Veterinary and Comparative Biomedical Research

Veterinary and Comparative Biomedical Research

Isolation and Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance of O142 Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Causing Black Proventriculus in Broiler Chickens

Articles in Press

Document Type : Case Report

Authors
Hemad Shafiei 1
Maziar Jajarmi 2
Reza Molaei 2
Pouneh Hajipour 1
1 Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
2 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
10.22103/VCBR.2026.25855.1090
Abstract
Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) serogroup O142 is an uncommon serogroup that causes black proventriculus in poultry. In February 2024, 50 live and dead 7-day-old Arian broiler chickens from a flock of 50,000 were referred to the veterinary hospital of Shahid Bahonar University in Kerman, Iran, with a complaint of a sudden increase in mortality. All chickens were lethargic, and sudden death occurred in all cases. Colisepticemia, mucus hypersecretion, and dark green discoloration of the proventriculus, a dark liver, and pulmonary, and hepatic congestions were observed at postmortem examination. The proventriculus, blood, liver, and spleen from five randomly selected chickens with black proventriculus were sampled for microbiological analysis. In the PCR test, only the liver sample from one bird (1 out of 5) was positive for APEC O142. Conformed APEC isolates were then screened by PCR for detecting the APEC-associated virulence genes fimC and iucD. The results of the phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility test showed susceptibility to fosfomycin, lincospectin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and resistance to florfenicol, colistin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and enrofloxacin. These findings underscore the significance of black proventriculus attributed to E. coli O142 and emphasize the importance of targeted antibiotic treatment for affected flocks.
Keywords
Black Proventriculus
Broiler
Escherichia coli O142
Antibiotic Resistance
Subjects
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Veterinary and Comparative Biomedical Research

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 16 May 2026