Antimicrobial resistance and population structure of Staphylococcus epidermidis recovered from animals and humans.
While Staphylococcus epidermidis, as part of the commensal flora, is a well-known human opportunistic pathogen, only little is known about the genetic relatedness of S. epidermidis carriage isolates from animal and human origin. This study aimed to compare S. epidermidis recovered from livestock, livestock-farmers and humans associated with the hospital environment. A total of 193 S. epidermidis isolates from three populations [animals (n=33), farmers (n=86) and hospital-associated (n=74)] were characterized by broth microdilution antimicrobial susceptibility testing, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The overall S. epidermidis nasal colonization rate was low in animals (1-9%) but high among farmers (75%). High levels of multi-resistance were found in all populations. Tetracycline resistance was high in animal and farmer isolates; resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin and trimethoprim was high in animal and hospital-associated isolates. Methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis - MRSE isolates were found in all collections, with 22 (67%) MRSE in animals, 44 (51%) MRSE in farmers and 42 (57%) MRSE associated with the hospital-setting. Known SCCmec types and variants were detected in 79% of MRSE; the rest were non-typeable cassettes. In total 79 PFGE-types were found, of which 22 were shared between livestock, farmers and the hospital settings. Clonal complex 2 was predominant in all three populations and most STs corresponded to types previously observed in community and nosocomial S. epidermidis populations. S. epidermidis isolates from livestock, farmers and hospital-setting showed a high level of diversity, but some clones can be found in humans as well as in animals.
Department of Bacterial Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Brussels, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium. Electronic address: maria.argudin@erasme.ulb.ac.be.
M Angeles
MA
Argudín
Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Wannes
W
Vanderhaeghen
Laboratoire de Référence MRSA-Staphylocoques, Department of Microbiology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
Stien
S
Vandendriessche
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Ilse
I
Vandecandelaere
Department of Bacterial Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Brussels, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium.
François-Xavier
FX
André
Laboratoire de Référence MRSA-Staphylocoques, Department of Microbiology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
Olivier
O
Denis
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Tom
T
Coenye
Department of Bacterial Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Brussels, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Patrick
P
Butaye
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000662:veterinary; D000067565:Farmers; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing / Q000662:veterinary; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
MLST; Methicillin resistance; PFGE