Subclinical mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus has worldwide public health significance. Here, we aimed to determine the prevalence of S. aureus, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and the virulence and enterotoxins determinant genes of MRSA strains that caused subclinical bovine mastitis. Milk samples were collected from 120 lactating animals (50 buffaloes and 70 dairy cattle) from different farms located in Ismailia Province (Egypt). The collected samples were investigated for subclinical mastitis using a California mastitis test. The total prevalence of S. aureus was 35.9% (84/234) with 36.3% (53/146) in cattle and 31% (31/88) in buffaloes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 35.7% (30/84) of the isolated strains were resistant to cefoxitin, defined as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), with 37.7% (20/53) in cattle and 32.2% (10/31) in buffaloes. Using PCR, 100% of the tested strains harbored coa and mecA genes, while 86.6% were positive for spa gene, with remarkable gene size polymorphism. Additionally, 10% of the tested strains contained the pvl gene. Further, using multiplex PCR, 26.6% of the tested samples had sea gene, two strains had sec gene and only one strain had sea and sec genes. The seb and sed genes were absent in the tested strains. In conclusion, mecA, coa and spa virulence genes were widely distributed in MRSA strains isolated from bovine milk, whereas the sea gene was the most predominant enterotoxin gene. Notably, this is the first report that emphasizes the prevalence of pvl gene of MRSA isolated from bovine milk in Egypt.

Colibacillosis is a major disease affecting poultry leads to high morbidity and mortality which causing tremendous economic losses worldwide. These economic disparities are amplified among low and middle-income where sanitation and hygiene are challenged by the increasing demand for quality sources of animal protein. With a view to investigating the prevalence of virulence genes and QACs resistance genes as well as monitoring the antibiogram of E. coli strains, a total of 368 specimens were collected from diseased broiler chickens (n = 226) and environmental sources (n = 142) at large-scale poultry farms in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. The bacteriological examination proved that E. coli prevalence was 26.76% and 50.44% in the farm environment and diseased broilers, respectively. In tandem, the isolated E. coli strains were serogrouped, determining the most common serotypes were O78, O1:H7, O91:H21 and O126. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility against 12 antibiotics, screened for 4 virulence genes (iss, papC, eaeA, and cfaI), and screened for 3 QACs resistance genes (qacEΔ1, qacA/B, and qacC/D). All the tested strains were positive for iss and papC genes, only 20.3% of the tested strains were positive for eaeA gene, moreover, the examined strains were negative to CFAI gene. Furthermore, all the tested strains were positive for qacEΔ1, qacA/B, and qacC/D genes. In conclusion; virulence genes (iss, papC) as well as QACs resistance genes are common in avian Pathogenic E. coli and environmental strains and are mainly associated with multi-drug resistance phenomena.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) is a life-threatening disease caused by bacteria or virus or endoparasites or irritant drugs or food allergy. The study aimed to detect bacterial causes of HGE in dogs and cats, serological identification, antimicrobial sensitivity test of E. coli and Salmonella and detection of some virulence (stx1, stx2 and eaeA for E. coli, invA, hilA and fimH for Salmonella) and β-lactamase resistance genes in E. coli (blaOXA, blaCTX-M1 and blaTEM) and Salmonella (blaCMY-1, blaCMY-2 and blaOXA-2) by multiplex PCR. Out of 202 sampled animals, the total bacterial isolates were 104. The identified bacterial isolates were 46 (44.23%) E. coli, 9 (8.65%) Klebsiella, 5 (4.80%) C. perfringens, 22 (21.15%) Proteus spp., 3 (2.88%) Salmonella spp., 3 (2.88%) Shigella spp. and 4 (3.84%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. EHEC (12/26, 46.15%), EPEC (9/26, 34.61%) and ETEC (4/26, 15.38%) strains were detected by E. coli serotyping. Salmonella isolates were serotyped as Salmonella Typhimurium, S. Heidelberg and S. Infantis. E. coli isolates from dogs were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (66.67%), cephalexin (66.67%), ceftriaxone (66.67%), trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (66.67%), tetracycline (100%), and erythromycin (100%). Feline E. coli isolates had moderate resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (50%), trimethoprim/sulphonamides (50%), and tetracycline (50%). Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (100%), cephalexin (100%), trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (66.67%), tetracycline (66.67%), and erythromycin (66.67%). stx1 and stx2 E. coli virulence genes were detected in 80% and 60% of tested E. coli isolates, respectively while S. Typhimurium was positive for invA, hilA and fimH virulence genes and S. Heidelberg was positive for invA and fimH genes. blaTEM and blaCTX-M1 β-lactamase resistance genes were detected in 60% and 20% of tested E. coli isolates, respectively. Salmonella Typhimurium was positive for blaCMY-1 and blaOXA-2 genes, Salmonella Heidelberg was positive for blaCMY-1 gene. In conclusion, E. coli, Salmonella, C. perfringens, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Shigella spp. and Pseudomonas were major bacterial causes of HGE in dogs and cats. Additionally, E. coli and Salmonella isolated from companion animals can carry multidrug resistance genes encoding for extended-spectrum β-lactamases.

Background and Aim: Helicobacter species infections have epidemiological and zoonotic impacts, and different species of Helicobacter have been implicated in infecting humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate Helicobacter species infections in Camelus dromedarius. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 32 camels from 9 camel farms located at Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. The collected samples were investigated by bacteriological isolation and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Results: Although Helicobacter species could not be isolated from all the examined samples, Helicobacter DNA was detected in 2 (22.22%) of the 9 camel farms. Of the 32 camel fecal samples examined, 4 (12.5%) were positive for Helicobacter species as analyzed by the PCR assay. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of PCR-based detection of Helicobacter species infections in C. dromedarius. Further epidemiological studies are required to clarify Helicobacter species infections in camels.

Campylobacter is considered to be the most leading bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide. Consumption of undercooked or contaminated chicken food is the main source of human campylobacteriosis. Although Campylobacter is a leading cause of gastroenteritis, data on the comparative virulence gene profiles of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli (C. coli) from chicken and human sources in Egypt remain scarce. This study aimed to characterize the virulence genes profiles of both C. jejuni and C. coli isolated from chicken and human fecal samples in Ismailia governorate, Egypt. A total of 20 isolates of each species were screened for 15 virulence genes. All isolates carried virB11, iam, racR, and tetO. In chicken isolates, the prevalence of additional virulence genes was higher, with pldA, dnaJ, flaA, cdtB, ciaB, and wlaN detected in 100%, 100%, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 0% of C. jejuni isolates and 100%, 100%, 60%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of C. coli isolates, respectively. In contrast, human isolates showed a markedly lower prevalence, with dnaJ, flaA, and cdtB detected in 20% of C. jejuni and 40% of C. coli isolates, while pldA, ciaB, and wlaN were absent in all human isolates. qPCR revealed significantly higher expression levels of dnaJ, virB11, flaA, and iam in chicken isolates compared to human isolates, with mean fold changes of 11.5, 7.16, 5.39, and 3.72 for C. jejuni, and 8.34, 5.21, 2.84, and 2.5 for C. coli, respectively. Differential expression of racR, cdtB, and tetO was not significant. Ganglioside mimicry genes (Cst11, wlaN, Waac, ggt, and cgtB) were absent in all human isolates. These findings underscore the significant variability in virulence gene profiles between chicken and human Campylobacter isolates and highlight the importance of molecular characterization in risk assessment and epidemiological surveillance of Campylobacter infections.

HGE is a potentially fatal disease especially in untreated animals. Total samples of 202 rectal swabs collected from dogs and cats were subjected to bacteriological examination. 104 bacterial isolates were identified from the total 202 examined samples. The identified bacterial isolates were E. coli (46; 44.23%), Proteus species (22; 21.15%), Klebsiella species (9; 8.65%), C. perfringens (5; 4.80%), Enterobacter species (4; 3.84%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4; 3.84%), Salmonella species (3; 2.88%), Shigella species (3; 2.88%); Citrobacter species (2; 1.92%), Providencia rettgeri (2; 1.92%), Serratia liquefaciens (1; 0.96%), Hafnia species (1; 0.96%), C. bifermentans (1; 0.96%), C. putrefaciens (1; 0.96%). Serological identification for some E. coli isolates revealed that EHEC strains represent (12/26, 46.15%), EPEC (9/26, 34.61%) and ETEC (4/26, 15.38%). Serotyping of Salmonella isolates detected S. Typhimurium, S. Heidelberg and S. Infantis. E. coli isolates from dogs were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalexin, ceftriaxone, trimethoprim/ sulphamethoxazole, tetracycline, and erythromycin. Feline E. coli isolates had moderate resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, trimethoprim/sulphonamides, and tetracycline. Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalexin, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole, tetracycline, and erythromycin. In experimentally infected puppies with S. Typhimurium, histopathological examination showed necrosis in the tips of the villi and leukocytic infiltration in the submucosa of the jejunum, degeneration and fibrosis of the liver. In experimental salmonellosis in cats, histopathological examination showed coagulative necrosis in the tips of the villi of the jejunum and multifocal necrosis in the liver. In experimental E. coli infection in cats, histopathological examination showed ulceration and necrosis of the small intestine. The liver showed congestion of the blood vessels and fibrosis around the hepatic areas.