Identification and characterization of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Albert isolates in the United States.
Salmonella enterica is one of the most common causes of bacterial foodborne illness in the United States. Although most Salmonella infections are self-limiting, antimicrobial treatment of invasive salmonellosis is critical. The primary antimicrobial treatment options include fluoroquinolones or extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and resistance to these antimicrobial drugs may complicate treatment. At present, S. enterica is composed of more than 2,600 unique serotypes, which vary greatly in geographic prevalence, ecological niche, and the ability to cause human disease, and it is important to understand and mitigate the source of human infection, particularly when antimicrobial resistance is found. In this study, we identified and characterized 19 S. enterica serotype Albert isolates collected from food animals, retail meat, and humans in the United States during 2005 to 2013. All five isolates from nonhuman sources were obtained from turkeys or ground turkey, and epidemiologic data suggest poultry consumption or live-poultry exposure as the probable source of infection. S. enterica serotype Albert also appears to be geographically localized to the midwestern United States. All 19 isolates displayed multidrug resistance, including decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Turkeys are a likely source of multidrug-resistant S. enterica serotype Albert, and circulation of resistance plasmids, as opposed to the expansion of a single resistant strain, is playing a role. More work is needed to understand why these resistance plasmids spread and how their presence and the serotype they reside in contribute to human disease.
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA gux8@cdc.gov.
Jason P
JP
Folster
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.
Davina
D
Campbell
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Julian
J
Grass
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Allison C
AC
Brown
International Health Resources Consulting, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Amelia
A
Bicknese
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Beth
B
Tolar
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Lavin A
LA
Joseph
Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Jodie R
JR
Plumblee
Department of Public Health Services, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Carrie
C
Walker
Department of Population Health and Pathobiology College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Paula J
PJ
Fedorka-Cray
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Jean M
JM
Whichard
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010802:Phylogeny; D019779:Salmonella enterica / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D065288:Serogroup
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents