PIC GENE IN ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATES CAUSING SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS IN GOATS

Abstract

Escherichia coli are a common cause of intra-mammary infection in dairy cattle and goat breeds. The present study was to explore the presence of pic gene, an autotransporter serine protease, which is attributed to virulence, in the milks of goats suffering from subclinical mastitis. The study included screening of 1312 milk samples of Sirohi, Barbari, Black Bengal, Jamnapari and some non descript breeds of goats in and around of Jabalpur region. Approximately 5 ml of milk and MCMT reagent was added in a plastic paddle, giving gentle swirling motion in a horizontal plane with minimum agitation. The reaction was graded by intensity of gel formation and colour changes and 376 positive samples on the basis of MCMT were cultured for growth of E.coli. There were 79 samples positive for E.coli species and were subjected to PCR using pic specific primers. Among the 79 isolates, 32.91% samples were positive for pic gene. These isolates were screened for six antibiotic agents in in-vitro condition and one of the isolate was found to be multidrug resistant. The study indicated the presence pic gene, a factor attributed to virulence in the E.coli species.