Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Poultry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #407671
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Mitigate Avian Escherichia coli Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance in the Poultry Environment

Location: Poultry Research

Title: Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in broiler breeders: An overview

Author
item JOSEPH, JIDDU - Mississippi State University
item ZHANG, LI - Mississippi State University
item ADHIKARI, PRATIMA - Mississippi State University
item Evans, Jeffrey - Jeff
item RAMACHANDRAN, RESHMA - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Heliyon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2023
Publication Date: 11/20/2023
Citation: Joseph, J., Zhang, L., Adhikari, P., Evans, J.D., Ramachandran, R. 2023. Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in broiler breeders: An overview. Heliyon. 12:1280. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12111280.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12111280

Interpretive Summary: : Poultry meat is one of the major animal protein sources necessary to meet the global protein demand. Poultry meat available to consumers is derived from broiler breeder flocks and therefore the health of these breeder flocks is very important to the availability of this important and popular protein source. The bacteria, Escherichia coli can cause disease among breeder flocks and impact both the health of the breeders and both the health and availability of meat-producing broiler chickens. These bacteria may readily move among the chicken flocks and can impact birds of all ages. As effective means of control against this pathogen are limited, producers currently rely primarily on surveillance, vaccines, and recently developed alternative strategies (probiotics, bacteriophage, etc.). Herein, the impact of this bacterium on broiler breeders is discussed along with available control strategies and future research directions which may reduce the impact of this bacterial pathogen.

Technical Abstract: : Poultry meat is one of the major animal protein sources necessary to meet the global protein demand. Sustainability in broiler production is the key to achieve its’ continuous supply, and broiler breeders play a critical role in maintaining this sustainability by providing good quality chicks. Colibacillosis, the disease caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), causes severe economic losses to the poultry industry globally. Moreover, they cause an additional burden among broiler breeders such as a decrease in egg production and mortality among these birds. There is vertical transmission of APEC to the broiler chicks through eggs, resulting in increased first-week mortality and subsequent horizontal transmission at the hatchery. In this regard, the vertical transmission of antibiotic-resistance genes is another concern that needs attention. Controlling several diseases in broiler breeders would possibly reduce the first-week mortality in chicks thereby maintaining the production level. For that, constant monitoring of the bacterial populations is critical. Moreover, amidst the increased antibiotic resistance pattern, more focus on alternative treatment strategies like vaccines, probiotics, and bacteriophages are necessary. Future research focusing on strategies to mitigate APEC in broiler breeders would be one of the finest solutions for sustainable broiler production.