Detection of Virulence Genes in Escherichia coli Isolated from a Japanese Black Cow with Septicemia

Abstract

We isolated Escherichia coli O119:H28 from a Japanese black cow with septicemia diagnosed with an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) infection. The genitourinary infection was considered to have spread systemically. The isolate was resistant to tetracycline, streptomycin, kanamycin, and sulfonamides. It included the following virulence-associated genes: adhesion (afa-8 ), siderophore (iutA, irp1, and irp2 ), and toxin (cnf2, cdtIII, and stx1 ). The results indicate that these virulence-associated genes may have interacted and their gene products may have caused a severe systemic hemorrhage. Furthermore, the isolate carrying stx1 implies that it may be highly virulent.