SEROTYPE AND BIOTYPE PREVALENCE OF AVIAN PATHOGENIC ECHERICHIA COLI IN ALBANIAN POULTRY INDUSTRY

A total of 104Escherichia coli strains isolated from affected and apparently different poultry species, breaded within the Albanian territory were serotyped and biotyped. Although Echerichia coli is normally present in the microflora of the poultry intestinal tract, certain subsets of extraintestinalE.coli strains termed as avian pathogenic Escherichia coli posses specific virulence factors that in previous studies have been associated with the avian colisepticaemia. Eight different serotypes were identified, where O86 resulted the most prevalent serogroup 15, 4%. Eleven biotypes were identified by the fermentation of five different sugar mediums by E.coli isolates. The most prevalent biotype was B31 (28, 84%). Various serobiotypes were identified, 98, 8% of E.coli strains were positive to rhamnosis fermentation. This study objective was the comparison of the main characteristics of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia Coli isolated strains with the Avian Faecal Coli, in order to ascertain whether Avian Pathogenic Escherichia Coli or Avian Faecal Escherichia Coli are distinct. The results obtained from the two groups reveal for major and fundamental difference which is reflected clinically.