title: High prevalence of the epidemic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078 in Iberian free-range pigs.
abstract: Previous studies in intensively raised piglets have detected a high prevalence of the epidemic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078. In this article we present a longitudinal survey of C. difficile colonisation in a population of Iberian pigs reared under a free-range system. A total of 160 faecal samples from 20 piglets belonging to different litters were obtained by weekly sampling. C. difficile was recovered from samples collected at different times throughout the survey from a 90% of piglets, resulting in an overall prevalence of 25.6% in the studied samples. Most positive samples (75.6%) came from ≤ 15-day animals, but some piglets shed C. difficile even on day +50. All isolates were ribotype 078, harboured toxin-encoding genes and showed in vitro resistance to several fluoroquinolones. A majority of isolates (80.5%) were also high-level resistant to ertapenem, and four metronidazole heteroresistant isolates (9.8%) were detected. In conclusion, Iberian free-range pigs can be a potential reservoir of epidemic antimicrobial-resistant strains of C. difficile, showing a prevalence rate similar to that found for intensively raised animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Pérez
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peláez
authors.forename: Rafael J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Astorga
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harmanus
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuijper
authors.forename: Marta E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D058872:Epidemics / Q000662:veterinary*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D021521:Ribotyping; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Clostridium difficile; Iberian free-range pigs; PCR ribotype 078; Toxins