Molecular Identification of Virulence Genes of Escherichia coli Isolated from Cow Milk and Its Products in Abuja, Nigeria
E. C. Okechukwu *
Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.
E. U. Amuta
Department of Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.
G. M. Gberikon
Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.
N. Chima
Biotechnology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
B. Yakubu
Biochemistry and Applied Molecular Biology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
J. C. Igwe
Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.
M. Njoku
Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli have been identified as an emerging foodborne pathogen which portends serious risk to human health. Cow milk and its products are potential sources of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. A relatively small number from the family of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are pathogenic. It becomes necessary that Cow milk and milk products are regularly screened for the presence of virulence genes in microbes. The study aimed to genetically determine the presence of virulence genes that are characteristic of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli in 600 milk samples. The E. coli isolates were recovered from the milk samples (n=35), biochemically examined and genetically screened for virulence genes by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The results of the molecular profiling revealed that (stx2) was detected in 17(60.7%), (hlyA) 11(39.3%) and eae genes 8(28.6%) of the E. coli isolates respectively, while (stx1) was not detected. The results indicated a high prevalence of virulent shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in the milk samples. Priority attention should be given to this microbe as it will demand stringent steps in the detection given that they are known to be rigorous in identification.
Keywords: Virulence, multiplex PCR, serotype, pathogens, Escherichia coli.