug resistant patterns in such species. A total of 62 (93, 50%) E. coli strains were isolated according to their species as (19, 35%) in layers, (35, 49%) in broilers, (19, 35%) turkeys, (16, 13%) backyard poultry, (4, 84%) ducks and (4, 84%) pigeons. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was encountered in 100 % of the E. coli isolates, with an absolute treatment resistance in ducks and pigeon’s species. Absolute drug-resistance towards Oxytetracycline (100%) and Amoxicillin (100%), was detected. Antibiotic-resistance rate was extremely high against Neomycin (94, 91%), Doxycycline (86, 44%), Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (71, 19%) and Florfenicol (61, 01%). While quinolones were significantly resistant in rates of 50, 85% for Enrofloxacin and 42, 37% for Norfloxacin. The incidence of resistance to Quinolones, Tetracyclines, Aminoglycosides, Amphenicols, Penicillin-like and Sulfonamides drug classes in cases of avian colibacillosis remains high. Due to the development of AMR not only in poultry production poultry chain, but also in backyard, waterfowl and game-birds this study is an evidence to assess the antibiotic resistance profile linked with different poultry species, which could be a useful data reporting to prevent the overuse or misuse of antibiotics as a potential food safety and veterinary public health risk.

Keywords: Multidrug-resistance, Colibacillosis, Poultry, Alban