Antimicrobial resistance profiles of enterococci isolated from poultry meat and pasteurized milk in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The enterococci are important nosocomial pathogens with a remarkable capacity of expressing resistance to several antimicrobial agents. Their ubiquitous nature and resistance to adverse environmental conditions take account for their ability to colonize different habitats and for their potential for easy spreading through the food chain. In the present study we evaluated the distribution of species and antimicrobial susceptibility among enterococcal isolates recovered from food obtained in retail stores in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The following species were identified among 167 isolates obtained from poultry meat and 127 from pasteurized milk: Enterococcus faecalis (62.6%), E. casseliflavus (17.3%), E. durans (6.5%), E. gallinarum (3.0%), E. gilvus (2.4%), E. faecium (2.0%), E. hirae (1.4%), and E. sulfureus (1.0%). The overall percentages of antimicrobial resistant isolates were: 31.2 % to tetracycline, 23.8% to erythromycin, 11.3% to streptomycin, 4.3% to chloramphenicol, 3.9% to gentamicin, 1.4% to norfloxacin, 1.1% to imipenem, 0.7% to ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, and penicillin, and 0.4% to ampicillin. Intermediate resistance was detected in frequencies varying from 0.5% for linezolid to 58.2% for erythromycin. None of the isolates showed resistance to glycopeptides. High-level resistance to aminoglycosides was observed in 13.1% of the isolates. Multiresistance was observed in E. faecalis, E. casseliflavus, E. faecium, E. gallinarum, E. durans and E. gilvus.
Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil. suely.fracalanzza@incqs.fiocruz.br
Suely Aparecida Pimenta
SA
Fracalanzza
Erica Miranda Damásio
EM
Scheidegger
Patricia Faria dos
PF
Santos
Paola Cardarelli
PC
Leite
Lúcia Martins
LM
Teixeira
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005516:Food Microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents