Virulence Factors and Clonal Relationships among <i>Escherichia coli</i> Strains Isolated from Broiler Chickens with Cellulitis

Abstract

In this study, we compared Escherichia coli isolates from chickens with avian cellulitis with those from feces of healthy chickens. Cellulitis-derived strains presented phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of greater virulence than did the fecal isolates. Phylogenetic analysis by repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR showed that, in agreement with their virulence characteristics, the cellulitis isolates form two clonal groups distinct from the fecal isolates.