Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a serious bacterial disease that causes significant losses in the
poultry industry. This pathogen also exhibits zoonotic importance and is associated with severe
human infections such as pulmonary cystic fibrosis and urinary tract infections. The
pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria is primarily due to the production of
extracellular enzymes and the expression of virulence factors, such as toxA and oprL. The
molecular identification of these genes can help in the early detection and control of infections
caused by this bacterium. Here, 480 samples were collected from different organs (lung,
kidney, gall bladder, and liver) of broiler chickens from four cities in Fayoum governorate
including, Ibshaway, Tamyyah, Itsa and Sinnuris. The bacteriological analysis revealed that
369 out of the 480 samples were positive for P. aeruginosa with an incidence rate of 76.87%,
of which the highest isolation rate was from Tamyyah (90.83%), followed by Ibshaway
(85.0%), Itsa (75.92%), and Sinnuris (52.67%). Furthermore, virulence gene profiling of eight
selected isolates using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated that all eight tested isolates
(100%) were positive for the harbored oprL gene, whereas only five P. aeruginosa isolates
(62.5%) were positive for the toxA gene. In conclusion, the widespread occurrence of this
opportunistic pathogen in poultry production systems is particularly concerning, as it suggests
that P. aeruginosa is becoming a major concern for poultry health and food safety in the studied |
