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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2009, p. 2513-2519, Vol. 47, No. 8
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00391-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Plasmid-Borne Virulence-Associated Genes Have a Conserved Organization in Virulent Strains of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli{triangledown}

Kelly A. Tivendale, Joanne L. Allen, and Glenn F. Browning*

Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia

Received 20 February 2009/ Returned for modification 14 May 2009/ Accepted 16 June 2009

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is an important respiratory pathogen of poultry. Various virulence factors are responsible for determining the pathogenicity of these strains, and it is commonly believed they are encoded on large plasmids the strains carry. This study examined a series of strains, the pathogenicity of which had previously been determined by aerosol exposure, for possession of large plasmids and found all isolates carried at least one large plasmid, regardless of the level of virulence. Virulence-associated genes carried on these plasmids were also examined, and it was shown that highly virulent strains carried at least four virulence-associated genes on their largest plasmid. Two of the virulence-associated genes were shown to be chromosomally located in a strain of intermediate virulence, while no virulence-associated genes were carried by the low-virulence strain. The organization of the virulence-associated genes was shown to be highly conserved among APEC isolates of high virulence, supporting the concept of a conserved portion of the putative virulence region that contributes to the pathogenicity of APEC strains.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia. Phone: 61 3 8344 7342. Fax: 61 3 8344 7374. E-mail: glenfb{at}unimelb.edu.au

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 24 June 2009.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2009, p. 2513-2519, Vol. 47, No. 8
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00391-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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