Detection Of Shiga Toxin Genes Presence in Escherichia coli Isolated from Chicken Fecal Samples

The current study was designed to isolation and identification of Escherichia coli from chicken droppings and explore the presence of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in chickens in Basrah province, the period extending from 18 October 2023 to 13 January 2024. Of 204 samples, 102 were from backyard chickens, 48 were from poultry fields, and 54 were from chicken shops, 109 (53.4%) were found to be positive for E. coli using conventional microbiological techniques. The PCR was used to confirm the isolates targeting the uidA gene of E. coli. The results of this technique indicated that 84 (77%) of them were Escherichia coli found in the examined samples. All isolates were undergone a polymerase chain reaction to detect Shiga-toxins genes (stx1, stx2). Neither stx1 nor stx2 were detected in any of the examined E. Coli strains.These results indicated that the E. coli isolates from chicken were negative for Shiga toxin (stx1, stx2) genes.