Antimicrobial resistance and genotypic characterization of Escherichia coli in piglets with post-weaning diarrhea from Córdoba, Argentina
Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) is a major health and economic issue problem in swine production, where enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the main causative agents. It leads to diarrhea and growth retardation, which resulting in increased antimicrobial use and, consequently, a higher ris...
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Publicado: |
Universidad Nacional del Nordeste
2026
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.unne.edu.ar/index.php/vet/article/view/9046 |
| Aporte de: |
| Sumario: | Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) is a major health and economic issue problem in swine production, where enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the main causative agents. It leads to diarrhea and growth retardation, which resulting in increased antimicrobial use and, consequently, a higher risk of bacterial resistance. This study aimed to isolate E. coli strains from fecal samples of piglets with PWD on farms in Córdoba province, Argentina, to describe their antimicrobial resistance profiles and perform genotypic characterization. A total of 69 rectal swabs were collected from six farms; E. coli was isolated in 97% of the samples. A concerning resistance profile was observed, with high levels against β-lactams (98.5%), phenicols (88%), tetracyclines (86.6%), and aminoglycosides (34.3%). Moreover, 62 strains (92.5%) were classified as multidrug-resistant. Among the 67 isolates obtained, 70% corresponded to ETEC strains, showing a high prevalence of the toxin-associated genes estII (74.5%) and estI (63.8%). Adhesion genes were also detected, including fedA (21.3%), faeG (14.9%), aidA (25.5%), and astA (14.9%). These findings highlight the strong selective pressure exerted on bacterial populations in production systems, favoring the persistence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant strains. They also emphasize the need to implement stricter control measures to reduce their spread in swine production, with direct implications for public health under the One Health approach. |
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