title: Distribution and characterization of integrons in Escherichia coli strains of animal and human origin.
abstract: One hundred and twenty clinical and commensal Escherichia coli strains isolated in Switzerland from humans and from companion and farm animals were analysed for the prevalence of integrons of classes 1, 2, and 3 and for the characterization of their gene cassettes. The relationships between integron carriage and host category, and between integron carriage and phylogenetic E. coli lineage were also analysed. Integrons were detected in 48 (40%) of the isolates and were thus widely disseminated in the human and animal E. coli strains considered. Moreover, the association between integron carriage and certain animal categories (farm animals) suggests that animals that are raised for economic purposes might be exposed to a major antibiotic pressure. Finally, our data confirm that E. coli commensal strains represent a significant source of antibiotic-resistant determinants.
authors: Istituto Cantonale di Microbiologia, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Cocchi
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Grasselli
authors: Michaela
authors: M
authors: Gutacker
authors: Cinzia
authors: C
authors: Benagli
authors: Maruska
authors: M
authors: Convert
authors: Jean-Claude
authors: JC
authors: Piffaretti
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011200:Poultry; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine