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Proteus mirabilis causing cellulitis in broiler chickens

Brazilian Journal of Microbiology volume 51, pages 1353–1362 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Given the need to understand the virulence profile of Proteus mirabilis isolates from cellulitis in broiler chickens and their ability to cause lesions, the present study aimed to characterize genotypically and phenotypically the virulence profiles of two strains of P. mirabilis isolated from cellulitis in broilers, as well as to evaluate their ability to experimentally reproduce the lesions in vivo. The strain with the highest virulence potential (LBUEL-A33) possessed mrpA, pmfA, ucaA, atfA (fimbriae), zapA, ptA (proteases), hpmA (hemolysin), and ireA (siderophore) genes, formed a very strong biofilm, and expressed the pattern of aggregative adhesion and cytotoxicity in Vero cells. The strain with the lowest virulence potential (LBUEL-A34) did not present the pmfA and ucaA genes, but expressed the pattern of aggregative adhesion, formed a strong biofilm, and did not show cytotoxicity. Both strains developed cellulitis in an animal model within 24 h post-inoculation (PI), and the degree of lesions was not significantly altered up to 120 h PI. The LBUEL-A33 strain was also inoculated in combination with an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC 046), and the lesions showed no significant changes from the individual inoculation of these two strains. Histological analysis showed that the LBUEL-A33 strain developed characteristic cellulitis lesions. Thus, both strains of P. mirabilis isolated in our study have several virulence factors and the ability to develop cellulitis in broilers.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the State University of Londrina and the Laboratory of Virology of the State University of Londrina for the supply of the cell lines used in this study.

Funding

This study was financed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Bacteriology, Center of Biological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid PO-BOX 6001, Londrina, Paraná, 86051-980, Brazil

    Matheus Silva Sanches & Sergio Paulo Dejato Rocha

  2. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Avian Medicine, Agricultural Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil

    Ana Angelita Sampaio Baptista, Marielen de Souza, Maísa Fabiana Menck-Costa & Larissa Justino

  3. Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Basic and Applied Bacteriology, Center of Biological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil

    Erick Kenji Nishio

  4. Department of Zootechny, Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Agricultural Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil

    Alexandre Oba

  5. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Agricultural Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil

    Ana Paula Frederico Rodrigues Loureiro Bracarense

Authors
  1. Matheus Silva Sanches
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  2. Ana Angelita Sampaio Baptista
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  3. Marielen de Souza
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  8. Ana Paula Frederico Rodrigues Loureiro Bracarense
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  9. Sergio Paulo Dejato Rocha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Paulo Dejato Rocha.

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All procedures reported here are in accordance with the ethical principles of animal experimentation adopted by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use (CEUA) of the State University of Londrina (CEUA/ UEL—protocol 25523.2017.93).

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Sanches, M.S., Baptista, A.A.S., de Souza, M. et al. Proteus mirabilis causing cellulitis in broiler chickens. Braz J Microbiol 51, 1353–1362 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-020-00240-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-020-00240-1

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