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Lethal Co-infection of Rotavirus and E. coli O157:H7 in Mediterranean Buffalo Calves



Author(s)

L. De Martino, F. Fiorito, G. Pisanelli, S. Nizza, K. Mallardo, R. Schettini, S. Montagnaro, G. Iovane and U. Pagnini

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DOI:10.17265/2161-6256/2011.11A.007

L. De Martino, F. Fiorito, G. Pisanelli, S. Nizza, K. Mallardo, R. Schettini, S. Montagnaro, G. Iovane and U. Pagnini

In this paper, we reported lethal episodes in buffalo calves, due to rotavirus and concurrent infection with E. coli O157:H7, in a closed community in Italy. A first detection of group A rotavirus infection was made by using an immunochromatographic assay, the virus isolation was performed on Monkey kidney cells (MA-104), and the rotavirus isolates were G and P characterized by a reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay using a nested multiplex method. Co-infection with E. coli strains was demonstrated by classical bacteriological procedures. The E. coli isolates were analysed by Vero cell assay and PCR. This study showed the presence of group A rotavirus of G6-P5 serotypes and verocytotoxin producing or non-producing E. coli O157:H7 in faecal samples. So far the concomitant presence of rotavirus and E. coli O157:H7 in cases of enteritis in Bubalus bubalis in Italy is not reported in the literature, as well as the mortality of buffalo calves probably due at an additional virulence factor, Shiga toxin 1 (stx1) gene, of the E. coli O157:H7 strains.

Rotavirus, E. coli O157:H7, buffalo calf, diarrhoea, Italy.