Zapata, CelsoRodriguez Perez, Lila MacielRomero Avila, Yolanda MadedeinCoila, PedroHañari Quispe, Renán DiltonOros, OscarZanabria, VíctorQuilcate Pairazaman, Carlos EnriqueRojas Cruz, DiórmanCruz Luis, Juancarlos AlejandroOrtiz Morera, Narda CeciliaEstrada Cañari, Richard2025-08-192025-08-192025-06-30Zapata, C., Rodriguez, L., Romero, Y., Coila, P., Hañari-Quispe, R. D., Oros, O., Zanabria, V., Quilcate, C., Rojas, D., Cruz, J., et al. (2025). Genomic characterization of Escherichia coli isolates from alpaca crias (Vicugna pacos) in the Peruvian Highlands: Insights into functional diversity and pathogenicity. Microorganisms, 13(7), 1533. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms130715332076-2607http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2823Diarrhea in alpaca crias significantly impacts livestock health in high-altitude regions, with Escherichia coli as a common pathogen. This study analyzed 10 E. coli isolates from diarrheic and healthy alpacas using whole-genome sequencing to assess genetic diversity, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance. Predominant sequence types (ST73, ST29), serotypes (O22:H1, O109:H11), and phylogroups (B2, B1, A) were identified. Virulence profiling revealed ExPEC-like and EPEC pathotypes, while resistance genes for β-lactams (blaEC-15), fosfomycin (glpT_E448K), and colistin (pmrB) were prevalent. These findings highlight the need for genomic surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship to manage E. coli infections in alpacas and reduce public health risks.application/pdfenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/E. coli genetic diversityantibiotic resistance in alpacasvirulence factors in alpaca pathogensDiversidad genética de E. coliresistencia a antibióticos en alpacasfactores de virulencia en patógenos de alpacasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttps://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.02.02https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071533genómica, genomics, pathogenicity; patogenicidad