Comprehensive analysis of Escherichia coli in bovine urinary tract infections: serotypes, antibiotic resistance, and virulence gene profiles

Widespread emergence of multidrug-resistant and highly Virulence uro- pathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains pose a significant crisis for both human and animal populations worldwide. Aim of the present study was to characterize Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains isolated from urinary tract infected (UTI) bovines and to understand the distribution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in northern part of India. A cross-sectional study was carried out with sampling 17 randomly selected husbandry setups in 6 districts of Haryana, India. Out of 254 suspected animals from UTI, 105 animals found to be affected with UTI based on clinical examination, routine urine, culture testing and ultrasonography. Among the 105 affected animals, E. coli was isolated from 47 animals turning out to be 44.76% positivity rate. A total of 13 distinct Escherichia coli serotypes were identified from isolates obtained from dairy animals, with serotype O156 being the most prevalent (23.40%). Among these, five serotypes (O5, O128, O83, O11, and O159) are recognized for their zoonotic significance and pose notable public health concerns. Antimicrobial resistance gene profiling revealed the universal presence (100%) of tet(A) and gyrA genes among all E. coli isolates, indicating widespread resistance to tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones. Meropenem demonstrated the highest antimicrobial efficacy, with 89.6% of isolates showing sensitivity. Unfortunately, 85.10% of the tested isolates displayed multidrug resistance, and all of which harbored the Fim H (100%) gene, while hlyA gene was detected in two isolates. Our findings highlight the genetic diversity and widespread dissemination of zoonotically significant, multidrug-resistant, and Virulence uropathogenic E. coli strains in dairy animals.