ESBL-Producing Moellerella wisconsensis—The Contribution of Wild Birds in the Dissemination of a Zoonotic Pathogen

Moelerella wisconsensis: first isolation from lungs and spleen of a horse infected with Streptococcus dysgalactia subsp. equisimilis

Moellerella wisconsensis is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacillus of Entero-bacteriaceae family, and it is an uncommon pathogen in domestic animals. To date, five cases were reported including two dogs, two cattle, and a goat. Streptococcus equisimilis is the second common bacterial agent after the S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus in equine pneumonia cases. The present report describes the isolation of M. wisconses from lungs and spleen of a 10-year-old Arabian horse (May 08, 2022) at post-mortem examination being co-infected with S. equisimilis. Clinical and pathological findings included bilateral nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, sternal recumbency, severe diffuse necrosuppurative rhinitis, multi-focal fibrinopurulent pneumonia and purulent lymphadenitis. Polymerase chain reaction assays showed no viral nucleic acids of equid alphaherpesvirus (EHV) 1, EHV-4, equine arteritis virus and equine papilloma virus. The antibiogram test revealed that the isolate was sensitive to several antibiotics except colistin. Taken together, the present report documents the first isolation of M. wisconsensis from lungs and spleen of a horse; hence, experimental studies are needed to clarify the pathogenity and pathogenesis of M. wisconsensis.

Microbiological Quality and Safety of Fresh Turkey Meat at Retail Level, Including the Presence of ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

The aim of this work was to study the microbiological safety and quality of marketed fresh turkey meat, with special emphasis on methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ESBL-producing E. coli, and K. pneumoniae. A total of 51 fresh turkey meat samples were collected at retail level in Spain. Mesophile, Pseudomonas spp., enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and staphylococci counts were 5.10 ± 1.36, 3.17 ± 0.87, 2.03 ± 0.58, 3.18 ± 1.00, and 2.52 ± 0.96 log CFU/g, respectively. Neither Campylobacter spp. nor Clostridium perfringens was detected in any sample. ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and E. coli were detected in 22 (43.14%), and three (5.88%) samples, respectively, all of which were multi-resistant. Resistance to antimicrobials of category A (monobactams, and glycilcyclines) and category B (cephalosporins of third or fourth generation, polymixins, and quinolones), according to the European Medicine Agency classification, was found among the Enterobacteriaceae isolates. S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus were detected in nine (17.65%) and four samples (7.84%), respectively. Resistance to antimicrobials of category A (mupirocin, linezolid, rifampicin, and vancomycin) and category B (cephalosporins of third- or fourth generation) was found among S. aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and M. caseolyticus isolates.

Finding of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales in wild game meat originating from several European countries: predominance of Moellerella wisconsensis producing CTX-M-1, November 2021

IntroductionMeat can be a vehicle for food-borne transmission of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes. The occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacterales has been observed in meat from livestock production but has not been well studied in meat from wild game.AimWe aimed to investigate, particularly in central Europe, to what extent ESBL-producing Enterobacterales may be present in wild game meat.MethodsA total of 111 samples of different types of game meat supplied by butchers, hunters, retail stores and a large game-processing establishment in Europe were screened for ESBL-producing Enterobacterales using a selective culture medium. Isolates were genotypically and phenotypically characterised.ResultsThirty-nine samples (35% of the total) yielded ESBL-producing Enterobacterales, with most (35/39) supplied by the game-processing establishment. Isolates included 32 Moellerella wisconsensis, 18 Escherichia coli and one Escherichia marmotae. PCR screening identified bla CTX-M-1 (n = 31), bla CTX-M-32 (n = 8), bla CTX-M-65 (n = 4), bla CTX-M-15 (n = 3), bla CTX-M-8 (n = 1), bla CTX-M-14 (n = 1), bla CTX-M-55 (n = 1), and bla SHV-12 (n = 2). Most E. coli belonged to phylogenetic group A (n = 7) or B1 (n = 9), but several isolates belonged to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) sequence types (ST)58 (n = 4), ST68 (n = 1) and ST540 (n = 1). Whole genome sequencing of six selected isolates localised bla CTX-M-1 on megaplasmids in four M. wisconsensis and bla CTX-M-32 on IncN_1 plasmids in one M. wisconsensis and one E. marmotae. Forty-eight isolates (94%) exhibited a multidrug-resistance phenotype.ConclusionWe found a high occurrence of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in wild game meat, suggesting wildlife habitat pollution and possible microbial contamination events occurring during skinning or cutting carcasses.