Transferable tetracycline resistance in Listeria monocytogenes from food in Italy.
Mechanisms of tetracycline resistance were investigated in two recent Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food, with L. innocua 52P tet(r) as a control. Tetracycline resistance was transferred conjugatively from all three strains to L. ivanovii and from one isolate and the control to Enterococcus faecalis. Molecular analysis demonstrated a chromosomal location for the tet determinant, which was identified as tetM in all cases. These studies are the first to show that L. monocytogenes from food could be a source of tetracycline resistance genes able to spread to other micro-organisms.
Pourshaban
Manoocheher
M
Ferrini
Anna Maria
AM
Mannoni
Veruscka
V
Oliva
Brunello
B
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Food Department, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome and *Department of Experimental Medicine, Microbiology Section, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Aureli
Paolo
P
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D007558:Italy; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics*
D012097:Repressor Proteins; C034811:tetracycline resistance-encoding transposon repressor protein; D013752:Tetracycline