Resistencia antimicrobiana y genotipificación de Escherichia coli en lechones con diarrea posdestete de Córdoba, Argentina

María del Pilar Zarazaga; Juan Pablo Vico; Augusto Matías Lorenzutti; Martín Himelfarb; Ana Paola Zogbi; Nicolás Javier Litterio

doi:10.30972/vet.3719046

Authors

María del Pilar Zarazaga Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC). Unidad Ejecutora IRNASUS CONICET-UCC. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba X5016DHK, Argentina. nlitterio@ucc.edu.ar https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6195-7744
Juan Pablo Vico Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC). Unidad Ejecutora IRNASUS CONICET-UCC. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba X5016DHK, Argentina. nlitterio@ucc.edu.ar https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5313-7033
Augusto Matías Lorenzutti Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC). Unidad Ejecutora IRNASUS CONICET-UCC. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba X5016DHK, Argentina. nlitterio@ucc.edu.ar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9799-4499
Martín Himelfarb Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC). Unidad Ejecutora IRNASUS CONICET-UCC. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba X5016DHK, Argentina. nlitterio@ucc.edu.ar https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7190-1103
Ana Paola Zogbi Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9279-495X
Nicolás Javier Litterio Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC). Unidad Ejecutora IRNASUS CONICET-UCC. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba X5016DHK, Argentina. nlitterio@ucc.edu.ar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8114-0579

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30972/vet.3719046

Keywords:

colibacillosis, ETEC, antimicrobial resistance, post-weaning diarrhea, epidemiological surveillance, One Health

Abstract

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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