title: Characterization of fecal vancomycin-resistant enterococci with acquired and intrinsic resistance mechanisms in wild animals, Spain.
abstract: The objectives were to evaluate the presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci with acquired (VRE-a) and intrinsic (VRE-i) resistance mechanisms in fecal samples from different wild animals, and analyze their phenotypes and genotypes of antimicrobial resistance. A total of 348 cloacal/rectal samples from red-legged partridges (127), white storks (81), red kites (59), and wild boars (81) (June 2014/February 2015) were inoculated in Slanetz-Bartley agar supplemented with vancomycin (4 μg/mL). We investigated the susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials and the presence of 19 antimicrobial resistance and five virulence genes. In addition, we performed multilocus sequence typing, detection of IS16 and studied Tn1546 structure. One VRE-a isolate was identified in one wild boar. This isolate was identified as Enterococcus faecium, harbored vanA gene included into Tn1546 (truncated with IS1542/IS1216), and belonged to the new ST993. This isolate contained the erm(A), erm(B), tet(M), dfrG, and dfrK genes. Neither element IS16 nor the studied virulence genes were detected. Ninety-six VRE-i isolates were identified (89 Enterococcus gallinarum and seven Enterococcus casseliflavus), with the following prevalence: red kites (71.2 %), white storks (46.9 %), red-legged partridges (7.9 %), and wild boars (4.9 %). Most E. gallinarum isolates showed resistance to tetracycline (66.3 %) and/or erythromycin (46.1 %). High-level resistance to aminoglycosides was present among our VRE-i isolates: kanamycin (22.9 %), streptomycin (11.5 %), and gentamicin (9.4 %). In general, VRE-i isolates of red kites showed higher rates of resistance for non-glycopeptide agents than those of other animal species. The dissemination of acquired resistance mechanisms in natural environments could have implications in the global spread of resistance with public health implications.
authors.affiliation: Área Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Rioja, Madre de Dios 51, 26006, Logroño, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.affiliation: Grupo SaBio (Sanidad y Biotecnología) Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Barrio
authors.affiliation: Grupo SaBio (Sanidad y Biotecnología) Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Cruz
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.affiliation: Grupo SaBio (Sanidad y Biotecnología) Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lima-Barbero
authors.affiliation: Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola, Unidad de Zoología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Puente
authors.affiliation: Grupo SaBio (Sanidad y Biotecnología) Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Höfle
authors.affiliation: Área Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Rioja, Madre de Dios 51, 26006, Logroño, Spain. carmen.torres@unirioja.es.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3709-1690
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000668:Ampicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D046093:Falconiformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D046094:Galliformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D013030:Spain; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065507:Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; D014640:Vancomycin; D000667:Ampicillin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases; D013752:Tetracycline
keywords: Birds; E. faecium; ST993; Wild boar; vanA; vanC