3. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTIVES
APEC’s diverse virulence factors interact to cause systemic infections in poultry, necessitating a comprehensive strategy that targets iron acquisition, quorum sensing, bacterial metabolism, and secretion systems for effective therapeutic development. APEC strains, especially ST95, ST131, and serogroups O1, O2, and O18, pose a risk of extra-intestinal infections in humans. With rising antibiotic resistance and the potential for transmission of resistant bacteria and genes to humans, developing antibacterials for animals that avoid cross-resistance with existing antibiotics is essential. An effective APEC vaccine offering cross-protection against multiple serotypes is also needed, and insights into APEC’s virulence should guide the identification of new vaccine candidates. Additionally, alternative therapies, such as small molecule inhibitors and antimicrobial peptides targeting novel pathways, should be explored to control colibacillosis in poultry.