VIRULENCE FACTORS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI ASSOCIATED WITH COLISEPTICEMIA IN CHICKENS AND TURKEYS

Four hundred twenty turkey and 80 chicken Escherichia coli isolates from colisepticemic birds were examined for the following properties: heat-labile toxin (LT), heat-stable enterotoxin, verotoxin, colicinogenicity, hemolysin, and hydroxamate/aerobactin production. Twenty-four (5.7%) of the 420 turkey isolates and six (7.5%) of the 80 chicken isolates produced an LT that was cytotoxic for both Vero and Y-1 cells. In contrast, 48 (11.4%) of the turkey isolates and 18 (22.5%) of the chicken isolates produced a distinct LT that was cytotoxic only for Vero cells. In addition, 64 (80.0%) of the chicken isolates and 309 (74.0%) of the turkey isolates produced aerobactin. Colicinogenicity occurred in 51 (64.0%) of the chicken isolates, with 41 (51.0%) producing colicin V. By contrast, 254 (61.0%) of the turkey isolates produced a colicin, of which 176 (42.0%) produced colicin V. None of the chicken and turkey isolates produced hemolysin or heat-stable enterotoxin.