Prevalence of virulence factors in Escherichia coli strains isolated from the genital tract of healthy cows

Abstract

The prevalence of virulence genes expressing fimbriae, production of hemolysin, colicin and aerobactin, was determined in Escherichia coli isolates from healthy cow's genital tract not showing clinical signs of infection. The presence of fimbriae expression genes (pap, sfa, afa) was assayed using specific primers in a polymerase chain reaction; none were detected in any of the isolates. Yet, a prevalence of 90.4%, 69.8%, and 28.5% of virulence factors for colicin, hemolysin and aerobactin respectively, was detected in the isolates. Analysis of the bacterial pathogenicity of isolates from the bovine genital tract may contribute towards the understanding of E. coli behavior.