The invasin gimB (genetic island associated with human newborn meningitis) is usually found in ExPEC (Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli) as UPEC (uropathogenic E. coli), NMEC (neonatal meningitis E. coli) and APEC (avian pathogenic E. coli). In NMEC, gimB is associated with the invasion process of the host cells. Due to the importance of this bacterium as a zoonotic agent and the scarce information about the frequency of gimB-carrying E. coli in different animal species, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of gimB in E. coli isolated from bovine, swine, canine and feline with clinical symptoms. PCR was conducted with 196 samples and amplicon confirmed by sequencing. Only E. coli SB278/94 from bovine specimen was positive (1/47) for gimB, which represents 2.1% of the bovine samples. The adherence and gentamicin protection assays with HeLa cells confirmed the ability of SB278/94 to adhere to and to invade eukaryotic cells. This is the first study searching for gimB in bovine, canine and feline samples and showing E. coli of the intestinal-bovine source harboring gimB.
Keywords: gimB,adherence, invasiveness, zoonotic potential, livestock and companion animals.