Dissemination amongst humans and food products of animal origin of a Salmonella typhimurium clone expressing an integron-borne OXA-30 beta-lactamase

OBJECTIVES

Characterization of the molecular basis for beta-lactam resistance and evaluation of the clonal relatedness among nine isolates of multidrug-resistant Salmonella typhimurium recovered from seven clinical human samples and two pork end products.

METHODS

The isolates were examined for susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. The relationships between resistance genes, class 1 integrons, plasmids and isolates were screened by molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length analysis.

RESULTS

A bla(OXA-30) gene, located in a class 1 integron, was detected in all isolates. This integron was present on a conjugative plasmid in all but one isolate. By pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, it was determined that all strains share the same chromosomal type.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the spread of an OXA-30-producing S. typhimurium in Portugal, suggesting dissemination of a resistant clone through the food chain.

Long-term dissemination of an OXA-40 carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii clone in the Iberian Peninsula

OBJECTIVE

The main objectives of this study were to assess the clonal relatedness of Acinetobacter baumannii carbapenem-resistant isolates recovered from the Iberian Peninsula and to investigate the production of carbapenemases.

METHODS

One hundred and sixty-two imipenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates were collected from 1998 to 2003 in three Portuguese university hospitals. An imipenem-resistant isolate (988FFP strain) recovered in 1995 from a smaller hospital unit, was also included, as well as an OXA-40-producing A. baumannii Spanish strain (SM28). Susceptibility tests were carried out by disc diffusion and Etest methods. DNA fingerprints were obtained by PFGE of ApaI-digested chromosomal DNA. Carbapenemase activity was determined by a bioassay and spectrophotometry. The detection of the blaOXA-40 gene was conducted through PCR analysis, cloning and nucleotide sequencing.

RESULTS

All the isolates presented a similar multi-resistance pattern, including imipenem (MIC >32 mg/L). The Iberian isolates showed an identical PFGE pattern with minor band variations, including isolate 988FFP collected in 1995. PCR results revealed a blaOXA-type gene in 65 isolates and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed the presence of the blaOXA-40 gene in seven representative Portuguese isolates from the various geographically dispersed hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that a multi-resistant epidemic clone of A. baumannii, carrying blaOXA-40, is disseminated in the Iberian Peninsula, persisting in Portugal since 1995.

Sfh-I, a subclass B2 metallo-beta-lactamase from a Serratia fonticola environmental isolate

An environmental isolate of Serratia fonticola resistant to carbapenems was shown to contain a genetic determinant encoding a metallo-beta-lactamase of the subclass B2. The Sfh-I enzyme exhibits some divergence from the previously characterized enzymes of this subclass. This is the first example of a naturally occurring metallo-beta-lactamase in Enterobacteriaceae.

Incidence of Salmonella from poultry products and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents

The incidence of Salmonella in 60 samples of poultry products of national origin available for consumers obtained from two local butcher shops and one canteen of the city of Porto and the susceptibility to antimicrobial agents allowed for human or animal therapy were evaluated. The results show that poultry samples are frequently contaminated with Salmonella (60%), belonging to 10 different serotypes. Salmonella enteritidis and S. hadar were the most prevalent serotypes. In addition, a high number (75%) of the Salmonella isolates was resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents and eight different resistance profiles were recorded. Resistance to nalidixic acid and enrofloxacin was demonstrated for 50% of the isolates and the occurrence of resistant and multiresistant S. enteritidis isolates were less frequent than for S. hadar. This study suggests a high incidence of Salmonella on Portuguese poultry products and shows that they could be a potential vehicle of resistant Salmonella foodborne infections.

Incidence and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from poultry carcasses in Porto, Portugal

The occurrence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in 63 samples of Portuguese poultry carcasses obtained from two local butcher shops and one canteen in the city of Porto, Portugal, and the susceptibility of these bacteria to antimicrobial agents allowed for use in human or animal therapeutics were evaluated. All poultry samples were contaminated with Listeria spp., and L. monocytogenes was isolated from 41% (26 of 63) of the samples. Other Listeria species, including L. innocua, L. welshimeri, and L. seeligeri, were also isolated from poultry samples. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction method was used for the identification of all of the Listeria isolates; this method showed total conformity with the conventional method of biochemical identification and proved to be more reliable, faster, and less arduous. In addition, high percentages of Listeria spp. (84%) and L. monocytogenes (73%) isolates were found to be resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents of different groups, and 12 different resistance profiles were recorded. The frequency of the resistance of L. monocytogenes isolates to enrofloxacin and clindamycin is notable. The results of this study suggest a high incidence of L. monocytogenes on Portuguese poultry products available for consumers and indicate that poultry could be a potential vehicle of foodborne infections due to strains of L. monocytogenes that are resistant to antimicrobial agents.

Molecular characterization of bla(IMP-5), a new integron-borne metallo-beta-lactamase gene from an Acinetobacter baumannii nosocomial isolate in Portugal

Acinetobacter baumannii 65FFC, an imipenem-resistant clinical strain, isolated from the urine of a patient at the Coimbra University Hospital, Portugal, in 1998, produced a metallo-beta-lactamase with a calculated pI 9.3. The isolate was highly resistant to penicillins, broad-spectrum cephalosporins, including ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, cefpirome, and to aztreonam, but it remained susceptible to ampicillin/sulbactam, aminoglycosides and quinolones. Nucleotide sequence revealed a new allelic variant of other bla(IMP) genes, named bla(IMP-5). IMP-5 beta-lactamase showed a greater homology with IMP-1, IMP-3 and IMP-4 (identified in Southeast Asia), than with IMP-2, found in Italy (93%, 92%, 91% and 87% of amino acid identity, respectively). bla(IMP-5) was the only gene cassette inserted into a class 1 integron, named In76. This is the first IMP-enzyme reported in Portugal and the second in Europe, indicating a wider dissemination in the environment of bla(IMP) alleles.