Co-occurrence of mcr-1 mediated colistin resistance and β-lactamase-encoding genes in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli from broiler chickens with colibacillosis in Tunisia.

Objectives: Colibacillosis caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is considered a major hindrance in poultry farming worldwide. This study aimed to characterize the genetic content and the relatedness between multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates from broiler chickens died due to colibacillosis from three farms from Tunisia.