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Baztarrika I, Wösten MMSM, Alonso R, Martínez-Ballesteros I, Martinez-Malaxetxebarria I. Genes involved in the adhesion and invasion of Arcobacter butzleri. Microb Pathog 2024; 193:106752. [PMID: 38880315 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Arcobacter butzleri is a foodborne pathogen that mainly causes enteritis in humans, but the number of cases of bacteraemia has increased in recent years. However, there is still limited knowledge on the pathogenic mechanisms of this bacterium. To investigate how A. butzleri causes disease, single knockout mutants were constructed in the cadF, ABU_RS00335, ciaB, and flaAB genes, which might be involved in adhesion and invasion properties. These mutants and the isogenic wild-type (WT) were then tested for their ability to adhere and invade human Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cells. The adhesion and invasion of A. butzleri RM4018 strain was also visualized by a Leica CTR 6500 confocal microscope. The adhesion and invasion abilities of mutants lacking the invasion antigen CiaB or a functional flagellum were lower than those of the WTs. However, the extent of the decrease varied depending on the strain and/or cell line. Mutants lacking the fibronectin (FN)-binding protein CadF consistently exhibited reduced abilities, while the inactivation of the other studied FN-binding protein, ABU_RS00335, led to a reduction in only one of the two strains tested. Therefore, the ciaB and flaAB genes appear to be important for A. butzleri adhesion and invasion properties, while cadF appears to be indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itsaso Baztarrika
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain
| | - Marc M S M Wösten
- Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584, CL, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rodrigo Alonso
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain
| | - Ilargi Martínez-Ballesteros
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain
| | - Irati Martinez-Malaxetxebarria
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain.
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Buzzanca D, Chiarini E, Alessandria V. Arcobacteraceae: An Exploration of Antibiotic Resistance Featuring the Latest Research Updates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:669. [PMID: 39061351 PMCID: PMC11273800 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13070669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Arcobacteraceae bacterial family includes species isolated from animals and related food products. Moreover, these species have been found in other ecological niches, including water. Some species, particularly Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus, have been isolated from human clinical cases and linked to gastrointestinal symptoms. The presence of antibiotic-resistant strains is a concern for public health, considering the possible zoonoses and foodborne infections caused by contaminated food containing bacteria resistant to antibiotic treatments. This review aims to highlight the importance of antibiotic resistance in Arcobacter spp. isolates from several sources, including information about antibiotic classes to which this bacterium has shown resistance. Arcobacter spp. demonstrated a wide spectrum of antibiotic resistance, including several antibiotic resistance genes. Antibiotic resistance genomic traits include efflux pumps and mutations in antibiotic target proteins. The literature shows a high proportion of Arcobacter spp. that are multidrug-resistant. However, studies in the literature have primarily focused on the evaluation of antibiotic resistance in A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus, as these species are frequently isolated from various sources. These aspects underline the necessity of studies focused on several Arcobacter species that could potentially be isolated from several sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Buzzanca
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini nr.2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (E.C.); (V.A.)
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Charkhian H, Soleimannezhadbari E, Bodaqlouei A, Lotfollahi L, Lotfi H, Yousefi N, Shojadel E, Gholinejad Z. Assessment of bacteriocin production by clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and their potential as therapeutic agents. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:175. [PMID: 38872163 PMCID: PMC11170890 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02450-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bacterial infections and the rising antimicrobial resistance pose a significant threat to public health. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces bacteriocins like pyocins, especially S-type pyocins, which are promising for biological applications. This research focuses on clinical P. aeruginosa isolates to assess their bacteriocin production, inhibitory spectrum, chemical structure, antibacterial agents, and preservative potential. METHODS The identification of P. aeruginosa was conducted through both phenotypic and molecular approaches. The inhibitory spectrum and antibacterial potential of the isolates were assessed. The kinetics of antibacterial peptide production were investigated, and the activity of bacteriocin was quantified in arbitrary units (AU ml-1). Physico-chemical characterization of the antibacterial peptides was performed. Molecular weight estimation was carried out using SDS-PAGE. qRT-PCR analysis was employed to validate the expression of the selected candidate gene. RESULT The antibacterial activity of P. aeruginosa was attributed to the secretion of bacteriocin compounds, which belong to the S-type pyocin family. The use of mitomycin C led to a significant 65.74% increase in pyocin production by these isolates. These S-type pyocins exhibited the ability to inhibit the growth of both Gram-negative (P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. hirae, S. pyogenes, and S. mutans) bacteria. The molecular weight of S-type pyocin was 66 kDa, and its gene expression was confirmed through qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that S-type pyocin hold significant potential as therapeutic agents against pathogenic strains. The Physico-chemical resistance of S-type pyocin underscores its potential for broad applications in the pharmaceutical, hygiene, and food industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Charkhian
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Soleimannezhadbari
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Amin Bodaqlouei
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Lida Lotfollahi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Hajie Lotfi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Nesa Yousefi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Shojadel
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Zafar Gholinejad
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
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Botta C, Buzzanca D, Chiarini E, Chiesa F, Rubiola S, Ferrocino I, Fontanella E, Rantsiou K, Houf K, Alessandria V. Microbial contamination pathways in a poultry abattoir provided clues on the distribution and persistence of Arcobacter spp. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0029624. [PMID: 38647295 PMCID: PMC11107157 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00296-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The consumption of contaminated poultry meat is a significant threat for public health, as it implicates in foodborne pathogen infections, such as those caused by Arcobacter. The mitigation of clinical cases requires the understanding of contamination pathways in each food process and the characterization of resident microbiota in the productive environments, so that targeted sanitizing procedures can be effectively implemented. Nowadays these investigations can benefit from the complementary and thoughtful use of culture- and omics-based analyses, although their application in situ is still limited. Therefore, the 16S-rRNA gene-based sequencing of total DNA and the targeted isolation of Arcobacter spp. through enrichment were performed to reconstruct the environmental contamination pathways within a poultry abattoir, as well as the dynamics and distribution of this emerging pathogen. To that scope, broiler's neck skin and caeca have been sampled during processing, while environmental swabs were collected from surfaces after cleaning and sanitizing. Metataxonomic survey highlighted a negligible impact of fecal contamination and a major role of broiler's skin in determining the composition of the resident abattoir microbiota. The introduction of Arcobacter spp. in the environment was mainly conveyed by this source rather than the intestinal content. Arcobacter butzleri represented one of the most abundant species and was extensively detected in the abattoir by both metataxonomic and enrichment methods, showing higher prevalence than other more thermophilic Campylobacterota. In particular, Arcobacter spp. was recovered viable in the plucking sector with high frequency, despite the adequacy of the sanitizing procedure.IMPORTANCEOur findings have emphasized the persistence of Arcobacter spp. in a modern poultry abattoir and its establishment as part of the resident microbiota in specific environmental niches. Although the responses provided here are not conclusive for the identification of the primary source of contamination, this biogeographic assessment underscores the importance of monitoring Arcobacter spp. from the early stages of the production chain with the integrative support of metataxonomic analysis. Through such combined detection approaches, the presence of this pathogen could be soon regarded as hallmark indicator of food safety and quality in poultry slaughtering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Botta
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Davide Buzzanca
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Chiarini
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Francesco Chiesa
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Selene Rubiola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Kalliopi Rantsiou
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Kurt Houf
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Valentina Alessandria
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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Baztarrika I, Salazar-Sánchez A, Laorden L, Martínez-Ballesteros I, Alonso R, Martinez-Malaxetxebarria I. Foodborne and waterborne Arcobacter species exhibit a high virulent activity in Caco-2. Food Microbiol 2024; 118:104424. [PMID: 38049262 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Infection mechanisms of Arcobacter remain uncertain. This study aimed to determine whether 65 food and waterborne isolates of at least six species were able to adhere and invade Caco-2 cells; and whether this ability could be related to cadF, cj1349, ciaB, and/or hecA, specific genetic markers related to host cell adhesion and invasion. All adhered and invaded the cells, and harboured at least two virulence markers. The mean virulent activity shown by A. butzleri was superior to that of A. cryaerophilus (p < 0.05); but the mean adhesion and invasion values of A. lanthieri, A. skirrowii, and A. vitoriensis were even higher. Sewage isolates were significantly (p < 0.05) more adherent and invasive than the rest, and their associated gene content was higher (p < 0.05). For the first time, an association between cadF and hecA and a high adhesion capability was identified (p < 0.05). The results provide new data on the pathogenic potential of Arcobacter species present in food and water by highlighting the superiority of A. butzleri over A. cryarophilus; providing evidence on the virulence of minority species as A. lanthieri and A. vitoriensis; and confirming sewage as an important source of potentially more virulent arcobacters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itsaso Baztarrika
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Adrián Salazar-Sánchez
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Lorena Laorden
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Ilargi Martínez-Ballesteros
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Alonso
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Irati Martinez-Malaxetxebarria
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
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Ren J, Wang M, Zhou W, Liu Z. Efflux pumps as potential targets for biofilm inhibition. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1315238. [PMID: 38596384 PMCID: PMC11002903 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1315238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Biofilms account for a great deal of infectious diseases and contribute significantly to antimicrobial resistance. Efflux pumps confer antimicrobial resistance to microorganisms and involve multiple processes of biofilm formation. Efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) are attracting considerable attention as a biofilm inhibition strategy. The regulatory functions of efflux pumps in biofilm formation such as mediating adherence, quorum sensing (QS) systems, and the expression of biofilm-associated genes have been increasingly identified. The versatile properties confer efflux pumps both positive and negative effects on biofilm formation. Furthermore, the expression and function of efflux pumps in biofilm formation are species-specific. Therefore, this review aims to detail the double-edged sword role of efflux pumps in biofilm formation to provide potential inhibition targets and give an overview of the effects of EPIs on biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wenjuan Zhou
- Department of Implantology, Yantai Stomatological Hospital Affiliated to Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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Disli HB, Hizlisoy H, Gungor C, Barel M, Dishan A, Gundog DA, Al S, Onmaz NE, Yildirim Y, Gonulalan Z. Investigation and characterization of Aliarcobacter spp. isolated from cattle slaughterhouse in Türkiye. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-023-00478-3. [PMID: 38206523 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00478-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Aliarcobacter spp. have been isolated from numerous food products at retail and from animal carcasses and feces at slaughter. The objectives of this study were as follows: (i) to isolate Aliarcobacter species from different slaughterhouses' samples and (ii) to detect genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance, biofilm ability, and putative virulence gene profiles of the isolates. A molecular investigation of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors was also conducted using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 150 samples, a total of 22 (14.6%) Aliarcobacter spp. isolates were obtained, with varying levels of antibiotic resistance observed. The genes tetO, tetW, and gyrA were detected in 0%, 31.8%, and 27.2% of the isolates, respectively. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, rifampin, and erythromycin, while tetracycline was found to be the most effective antibiotic, with 81.8% of the isolates showing susceptibility to it. All isolates (100%) harbored more than one of the nine putative virulence genes tested, with 18.1% of isolates carrying more than three. Regarding biofilm formation, 7 (31.8%) and 4 (18.1%) isolates were found to form strong and moderate biofilms, respectively, while one (4.5%) isolate was classified as a weak biofilm producer. ERIC-PCR band patterns suggested that the isolated Aliarcobacter spp. from slaughterhouses had different sources of contamination. These findings highlight the potential risk posed by pathogenic and multidrug-resistant Aliarcobacter spp. in food and the need for control measures throughout the food chain to prevent the spread of these strains. The results indicate that foods of animal origin and cattle slaughterhouses are significant sources of antimicrobial resistant Aliarcobacter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin Burak Disli
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Harun Hizlisoy
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Candan Gungor
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mukaddes Barel
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Adalet Dishan
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
| | - Dursun Alp Gundog
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Serhat Al
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Nurhan Ertas Onmaz
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Yeliz Yildirim
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zafer Gonulalan
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
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Khan IUH, Chen W, Cloutier M, Lapen DR, Craiovan E, Wilkes G. Pathogenicity assessment of Arcobacter butzleri isolated from Canadian agricultural surface water. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:17. [PMID: 38191309 PMCID: PMC10773081 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03119-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Water is considered a source for the transmission of Arcobacter species to both humans and animals. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence, distribution, and pathogenicity of A. butzleri strains, which can potentially pose health risks to humans and animals. Cultures were isolated from surface waters of a mixed-use but predominately agricultural watershed in eastern Ontario, Canada. The detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence-associated genes (VAGs), as well as enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) assays were performed on 913 A. butzleri strains isolated from 11 agricultural sampling sites. RESULTS All strains were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents, with a high rate of resistance to clindamycin (99%) and chloramphenicol (77%), followed by azithromycin (48%) and nalidixic acid (49%). However, isolates showed a significantly (p < 0.05) high rate of susceptibility to tetracycline (1%), gentamycin (2%), ciprofloxacin (4%), and erythromycin (5%). Of the eight VAGs tested, ciaB, mviN, tlyA, and pldA were detected at high frequency (> 85%) compared to irgA (25%), hecB (19%), hecA (15%), and cj1349 (12%) genes. Co-occurrence analysis showed A. butzleri strains resistant to clindamycin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, and azithromycin were positive for ciaB, tlyA, mviN and pldA VAGs. ERIC-PCR fingerprint analysis revealed high genetic similarity among strains isolated from three sites, and the genotypes were significantly associated with AMR and VAGs results, which highlight their potential environmental ubiquity and potential as pathogenic. CONCLUSIONS The study results show that agricultural activities likely contribute to the contamination of A. butzleri in surface water. The findings underscore the importance of farm management practices in controlling the potential spread of A. butzleri and its associated health risks to humans and animals through contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izhar U H Khan
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada.
| | - Wen Chen
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Michel Cloutier
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - David R Lapen
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Emilia Craiovan
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Graham Wilkes
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
- Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Baztarrika I, Salazar-Sánchez A, Hernaez Crespo S, López Mirones JI, Canut A, Alonso R, Martínez-Ballesteros I, Martinez-Malaxetxebarria I. Virulence genotype and phenotype of two clinical isolates of Arcobacter butzleri obtained from patients with different pathologies. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:369. [PMID: 37923944 PMCID: PMC10624747 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03709-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
The surge in human arcobacteriosis has increased interest in determining the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Arcobacter butzleri. Here, genomic analyses and in vitro Caco-2 infection, motility, urease and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) assays were used to characterise the virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants of strains HC-1, isolated from a patient with travellers' diarrhoea, and HC-2, isolated from another with pruritus. AMR determinants conferring resistance to tetracycline (tetO, present in both genomes) and to ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (bla3, present in HC-2) were identified. The same determinants associated with flagellum, chemotaxis, adhesion and invasion were detected in both, but HC-1 lacked eight flagellar genes. The urease cluster was only present in HC-1. Motility and urease tests confirmed the genetic differences between strains, but no genetic marker related to the inability of HC-2 to adhere and invade was identified. This inability could be conditioning the patient's pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itsaso Baztarrika
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-d Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Adrián Salazar-Sánchez
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-d Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Silvia Hernaez Crespo
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - José Israel López Mirones
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Andrés Canut
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Alonso
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-d Gasteiz, Spain
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Ilargi Martínez-Ballesteros
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-d Gasteiz, Spain
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Irati Martinez-Malaxetxebarria
- MikroIker Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-d Gasteiz, Spain.
- Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Agents and Gene Therapy, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
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Zhou G, Gu Y, Wang H, Chen X, Zhang X, Shao Z, Yan X, Zhang J, Zhang M. Genomic diversity and taxonomic marker for Arcobacter species. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1278268. [PMID: 37881248 PMCID: PMC10594997 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1278268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Arcobacter was recognized as an emerging enteropathogen and controversies regarding its classification persisted. This study aimed to reevaluate the taxonomy of Arcobacter utilizing the 16S rRNA gene, 23S rRNA gene, single-copy orthologous genes, as well as genomic indices such as Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH). The taxonomy of this genus was reevaluated in this study using multiple indices with a dataset of 371 genomes comprising 34 known species and 14 potentially new species. Good discrimination could be achieved only in some species but not for the species with higher sequence similarity using the comparisons of the 16S rRNA gene and 23S rRNA gene sequences. A high-accuracy phylogenomic approach for Arcobacter was established using 84 single-copy orthologous genes obtained through various bioinformatics methods. One marker gene (gene711), which was found to possess the same distinguishing ability as ANI, isDDH, and single-copy orthologous methods, was identified as a reliable locus for inferring the phylogeny of the genus. The effective species classification was achieved by employing gene711 with a sequence similarity exceeding 96%, even for species like A. cloacae, A. lanthieri, and A. skirrowii, which exhibited ambiguous classification using ANI and isDDH. Additionally, excellent subspecies categorizing among A. cryaerophilus could be distinguished using gene711. In conclusion, this framework strategy had the potential advantage of developing rapid species identification, particularly for highly variable species, providing a novel insight into the behavior and characteristics of Arcobacter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maojun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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11
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Gabucci C, Baldelli G, Amagliani G, Schiavano GF, Savelli D, Russo I, Di Lullo S, Blasi G, Napoleoni M, Leoni F, Primavilla S, Massacci FR, Garofolo G, Petruzzelli A. Widespread Multidrug Resistance of Arcobacter butzleri Isolated from Clinical and Food Sources in Central Italy. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1292. [PMID: 37627712 PMCID: PMC10451661 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12081292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arcobacter genus comprises a group of bacteria widely distributed in different habitats that can be spread throughout the food chain. Fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides represent the most common antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of Arcobacter infections. However, the increasing trend of the antimicrobial resistance of this pathogen leads to treatment failures. Moreover, the test implementation and interpretation are hindered by the lack of reference protocols and standard interpretive criteria. The purpose of our study was to assess the antibiotic resistance pattern of 17 A. butzleri strains isolated in Central Italy from fresh vegetables, sushi, chicken breast, and clinical human samples to provide new and updated information about the antimicrobial resistance epidemiology of this species. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST)'s disc diffusion method. All the strains were multidrug resistant, with 100% resistance to tetracyclines and cefotaxime (third generation cephalosporins). Some differences were noticed among the strains, according to the isolation source (clinical isolates, food of animal origin, or fresh vegetables), with a higher sensitivity to streptomycin detected only in the strains isolated from fresh vegetables. Our data, together with other epidemiological information at the national or European Union (EU) level, may contribute to developing homogeneous breakpoints. However, the high prevalence of resistance to a wide range of antimicrobial classes makes this microorganism a threat to human health and suggests that its monitoring should be considered by authorities designated for food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gabucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Giulia Baldelli
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy; (G.B.); (I.R.)
| | - Giulia Amagliani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy; (G.B.); (I.R.)
| | | | - David Savelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Ilaria Russo
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy; (G.B.); (I.R.)
| | - Stefania Di Lullo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Giuliana Blasi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Maira Napoleoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Francesca Leoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Sara Primavilla
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Francesca Romana Massacci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Giuliano Garofolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Petruzzelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.G.); (D.S.); (S.D.L.); (G.B.); (M.N.); (F.L.); (S.P.); (F.R.M.); (A.P.)
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12
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Buzzanca D, Kerkhof PJ, Alessandria V, Rantsiou K, Houf K. Arcobacteraceae comparative genome analysis demonstrates genome heterogeneity and reduction in species isolated from animals and associated with human illness. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17652. [PMID: 37449094 PMCID: PMC10336517 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arcobacteraceae family groups Gram-negative bacterial species previously included in the family Campylobacteraceae. These species of which some are considered foodborne pathogens, have been isolated from different environmental niches and hosts. They have been isolated from various types of foods, though predominantly from food of animal origin, as well as from stool of humans with enteritis. Their different abilities to survive in different hosts and environments suggest an evolutionary pressure with consequent variation in their genome content. Moreover, their different physiological and genomic characteristics led to the recent proposal to create new genera within this family, which is however criticized due to the lack of discriminatory features and biological and clinical relevance. Aims of the present study were to assess the Arcobacteraceae pangenome, and to characterize existing similarities and differences in 20 validly described species. For this, analysis has been conducted on the genomes of the corresponding type strains obtained by Illumina sequencing, applying several bioinformatic tools. Results of the present study do not support the proposed division into different genera and revealed the presence of pangenome partitions with numbers comparable to other Gram-negative bacteria genera, such as Campylobacter. Different gene class compositions in animal and human-associated species are present, including a higher percentage of virulence-related gene classes such as cell motility genes. The adaptation to environmental and/or host conditions of some species was identified by the presence of specific genes. Furthermore, a division into pathogenic and non-pathogenic species is suggested, which can support future research on food safety and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Buzzanca
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Pieter-Jan Kerkhof
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Valentina Alessandria
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Kalliopi Rantsiou
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Kurt Houf
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Karel Lodewijk Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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13
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Uljanovas D, Gölz G, Fleischmann S, Kudirkiene E, Kasetiene N, Grineviciene A, Tamuleviciene E, Aksomaitiene J, Alter T, Malakauskas M. Genomic Characterization of Arcobacter butzleri Strains Isolated from Various Sources in Lithuania. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1425. [PMID: 37374927 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Arcobacter (A.) butzleri, the most widespread species within the genus Arcobacter, is considered as an emerging pathogen causing gastroenteritis in humans. Here, we performed a comparative genome-wide analysis of 40 A. butzleri strains from Lithuania to determine the genetic relationship, pangenome structure, putative virulence, and potential antimicrobial- and heavy-metal-resistance genes. Core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis revealed low within-group variability (≤4 SNPs) between three milk strains (RCM42, RCM65, RCM80) and one human strain (H19). Regardless of the type of input (i.e., cgSNPs, accessory genome, virulome, resistome), these strains showed a recurrent phylogenetic and hierarchical grouping pattern. A. butzleri demonstrated a relatively large and highly variable accessory genome (comprising of 6284 genes with around 50% of them identified as singletons) that only partially correlated to the isolation source. Downstream analysis of the genomes resulted in the detection of 115 putative antimicrobial- and heavy-metal-resistance genes and 136 potential virulence factors that are associated with the induction of infection in host (e.g., cadF, degP, iamA), survival and environmental adaptation (e.g., flagellar genes, CheA-CheY chemotaxis system, urease cluster). This study provides additional knowledge for a better A. butzleri-related risk assessment and highlights the need for further genomic epidemiology studies in Lithuania and other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dainius Uljanovas
- Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes St. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Greta Gölz
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 69, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Fleischmann
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 69, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Egle Kudirkiene
- Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Neringa Kasetiene
- Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes St. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Audrone Grineviciene
- Kaunas Clinical Hospital Microbiology Laboratory, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Josvainiu St. 2, LT-47144 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Egle Tamuleviciene
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu St. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Jurgita Aksomaitiene
- Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes St. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Thomas Alter
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 69, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mindaugas Malakauskas
- Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes St. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
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14
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Concha-Toloza M, Lopez-Cantillo M, Molina-Mora JA, Collado L. Genomic Characterization of Antibiotic-Resistant Campylobacterales Isolated from Chilean Poultry Meat. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12050917. [PMID: 37237819 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12050917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the lack of knowledge about Campylobacterales in the Chilean poultry industry, the objective of this research was to know the prevalence, resistance, and genotypes of Campylobacter, Arcobacter and Helicobacter in 382 samples of chicken meat purchased in Valdivia, Chile. The samples were analyzed using three isolation protocols. Resistance to four antibiotics was evaluated by phenotypic methods. Genomic analyses were performed on selected resistant strains to detect resistance determinants and their genotypes. A total of 59.2% of the samples were positive. Arcobacter butzleri (37.4%) was the most prevalent species, followed by Campylobacter jejuni (19.6%), C. coli (11.3%), A. cryaerophilus (3.7%) and A. skirrowii (1.3%). Helicobacter pullorum (14%) was detected by PCR in a subset of samples. Campylobacter jejuni was resistant to ciprofloxacin (37.3%) and tetracycline (20%), while C. coli and A. butzleri were resistant to ciprofloxacin (55.8% and 2.8%), erythromycin (16.3% and 0.7%) and tetracycline (4.7% and 2.8%), respectively. Molecular determinants were consistent with phenotypic resistance. The genotypes of C. jejuni (CC-21, CC-48, CC-49, CC-257, CC-353, CC-443, CC-446 and CC-658) and C. coli (CC-828) coincided with genotypes of Chilean clinical strains. These findings suggest that besides C. jejuni and C. coli, chicken meat could play a role in the transmission of other pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacterales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Concha-Toloza
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5110566, Chile
| | - Mónica Lopez-Cantillo
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5110566, Chile
| | - Jose Arturo Molina-Mora
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET) & Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501-2060, Costa Rica
| | - Luis Collado
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5110566, Chile
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15
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Grudlewska-Buda K, Bauza-Kaszewska J, Wiktorczyk-Kapischke N, Budzyńska A, Gospodarek-Komkowska E, Skowron K. Antibiotic Resistance in Selected Emerging Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens-An Issue of Concern? Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12050880. [PMID: 37237783 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12050880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) have been confirmed for all major foodborne pathogens: Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Of great concern to scientists and physicians are also reports of antibiotic-resistant emerging food pathogens-microorganisms that have not previously been linked to food contamination or were considered epidemiologically insignificant. Since the properties of foodborne pathogens are not always sufficiently recognized, the consequences of the infections are often not easily predictable, and the control of their activity is difficult. The bacteria most commonly identified as emerging foodborne pathogens include Aliarcobacter spp., Aeromonas spp., Cronobacter spp., Vibrio spp., Clostridioides difficile, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, Salmonella enterica, Streptocccus suis, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori, Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica. The results of our analysis confirm antibiotic resistance and multidrug resistance among the mentioned species. Among the antibiotics whose effectiveness is steadily declining due to expanding resistance among bacteria isolated from food are β-lactams, sulfonamides, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones. Continuous and thorough monitoring of strains isolated from food is necessary to characterize the existing mechanisms of resistance. In our opinion, this review shows the scale of the problem of microbes related to health, which should not be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Grudlewska-Buda
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Justyna Bauza-Kaszewska
- Department of Microbiology and Food Technology, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Natalia Wiktorczyk-Kapischke
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Anna Budzyńska
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Eugenia Gospodarek-Komkowska
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Skowron
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
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16
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Buzzanca D, Alessandria V, Botta C, Seif Zadeh N, Ferrocino I, Houf K, Cocolin L, Rantsiou K. Transcriptome Analysis of Arcobacter butzleri Infection in a Mucus-Producing Human Intestinal In Vitro Model. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0207122. [PMID: 36622176 PMCID: PMC9927503 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02071-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Arcobacter butzleri is a foodborne pathogen belonging to the Arcobacteraceae family. This Gram-negative bacterium is found in water, food, and various organisms, including farm animals, clams, and fish. Moreover, A. butzleri has been isolated from human stool samples, where it was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. The present study focused on the transcriptome analysis of three A. butzleri strains isolated from human stools and displaying variable virulence potential in vitro. We used a mucus-producing human intestinal in vitro model (Caco-2/HT29-MTX-E12) to study the colonization and invasion abilities of the three A. butzleri strains. The ability of all three A. butzleri strains to colonize our in vitro model system was subsequently confirmed. Moreover, transcriptomics showed the upregulation of putative virulence genes. Among these genes, tonB, exbB, and exbD, which belong to the same operon, were upregulated in strain LMG 11119, which also had the greatest colonization ability. Moreover, genes not currently considered A. butzleri virulence genes were differentially expressed during cell model colonization. The main functions of these genes were linked to organic acid metabolism and iron transport and particularly to the function of the TonB complex. IMPORTANCE Recent advancements in the genomic characterization of A. butzleri revealed putative virulence genes and highlighted the possible pathogenic mechanisms used by this foodborne pathogen. It is therefore possible to study the transcriptomes of these bacteria to explore possible virulence mechanisms under conditions that mimic the infection process. The transcriptome and colonization/invasion analyses that we performed in this study enabled the evaluation of A. butzleri-mediated infection of the mucus-producing human intestinal in vitro model. We confirmed the upregulation of previously proposed virulence genes in the A. butzleri strains. In addition, we identified the differential expression of a number of other genes, which are not currently thought to be associated with virulence, in three A. butzleri strains during infection of mucus-producing human epithelial cells. Changes in the concentration of acetic acid and the upregulation of genes associated with organic acid metabolism during host-pathogen contact were also observed. These findings highlight the importance of previously unreported genes in the virulence mechanisms of A. butzleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Buzzanca
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Valentina Alessandria
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristian Botta
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Negin Seif Zadeh
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Kurt Houf
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Luca Cocolin
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Kalliopi Rantsiou
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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17
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Martins I, Mateus C, Domingues F, Oleastro M, Ferreira S. Putative Role of an ABC Efflux System in Aliarcobacter butzleri Resistance and Virulence. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020339. [PMID: 36830250 PMCID: PMC9951867 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is considered a ubiquitous microorganism and emergent pathogen, for which increasing rates of multidrug resistance have been described. In line with this, the present work aimed to evaluate for the first time the contribution of an ABC efflux system, the YbhFSR, in the resistance and virulence of this bacterium. Following the in silico characterization of the YbhFSR transporter, a mutant strain was constructed by inactivating the gene responsible for ATP-binding. After ensuring that the mutation did not have an impact on bacterial growth, the resistance profile of parental and mutant strains to different antimicrobial agents was evaluated. The results suggest that the efflux pump may influence the resistance to benzalkonium chloride, ethidium bromide, and cadmium, and several other compounds were identified as potential substrates. Regarding the evaluation of the accumulation of ethidium bromide, a slight increase was observed for the mutant strain, demonstrating a potential role of the YbhFSR efflux pump in the extrusion of toxic compounds from A. butzleri. Subsequently, the role of this efflux pump on the A. butzleri known virulence properties was evaluated, but no difference was seen among mutant and parental strains for the motility, biofilm formation ability, susceptibility to oxidative stress, or the ability to adhere and invade Caco-2 cells. However, in contrast to the parental strain, the mutant strain showed a resistance to human serum. Overall, the results support the role of efflux pumps in A. butzleri resistance to antimicrobials, highlighting the particular role of the YbhFSR system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Martins
- CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Cristiana Mateus
- CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Domingues
- CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Ferreira
- CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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18
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de Oliveira MGX, Cunha MPV, Moreno LZ, Saidenberg ABS, Vieira MAM, Gomes TAT, Moreno AM, Knöbl T. Antimicrobial Resistance and Pathogenicity of Aliarcobacter butzleri Isolated from Poultry Meat. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020282. [PMID: 36830193 PMCID: PMC9952011 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri (A. butzleri) is an emergent zoonotic food-related pathogen that can be transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat. Data regarding the pathogenicity and resistance of A. butzleri are still scarce, and the presence of virulent MDR strains of this zoonotic pathogen in poultry meat is an issue of particular concern to public health. This study aimed to characterize the pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance profiles of A. butzleri strains isolated from poultry meat sold at retail markets in São Paulo, Brazil. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of 27 strains were determined using the broth microdilution method. The results showed that 77.7% of the isolates were resistant to clindamycin, 62.9% to florfenicol, 59.2% to nalidixic acid, 11.1% to azithromycin, 7.4% to ciprofloxacin and telithromycin, and 3.7% to erythromycin and tetracycline, although all were susceptible to gentamicin. Moreover, 55.5% of the virulent isolates were also multidrug-resistant (MDR). Three strains were selected for pathogenicity tests in vitro and in vivo. The tested strains expressed weak/moderate biofilm production and showed a diffuse adhesion pattern (3 h) in HeLa cells and toxicity in Vero cells (24 h). Experimental inoculation in 11-week-old chicks induced a transitory inflammatory enteritis. Intestinal hemorrhage and destruction of the intestinal crypts were observed in the rabbit ileal loop test. Considering the fact that Brazil is a major exporter of poultry meat, the data from this study point to the need of improvement of the diagnostic tools, as well as of the adoption of surveillance guidelines and more specific control strategies to ensure food safety, reducing the presence of pathogenic MDR strains in broilers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcos Paulo Vieira Cunha
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil
| | - Luisa Zanolli Moreno
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Mônica Aparecida Midolli Vieira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina–Universidade Federal Paulista UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Tânia Aparecida Tardelli Gomes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina–Universidade Federal Paulista UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrea Micke Moreno
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil
| | - Terezinha Knöbl
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Zautner AE, Riedel T, Bunk B, Spröer C, Boahen KG, Akenten CW, Dreyer A, Färber J, Kaasch AJ, Overmann J, May J, Dekker D. Molecular characterization of Arcobacter butzleri isolates from poultry in rural Ghana. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1094067. [PMID: 36761899 PMCID: PMC9905251 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1094067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, Arcobacter butzleri has gained clinical significance as an emerging diarrheagenic pathogen associated with poultry and water reservoirs. The full clinical significance of Arcobacter remains rather speculative due to variable virulence and antibiotic susceptibility of individual strains. The aims of the present study were (i) to identify antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the genome sequences of two multidrug-resistant A. butzleri isolates, (ii) to use multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) to generate a guiding phylogeny of A. butzleri isolates collected in Kumasi, Ghana, (iii) to examine the distribution of ARGs in the test cohort, and (iv) to assess the strain's virulence and possible antibiotic treatment options for arcobacteriosis based on the genome sequences and the ARG distribution. A total of 48 A. butzleri isolates obtained from poultry were included in the analysis. These isolates were genotyped by MLST and the antibiotic susceptibilities of isolates to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, gentamicin, and erythromycin were tested by disk diffusion. Whole genome sequence data of two multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. butzleri isolates were obtained by a combination of single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and Illumina sequencing technology. A total of 14 ARGs were identified in the two generated genome sequences. For all 48 isolates, the frequency of these 14 ARGs was investigated by PCR or amplicon sequencing. With 44 different sequence types found among 48 isolates, strains were phylogenetically heterogeneous. Four of 48 isolates showed an ARG constellation indicating a multidrug-resistant phenotype. The virulence genes in the two A. butzleri genomes showed that the species might be characterized by a somewhat lower virulence as Campylobacter species. The phenotypic susceptibility data combined with the distribution of the particular ARGs especially oxa-464 and the T81I point mutation of the quinolone resistance determining region (QRDR) in a significant percentage of isolates indicated that macrolides and tetracycline can be recommended for calculated antibiotic treatment of arcobacteriosis in Ghana, but not ampicillin and quinolones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas E. Zautner
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene, Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Andreas E. Zautner,
| | - Thomas Riedel
- Abteilung Mikrobielle Ökologie und Diversitätsforschung, Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Hannover–Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Boyke Bunk
- Abteilung Bioinformatik und Datenbanken, Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Abteilung Bioinformatik und Datenbanken, Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kennedy G. Boahen
- One Health Bacteriology Group, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Charity Wiafe Akenten
- One Health Bacteriology Group, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Annika Dreyer
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Virology, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Färber
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene, Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Achim J. Kaasch
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene, Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Abteilung Mikrobielle Ökologie und Diversitätsforschung, Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Hannover–Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jürgen May
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin (BNITM), Hamburg, Germany,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany
| | - Denise Dekker
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin (BNITM), Hamburg, Germany,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany
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Zhou G, Wang M, Wang H, Chen X, Gu Y, Shao Z, Zhang J, Zhang M. Species classification and novel plasmid identifications in Arcobacter cryaerophilus and Arcobacter cryaerophilus-like organisms. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:984450. [PMID: 36212879 PMCID: PMC9535334 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.984450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arcobacter is a globally emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen that can cause diarrhea in humans. It is relatively homogenous and clearly distinguishes the group from other Epsilonproteobacteria. Arcobacter cryaerophilus (A. cryaerophilus) is a heterogeneous species and little is known about its genomic characterization in China. This study aims to determine the genetic and plasmid features of A. cryaerophilus based on whole-genome sequence (WGS). Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (isDDH) were used for the species classification for 90 initially identified A. cryaerophilus strains. One complete genome and 42 draft genomes were obtained by whole genome sequencing. The genomic characteristics were determined using various bioinformatics software. The genomes of the strains examined were estimated to vary from 1.81 to 2.28 Mb in length, with a G + C content of around 27%. ANI and isDDH results indicated that 90 initially identified A. cryaerophilus strains should be reclassified into four new species (ANI > 96% or isDDH > 70%). Two clades (four subclades) were identified among 90 genomes with the phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree indicated these 90 genomes exhibited a high intra-species genomic diversity. No clustering was assorted with the host or geographic location among these genomes. Aminoglycoside resistance genes, such as aph(2’’)-Ih, AAC(6’)-Ie-APH(2’’)-Ia, aac(6’)-IIa, ant(6), and streptothricin resistance gene SAT-4 were detected in the chromosomes from a third of the Chinese strains. Virulence-related genes were identified in all the sequenced strains. A novel large multiple drug-resistant plasmid (named pCNAC48 with 161,992 bp in length) was identified in strain ICDCAC48. Two antibiotic-resistance islands were found in the plasmid with lengths of 7,950 and 25,137 bp and G + C content of 38.23 and 32.39%, respectively. The drug resistance genes and some transposable elements were cross-distributed among the islands in the plasmid. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests indicated these resistance genes in the plasmid were functional. Plasmid conjugation and curing experiments proved pCNAC48 was stable in strain ICDCAC48. It was the first identified multiple drug resistance plasmid in A. cryaerophilus-like.
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Molecular Cut-off Values for Aliarcobacter butzleri Susceptibility Testing. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0100322. [PMID: 35862990 PMCID: PMC9430808 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01003-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emerging gastrointestinal pathogen found in many countries worldwide. In France, it has become the third most commonly isolated bacterial species from the stools of patients with intestinal infections. No interpretative criteria for antimicrobial susceptibility testing have been proposed for A. butzleri, and most strains are categorized using the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute or the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for Campylobacter or Enterobacterales. In the present study, the genomes of 30 resistant A. butzleri isolates were analyzed to propose specific epidemiological cut-off values for ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. The identification of a β-lactamase and the T85I GyrA mutation associated with ampicillin and ciprofloxacin resistance, respectively, allowed us to adjust the disk diffusion (DD) and MIC cut-off values for these molecules. However, epidemiological cut-off values for erythromycin and tetracycline could not be estimated due to the absence of known resistance mechanisms. The present study paves the way for building a consensus for antimicrobial susceptibility testing for this concerning pathogen. IMPORTANCEAliarcobacter butzleri is an emerging and concerning intestinal pathogen. Very few studies have focused on this particular species, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is based on methods that have been mostly developed for Campylobacter spp. In fact, no disk diffusion and E-tests adapted cut-offs for A. butzleri are available which leads to misinterpretations. We have shown here that NGS approach to identify genes and mutations in close relation to phenotypic resistance levels is a robust way to solve that issue and precisely differentiate WT and NWT A. butzleri isolates for frequently used antimicrobials. MIC and DD cut-off values have been significantly adjusted and answer the need for a global consensus regarding AST for A. butzleri.
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Chuan J, Belov A, Cloutier M, Li X, Khan IUH, Chen W. Comparative genomics analysis and virulence-related factors in novel Aliarcobacter faecis and Aliarcobacter lanthieri species identified as potential opportunistic pathogens. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:471. [PMID: 35761183 PMCID: PMC9235176 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08663-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Emerging pathogenic bacteria are an increasing threat to public health. Two recently described species of the genus Aliarcobacter, A. faecis and A. lanthieri, isolated from human or livestock feces, are closely related to Aliarcobacter zoonotic pathogens (A. cryaerophilus, A. skirrowii, and A. butzleri). In this study, comparative genomics analysis was carried out to examine the virulence-related, including virulence, antibiotic, and toxin (VAT) factors in the reference strains of A. faecis and A. lanthieri that may enable them to become potentially opportunistic zoonotic pathogens.
Results
Our results showed that the genomes of the reference strains of both species have flagella genes (flaA, flaB, flgG, flhA, flhB, fliI, fliP, motA and cheY1) as motility and export apparatus, as well as genes encoding the Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) (tatA, tatB and tatC), type II (pulE and pulF) and III (fliF, fliN and ylqH) secretory pathways, allowing them to secrete proteins into the periplasm and host cells. Invasion and immune evasion genes (ciaB, iamA, mviN, pldA, irgA and fur2) are found in both species, while adherence genes (cadF and cj1349) are only found in A. lanthieri. Acid (clpB), heat (clpA and clpB), osmotic (mviN), and low-iron (irgA and fur2) stress resistance genes were observed in both species, although urease genes were not found in them. In addition, arcB, gyrA and gyrB were found in both species, mutations of which may mediate the resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). Furthermore, 11 VAT genes including six virulence (cadF, ciaB, irgA, mviN, pldA, and tlyA), two antibiotic resistance [tet(O) and tet(W)] and three cytolethal distending toxin (cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC) genes were validated with the PCR assays. A. lanthieri tested positive for all 11 VAT genes. By contrast, A. faecis showed positive for ten genes except for cdtB because no PCR assay for this gene was available for this species.
Conclusions
The identification of the virulence, antibiotic-resistance, and toxin genes in the genomes of A. faecis and A. lanthieri reference strains through comparative genomics analysis and PCR assays highlighted the potential zoonotic pathogenicity of these two species. However, it is necessary to extend this study to include more clinical and environmental strains to explore inter-species and strain-level genetic variations in virulence-related genes and assess their potential to be opportunistic pathogens for animals and humans.
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Martinez-Malaxetxebarria I, Girbau C, Salazar-Sánchez A, Baztarrika I, Martínez-Ballesteros I, Laorden L, Alonso R, Fernández-Astorga A. Genetic characterization and biofilm formation of potentially pathogenic foodborne Arcobacter isolates. Int J Food Microbiol 2022; 373:109712. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Orel N, Fadeev E, Klun K, Ličer M, Tinta T, Turk V. Bacterial Indicators Are Ubiquitous Members of Pelagic Microbiome in Anthropogenically Impacted Coastal Ecosystem. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:765091. [PMID: 35111137 PMCID: PMC8801744 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.765091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Coastal zones are exposed to various anthropogenic impacts, such as different types of wastewater pollution, e.g., treated wastewater discharges, leakage from sewage systems, and agricultural and urban runoff. These various inputs can introduce allochthonous organic matter and microbes, including pathogens, into the coastal marine environment. The presence of fecal bacterial indicators in the coastal environment is usually monitored using traditional culture-based methods that, however, fail to detect their uncultured representatives. We have conducted a year-around in situ survey of the pelagic microbiome of the dynamic coastal ecosystem, subjected to different anthropogenic pressures to depict the seasonal and spatial dynamics of traditional and alternative fecal bacterial indicators. To provide an insight into the environmental conditions under which bacterial indicators thrive, a suite of environmental factors and bacterial community dynamics were analyzed concurrently. Analyses of 16S rRNA amplicon sequences revealed that the coastal microbiome was primarily structured by seasonal changes regardless of the distance from the wastewater pollution sources. On the other hand, fecal bacterial indicators were not affected by seasons and accounted for up to 34% of the sequence proportion for a given sample. Even more so, traditional fecal indicator bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae) and alternative wastewater-associated bacteria (Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Arcobacteraceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Vibrionaceae) were part of the core coastal microbiome, i.e., present at all sampling stations. Microbial source tracking and Lagrangian particle tracking, which we employed to assess the potential pollution source, revealed the importance of riverine water as a vector for transmission of allochthonous microbes into the marine system. Further phylogenetic analysis showed that the Arcobacteraceae in our data set was affiliated with the pathogenic Arcobacter cryaerophilus, suggesting that a potential exposure risk for bacterial pathogens in anthropogenically impacted coastal zones remains. We emphasize that molecular analyses combined with statistical and oceanographic models may provide new insights for environmental health assessment and reveal the potential source and presence of microbial indicators, which are otherwise overlooked by a cultivation approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neža Orel
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Neža Orel,
| | - Eduard Fadeev
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Klun
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Ličer
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- Office for Meteorology, Hydrology and Oceanography, Slovenian Environment Agency, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tinkara Tinta
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- Tinkara Tinta,
| | - Valentina Turk
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
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Characterization of AreABC, an RND-Type Efflux System Involved in Antimicrobial Resistance of Aliarcobacter butzleri. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0072921. [PMID: 34152822 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00729-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emergent enteropathogen for which resistance to several classes of antimicrobial agents has been described, although the underlying mechanisms have been poorly addressed. We aimed to evaluate the contribution of the resistance-nodulation-division-type (RND) efflux system, AreABC, to drug resistance in A. butzleri. A. butzleri strains were first tested against several antimicrobials with and without an efflux pump inhibitor. Then, erythromycin-resistant strains were screened for the presence of a premature stop codon in a putative transcriptional regulator of the AreABC system, areR. Lastly, antimicrobial susceptibility and ethidium bromide (EtBr) accumulation were evaluated using an areB knockout strain and a strain overexpressing the AreABC system through areR truncation. The presence of the efflux pump inhibitor resulted in increased susceptibility to most of the antimicrobials tested. A correlation between erythromycin resistance and the presence of premature stop codons in areR was observed. The truncation of areR resulted in increased expression of the AreABC system and decreased susceptibility to various antimicrobials. In contrast, areB inactivation resulted in increased susceptibility and a higher intracellular accumulation of EtBr. In conclusion, the AreABC efflux pump plays a role in the resistance of A. butzleri to multiple drugs and is regulated by a putative transcriptional repressor, areR. Our results support the importance of efflux pumps in this bacterium's resistance to major classes of antibiotics and other antimicrobials.
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Bonifácio M, Mateus C, Alves AR, Maldonado E, Duarte AP, Domingues F, Oleastro M, Ferreira S. Natural Transformation as a Mechanism of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Aliarcobacter butzleri. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070909. [PMID: 34358059 PMCID: PMC8308473 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emergent enteropathogen, showing high genetic diversity, which likely contributes to its adaptive capacity to different environments. Whether natural transformation can be a mechanism that generates genetic diversity in A. butzleri is still unknown. In the present study, we aimed to establish if A. butzleri is naturally competent for transformation and to investigate the factors influencing this process. Two different transformation procedures were tested using exogenous and isogenic DNA containing antibiotic resistance markers, and different external conditions influencing the process were evaluated. The highest number of transformable A. butzleri strains were obtained with the agar transformation method when compared to the biphasic system (65% versus 47%). A. butzleri was able to uptake isogenic chromosomal DNA at different growth phases, and the competence state was maintained from the exponential to the stationary phases. Overall, the optimal conditions for transformation with the biphasic system were the use of 1 μg of isogenic DNA and incubation at 30 °C under a microaerobic atmosphere, resulting in a transformation frequency ~8 × 10−6 transformants/CFU. We also observed that A. butzleri favored the transformation with the genetic material of its own strain/species, with the DNA incorporation process occurring promptly after the addition of genomic material. In addition, we observed that A. butzleri strains could exchange genetic material in co-culture assays. The presence of homologs of well-known genes involved in the competence in the A. butzleri genome corroborates the natural competence of this species. In conclusion, our results show that A. butzleri is a naturally transformable species, suggesting that horizontal gene transfer mediated by natural transformation is one of the processes contributing to its genetic diversity. In addition, natural transformation can be used as a tool for genetic studies of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Bonifácio
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
| | - Cristiana Mateus
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
| | - Ana R. Alves
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
| | - Emanuel Maldonado
- C4-UBI-Cloud Computing Competence Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal;
| | - Ana P. Duarte
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
- C4-UBI-Cloud Computing Competence Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal;
| | - Fernanda Domingues
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Susana Ferreira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (M.B.); (C.M.); (A.R.A.); (A.P.D.); (F.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Mateus C, Nunes AR, Oleastro M, Domingues F, Ferreira S. RND Efflux Systems Contribute to Resistance and Virulence of Aliarcobacter butzleri. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:823. [PMID: 34356744 PMCID: PMC8300790 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emergent enteropathogen that can be found in a range of environments. This bacterium presents a vast repertoire of efflux pumps, such as the ones belonging to the resistance nodulation cell division family, which may be associated with bacterial resistance, as well as virulence. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the contribution of three RND efflux systems, AreABC, AreDEF and AreGHI, in the resistance and virulence of A. butzleri. Mutant strains were constructed by inactivation of the gene that encodes the inner membrane protein of these systems. The bacterial resistance profile of parental and mutant strains to several antimicrobials was assessed, as was the intracellular accumulation of the ethidium bromide dye. Regarding bacterial virulence, the role of these three efflux pumps on growth, strain fitness, motility, biofilm formation ability, survival in adverse conditions (oxidative stress and bile salts) and human serum and in vitro adhesion and invasion to Caco-2 cells was evaluated. We observed that the mutants from the three efflux pumps were more susceptible to several classes of antimicrobials than the parental strain and presented an increase in the accumulation of ethidium bromide, indicating a potential role of the efflux pumps in the extrusion of antimicrobials. The mutant strains had no bacterial growth defects; nonetheless, they presented a reduction in relative fitness. For the three mutants, an increase in the susceptibility to oxidative stress was observed, while only the mutant for AreGHI efflux pump showed a relevant role in bile stress survival. All the mutant strains showed an impairment in biofilm formation ability, were more susceptible to human serum and were less adherent to intestinal epithelial cells. Overall, the results support the contribution of the efflux pumps AreABC, AreDEF and AreGHI of A. butzleri to antimicrobial resistance, as well as to bacterial virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Mateus
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (C.M.); (A.R.N.); (F.D.)
| | - Ana Rita Nunes
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (C.M.); (A.R.N.); (F.D.)
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Fernanda Domingues
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (C.M.); (A.R.N.); (F.D.)
| | - Susana Ferreira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (C.M.); (A.R.N.); (F.D.)
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Buzzanca D, Botta C, Ferrocino I, Alessandria V, Houf K, Rantsiou K. Functional pangenome analysis reveals high virulence plasticity of Aliarcobacter butzleri and affinity to human mucus. Genomics 2021; 113:2065-2076. [PMID: 33961980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emerging pathogen that may cause enteritis in humans, however, the incidence of disease caused by this member of the Campylobacteriaceae family is still underestimated. Furthermore, little is known about the precise virulence mechanism and behavior during infection. Therefore, in the present study, through complementary use of comparative genomics and physiological tests on human gut models, we sought to elucidate the genetic background of a set of 32 A. butzleri strains of diverse origin and to explore the correlation with the ability to colonize and invade human intestinal cells in vitro. The simulated infection of human intestinal models showed a higher colonization rate in presence of mucus-producing cells. For some strains, human mucus significantly improved the resistance to physical removal from the in vitro mucosa, while short time-frame growth was even observed. Pangenome analysis highlighted a hypervariable accessory genome, not strictly correlated to the isolation source. Likewise, the strain phylogeny was unrelated to their shared origin, despite a certain degree of segregation was observed among strains isolated from different segments of the intestinal tract of pigs. The putative virulence genes detected in all strains were mostly encompassed in the accessory fraction of the pangenome. The LPS biosynthesis and in particular the chain glycosylation of the O-antigen is harbored in a region of high plasticity of the pangenome, which would indicate frequent horizontal gene transfer phenomena, as well as the involvement of this hypervariable structure in the adaptive behavior and sympatric evolution of A. butzleri. Results of the present study deepen the current knowledge on A. butzleri pangenome by extending the pool of genes regarded as virulence markers and provide bases to develop new diagnostic approaches for the detection of those strains with a higher virulence potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Buzzanca
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Italy; Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Cristian Botta
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Italy
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Italy
| | - Valentina Alessandria
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Italy
| | - Kurt Houf
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Kalliopi Rantsiou
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Italy.
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Hänel I, Müller E, Santamarina BG, Tomaso H, Hotzel H, Busch A. Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Genomic Analysis of Aliarcobacter cibarius and Aliarcobacter thereius, Two Rarely Detected Aliarcobacter Species. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:532989. [PMID: 33816322 PMCID: PMC8010192 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.532989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter cibarius and Aliarcobacter thereius are two rarely detected Aliarcobacter species. In the study, we analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibility and provide detailed insights into the genotype and phylogeny of both species using whole-genome sequencing. Thermophilic Campylobacter species are the most common bacterial foodborne pathogens causing gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. The genus Aliarcobacter is part of the Campylobacteraceae family and includes the species Aliarcobacter butzleri, Aliarcobacter cryaerophilus, Aliarcobacter skirrowii, and the rarely described Aliarcobacter cibarius, Aliarcobacter faecis, Aliarcobacter lanthieri, Aliarcobacter thereius, and Acrobarter trophiarum. Aliarcobacter are emergent enteropathogens and potential zoonotic agents. Here, we generated, analyzed, and characterized whole-genome sequences of Aliarcobacter cibarius and Aliarcobacter thereius. They were isolated from water poultry farms in Germany, cultured and identified by MALDI-TOF MS. With PCR the identity was verified. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out with erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, tetracycline, gentamicin, streptomycin, ampicillin, and cefotaxime using the gradient strip method (E-test). Whole-genome sequences were generated including those of reference strains. Complete genomes for six selected strains are reported. These provide detailed insights into the genotype. With these, we predicted in silico known AMR genes, virulence-associated genes, and plasmid replicons. Phenotypic analysis of resistance showed differences between the presence of resistance genes and the prediction of phenotypic resistance profiles. In Aliarcobacter butzleri, the nucleotide sequence of the gyrA gene (DQ464331) can show a signature mutation resulting in an amino acid change T85>I. Acrobarter cibarius and Acrobarter thereius showed the same gene as assessed by similarity annotation of the mutations 254C>G. Most of the isolates were found to be sensitive to ciprofloxacin. The ciprofloxacin-resistant Aliarcobacter thereius isolate was associated with the amino acid change T85>I. But this was not predicted with antibiotic resistance databases, before. Ultimately, a phylogenetic analysis was done to facilitate in future outbreak analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Hänel
- IBIZ, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Eva Müller
- IBIZ, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | | | - Helmut Hotzel
- IBIZ, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Anne Busch
- IBIZ, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany.,Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
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30
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Sciortino S, Arculeo P, Alio V, Cardamone C, Nicastro L, Arculeo M, Alduina R, Costa A. Occurrence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Arcobacter spp. Recovered from Aquatic Environments. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10030288. [PMID: 33802125 PMCID: PMC7998538 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Arcobacter spp. are emerging waterborne and foodborne zoonotic pathogens responsible for gastroenteritis in humans. In this work, we evaluated the occurrence and the antimicrobial resistance profile of Arcobacter isolates recovered from different aquatic sources. Besides, we searched for Arcobacter spp. in seaweeds and the corresponding seawater samples. Bacteriological and molecular methods applied to 100 samples led to the isolation of 28 Arcobacter isolates from 27 samples. The highest prevalence was detected in rivers followed by artificial ponds, streams, well waters, and spring waters. Seaweeds contained a higher percentage of Arcobacter than the corresponding seawater samples. The isolates were identified as Arcobacter butzleri (96.4%) and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (3.6%). All the isolates showed a multi-drug resistance profile, being resistant to at least three different classes of antibiotics. Molecular analysis of genetic determinants responsible for tetracycline resistance in nine randomly chosen isolates revealed the presence of tetO and/or tetW. This work confirms the occurrence and the continuous emergence of antibiotic-resistant Arcobacter strains in environmental samples; also, the presence of quinolone-resistant Arcobacter spp. in aquatic sources used for water supply and irrigation represents a potential risk for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Sciortino
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (R.A.)
| | - Pietro Arculeo
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
| | - Vincenzina Alio
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
| | - Cinzia Cardamone
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
| | - Luisa Nicastro
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
| | - Marco Arculeo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Bd. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Rosa Alduina
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Bd. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (R.A.)
| | - Antonella Costa
- Food Microbiology Section, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (P.A.); (V.A.); (C.C.); (L.N.); (A.C.)
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31
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Jasim SA, Al-Abodi HR, Ali WS. Resistance rate and novel virulence factor determinants of Arcobacter spp., from cattle fresh meat products from Iraq. Microb Pathog 2021; 152:104649. [PMID: 33249163 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Arcobacter spp colonize in human and animals intestine and cause food-associated infections. Hence, characterization of their virulence potential and health impacts is required. Our subject was isolation and characterization of Arcobacter spp, from meat marketplaces. A total of 1297 fresh raw cattle meat samples were purchased randomly from various marketplaces in Baghdad, Iraq. One-hundred and twenty isolates were identified, including Arcobacter butzleri (A. butzleri n = 100) and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (A. cryaerophilus n = 20). Susceptibility to antimicrobials was examined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Molecular investigation of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors was also conducted using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Most of A. butzleri were resistant to tetracycline (72%), amoxicillin (69%), erythromycin (67%) and cefoxitin (66%), while 33% and 6% of them were resistant to ceftazidime and carbapenems, respectively. All were susceptible to gentamicin, colistin and fosfomycin. Fifty-five and nine isolates of A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus were respectively multidrug-resistant (MDR). The existence of tetA, tetB, dfrA, sul1, blaCTX-M1 and blaIMP included 61%, 58%, 57%, 34%, 46% and 3%, respectively. The virulence genes cadF, irgA, tylA, cdtC and cdtA genes were detected in all the A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus isolates. While, ciaB mviN and pldA genes were respectively detected in 91%, 88% and 84% of A. butzleri and 97%, 93% and 87% of A. cryaerophilus isolates. There was a significant relation between MDR and existence of virulence genes. Existence of pathogenic and drug-resistant- Arcobacter spp in raw meat is a threat for human health, necessitating confirmation of quality and safety of meat products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wala'a Shawkat Ali
- Department of B, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
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32
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Mamede R, Vila-Cerqueira P, Silva M, Carriço JA, Ramirez M. Chewie Nomenclature Server (chewie-NS): a deployable nomenclature server for easy sharing of core and whole genome MLST schemas. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D660-D666. [PMID: 33068420 PMCID: PMC7778912 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chewie Nomenclature Server (chewie-NS, https://chewbbaca.online/) allows users to share genome-based gene-by-gene typing schemas and to maintain a common nomenclature, simplifying the comparison of results. The combination between local analyses and a public repository of allelic data strikes a balance between potential confidentiality issues and the need to compare results. The possibility of deploying private instances of chewie-NS facilitates the creation of nomenclature servers with a restricted user base to allow compliance with the strictest data policies. Chewie-NS allows users to easily share their own schemas and to explore publicly available schemas, including informative statistics on schemas and loci presented in interactive charts and tables. Users can retrieve all the information necessary to run a schema locally or all the alleles identified at a particular locus. The integration with the chewBBACA suite enables users to directly upload new schemas to chewie-NS, download existing schemas and synchronize local and remote schemas from chewBBACA command line version, allowing an easier integration into high-throughput analysis pipelines. The same REST API linking chewie-NS and the chewBBACA suite supports the interaction of other interfaces or pipelines with the databases available at chewie-NS, facilitating the reusability of the stored data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Mamede
- Instituto de Microbiologia and Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro Vila-Cerqueira
- Instituto de Microbiologia and Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mickael Silva
- Instituto de Microbiologia and Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João A Carriço
- Instituto de Microbiologia and Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mário Ramirez
- Instituto de Microbiologia and Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
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Müller E, Hotzel H, Linde J, Hänel I, Tomaso H. Antimicrobial Resistance and in silico Virulence Profiling of Aliarcobacter butzleri Strains From German Water Poultry. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:617685. [PMID: 33381106 PMCID: PMC7767855 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.617685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen that is usually transmitted via contaminated food or water. A. butzleri is not only the most prevalent Aliarcobacter species, it is also closely related to thermophilic Campylobacter, which have shown increasing resistance in recent years. Therefore, it is important to assess its resistance and virulence profiles. In this study, 45 Aliarcobacter butzleri strains from water poultry farms in Thuringia, Germany, were subjected to an antimicrobial susceptibility test using the gradient strip diffusion method and whole-genome sequencing. In the phylogenetic analysis, the genomes of the German strains showed high genetic diversity. Thirty-three isolates formed 11 subgroups containing two to six strains. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 32 strains were resistant to erythromycin, 26 to doxycycline, and 20 to tetracycline, respectively. Only two strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin, while 39 strains were resistant to streptomycin. The in silico prediction of the antimicrobial resistance profiles identified a large repertoire of potential resistance mechanisms. A strong correlation between a gyrA point mutation (Thr-85-Ile) and ciprofloxacin resistance was found in 11 strains. A partial correlation was observed between the presence of the bla3 gene and ampicillin resistance. In silico virulence profiling revealed a broad spectrum of putative virulence factors, including a complete lipid A cluster in all studied genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Müller
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Helmut Hotzel
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Jörg Linde
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Ingrid Hänel
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Herbert Tomaso
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
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34
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Vidal-Veuthey B, Jara R, Santander K, Mella A, Ruiz S, Collado L. Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes profiles of Arcobacter butzleri strains isolated from back yard chickens and retail poultry meat in Chile. Lett Appl Microbiol 2020; 72:126-132. [PMID: 33025583 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This research aims to investigate the presence and pathogenic potential of Arcobacter in poultry meat samples purchased in the retail market of Valdivia (South of Chile) as well as in faecal samples from backyard chickens from rural areas around this city. The isolates obtained were identified by molecular methods. Furthermore, putative virulence genes were assessed by PCR and the antimicrobial resistance was tested by phenotypic methods. Arcobacter was present in 41·6% of the samples, with the highest value in retail poultry meat (55·7%) followed by backyard production (28·0%). Arcobacter butzleri was the most prevalent species (75·6%) followed by Arcobacter skirrowii (14·8%) and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (9·6%). An 8·5% of A. butzleri strains from meat were resistant to both ciprofloxacin and tetracycline and 6·1% were resistant to erythromycin, while none was resistant to gentamycin, unlike strains from domestic chickens, which showed no resistance. Furthermore, A. butzleri strains from chicken meat presented a higher prevalence of virulence genes than strains from domestic chickens. In fact, in this last group, some genes (hecA, hecB and irgA) were completely absent. Therefore, this study provides insight on the epidemiology of Arcobacter in Chilean poultry and suggests that under traditional breeding conditions strains are, apparently, less pathogenic and drug resistant.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Vidal-Veuthey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - R Jara
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - K Santander
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - A Mella
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - S Ruiz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - L Collado
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
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35
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Müller E, Abdel-Glil MY, Hotzel H, Hänel I, Tomaso H. Aliarcobacter butzleri from Water Poultry: Insights into Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence and Heavy Metal Resistance. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11091104. [PMID: 32967159 PMCID: PMC7564025 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter butzleri is the most prevalent Aliarcobacter species and has been isolated from a wide variety of sources. This species is an emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen because the bacteria can be transmitted by contaminated food or water and can cause acute enteritis in humans. Currently, there is no database to identify antimicrobial/heavy metal resistance and virulence-associated genes specific for A. butzleri. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance profile of two A. butzleri isolates from Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata) reared on a water poultry farm in Thuringia, Germany, and to create a database to fill this capability gap. The taxonomic classification revealed that the isolates belong to the Aliarcobacter gen. nov. as A. butzleri comb. nov. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the gradient strip method. While one of the isolates was resistant to five antibiotics, the other isolate was resistant to only two antibiotics. The presence of antimicrobial/heavy metal resistance genes and virulence determinants was determined using two custom-made databases. The custom-made databases identified a large repertoire of potential resistance and virulence-associated genes. This study provides the first resistance and virulence determinants database for A. butzleri.
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36
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Müller E, Hotzel H, Ahlers C, Hänel I, Tomaso H, Abdel-Glil MY. Genomic Analysis and Antimicrobial Resistance of Aliarcobacter cryaerophilus Strains From German Water Poultry. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1549. [PMID: 32754133 PMCID: PMC7365950 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliarcobacter cryaerophilus (formerly Arcobacter cryaerophilus) is a globally emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen. However, little is known about the species’ genomic features and diversity, antibiotic resistance and virulence. In this study, 27 A. cryaerophilus strains from water poultry in Thuringia, Germany, were investigated using whole-genome sequencing. Four of these strains were sequenced using long- and short-read sequencing methods to obtain circularized genomes. The German strains belong to the A. cryaerophilus cluster I. Cluster I genomes exhibited a high degree of genetic diversity in which variable sites comprised 9.1% of the core genome. The German strains formed three subgroups that contained 2, 6, and 9 strains, respectively. The genomic analysis of cluster I revealed variable presence of mobile elements and that 65% of the strains lack CRISPR systems. The four circularized genomes carried a ∼2 Mbp chromosome and a single megaplasmid (size 98.1–154.5 Kbp). The chromosome was densely packed with coding sequences (∼92%) and showed inversions and shifts in the gene blocks between different strains. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed using a gradient strip diffusion method and showed that all 27 strains were resistant to cefotaxime and susceptible to erythromycin, gentamicin, and ampicillin. Sixteen strains were also resistant to ciprofloxacin, whereas 23 were resistant to streptomycin. The genetic prediction of antibiotic resistance identified numerous efflux pumps similar to those found in A. butzleri. All strains harbored two beta-lactamase genes which may explain the cefotaxime resistance. A correlation between the gyrA point mutation (Thr-85-Ile) and ciprofloxacin resistance was partially discovered in 15 out of 16 strains. In silico virulence profiling showed a wide range of virulence factors including a full chemotaxis system and most of the flagellar genes. In contrast to A. butzleri, no urease cluster was found. This study provides new insights into the genomic variability of A. cryaerophilus strains of cluster I. The different genetic makeup of these strains may contribute to the virulence of strains and the severity of the infections in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Müller
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Helmut Hotzel
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Christine Ahlers
- Thuringian Animal Disease Fund, Poultry Health Service, Jena, Germany
| | - Ingrid Hänel
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Herbert Tomaso
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Mostafa Y Abdel-Glil
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
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37
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Chieffi D, Fanelli F, Fusco V. Arcobacter butzleri: Up-to-date taxonomy, ecology, and pathogenicity of an emerging pathogen. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2020; 19:2071-2109. [PMID: 33337088 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Arcobacter butzleri, recently emended to the Aliarcobacter butzleri comb. nov., is an emerging pathogen causing enteritis, severe diarrhea, septicaemia, and bacteraemia in humans and enteritis, stillbirth, and abortion in animals. Since its recognition as emerging pathogen on 2002, advancements have been made in elucidating its pathogenicity and epidemiology, also thanks to advent of genomics, which, moreover, contributed in emending its taxonomy. In this review, we provide an overview of the up-to-date taxonomy, ecology, and pathogenicity of this emerging pathogen. Moreover, the implication of A. butzleri in the safety of foods is pinpointed, and culture-dependent and independent detection, identification, and typing methods as well as strategies to control and prevent the survival and growth of this pathogen are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Chieffi
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISPA), Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Fanelli
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISPA), Bari, Italy
| | - Vincenzina Fusco
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISPA), Bari, Italy
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