Intestinal colonization by vanA- or vanB2-containing enterococcal isolates of healthy animals in Spain.
Fecal samples of healthy animals (66 pigs, 22 pets) recovered during 1998 in La Rioja, Spain, were analyzed for vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization. Vancomycin resistance mechanisms were analyzed by PCR and sequencing. vanA-containing enterococci were detected in 3 of 66 samples (4.5%) and 5 of 22 samples (22.7%) of the pig and pet samples, respectively. Seven unrelated pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were detected among the 8 vanA isolates (7 Enterococcus faecium, 1 E. faecalis). The tet(M) gene was present in all eight vanA enterococcal isolates, while the erm(B) and aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia genes were detected in 6 and 3 isolates, respectively. Colonization by vanC-1-containing enterococci (E. gallinarum) was demonstrated in 3% and 4.5% of the pig and pet samples. The aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia, ant(6)-Ia, aph(3')-IIIa, erm(B) and tet(M) genes were identified in one of the E. gallinarum isolates from a pig fecal sample. One vanB2-containing E. hirae strain was detected in the fecal sample of a healthy pig. In this isolate, the vanB2 gene cluster was integrated into the Tn5382-like element, as demonstrated by specific PCRs and sequencing. The tet(M) and erm(B) genes were also detected in this isolate. This is the first report in which a vanB2-containing enterococci is detected in animals and in E. hirae.
Torres
Carmen
C
Area Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain. carmen.torres@daa.unirioja.es
Tenorio
Carmen
C
Portillo
Aránzazu
A
García
Maite
M
Martínez
Carolina
C
Del Campo
Rosa
R
Ruiz-Larrea
Fernanda
F
Zarazaga
Myriam
M
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013030:Spain; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; C079913:VanB protein, Enterococcus; D014640:Vancomycin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases