title: Genetic characterisation of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in vanA-containing enterococci from cattle, sheep and pigs subsequent to the discontinuation of the use of avoparcin.
abstract: The prevalence of vancomycin resistant-enterococci (VRE) in faecal samples from cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for human consumption was evaluated. Enterococci containing the vanA gene were detected in 25.3% and 2.7% of the porcine and ovine samples, respectively, and were identified as Enterococcus faecium. No vanA-containing enterococcal strains were detected in bovine samples. Enterococcal strains with intrinsic vancomycin resistance were detected in seven (9.9%) faecal samples from pigs and in two samples from both cattle and sheep (3.7% and 2.7%, respectively). All vanA-positive isolates from pigs were resistant to tetracycline and erythromycin, and the mobile element Tn916/Tn1545-like transposon was detected in 90.5% of the tetracycline-resistant isolates that contained the tet(M) gene. Although gelatinase and haemolytic activity were not detected, the hyl and cylB virulence genes were found within the VRE strains isolated.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology/Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Igrejas
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: José-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Capelo-Martinez
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poeta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011174:Portugal; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006020:Glycopeptides; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; D037521:Virulence Factors; D014640:Vancomycin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases; C016249:avoparcin