Characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from swine in three Michigan counties.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are a major cause of nosocomial infections but are rarely found in humans in the community and have not been identified in food animals in the United States. We evaluated a total of 360 fecal specimens from humans and their animals being raised for exhibit at three county fairs in Michigan. Fecal samples from 158 humans, 55 swine, 50 cattle, 25 horses, 57 sheep, 14 goats, and 1 llama were obtained and plated onto Enterococcosel agar containing 16 μg/ml of vancomycin. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) was isolated from six pigs but not from humans or any animal other than pigs. All six VREF isolates had a MIC to vancomycin of ≥256 μg/ml and contained the vanA gene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of the six VREF isolates were ≥80% similar. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed sequence type 5 (ST5) (n = 2), ST6 (n = 3), and ST185 (n = 1), which are E. faecium sequence types belonging to clonal complex 5 (CC5). These findings show the dissemination of VREF strains among pigs in three Michigan counties. This is the first report of VRE found in food animals in the United States.
Donabedian
Susan M
SM
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
Perri
Mary Beth
MB
Abdujamilova
Nodira
N
Gordoncillo
Mary Joy
MJ
Naqvi
Amir
A
Reyes
Katherine C
KC
Zervos
Marcus J
MJ
Bartlett
Paul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000382:microbiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin