Molecular classification and drug resistance analysis of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry in China.

We aimed to understand the distribution of Escherichia coli in poultry and to reveal the virulence factors, the drug resistance and molecular epidemic regularity and characteristics of isolate strains from 6 provinces in China and to complete the characteristics of E. coli for the risk assessment. A total of 87 E. coli isolates were analyzed with 7 virulence genes by PCR drug sensitivity test in 13 kinds of antimicrobial agents and analyzed with PFGE and MLST genotyping. The PFGE genotyping of 87 isolates yielded 75 PFGE type. MLST analysis of isolates identified the 39 STs, the 7 housekeeping genes had the different variation. The most prevalent virulence genes were iucD (74.7%), followed by iss (55.2%), Irp2 (43.7%), tsh (28.7%), cva (19.5%), papC (9.2%) and vat (8.1%). All isolates were resistant to two or three antimicrobial agents highly resistant to SXT, TE (85.06%), SF (83.91%), AM (66. 67%), to fluoroquinolones (ENR, 63.22%, NOR, 50.57%) and to GM (57.47%). E. coli strains resistant spectrum was wide gene was polymorphism the distribution had a certain timeliness and regional in part region of China. These were a solid foundation for the epidemiological investigation and traceability laid.