Antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor gene profiles of Enterococcus spp. isolates from wild Arctocephalus australis (South American fur seal) and Arctocephalus tropicalis (Subantarctic fur seal).
Enterococci are natural inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tracts in humans and animals. Epidemiological data suggest that enterococci are important reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant genes that may be transmitted from other bacterial species The aim of this study was to investigate the species composition, antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in enterococci recovered from fecal samples of wild Arctocephalus australis and A. tropicalis found dead along the South Coast of Brazil. From a total of 43 wild fur seals, eleven were selected for this study. Phenotypic and genotypic characterizations were used to classify Enterococcus species. Strains were tested for susceptibility to 10 antibiotics, presence of ace, gelE, asa, cylA, tet(L), tet(M) and erm(B) genes by PCR, and genetic variability using RAPD-PCR. Among the 50 enterococci isolated, 40% were Enterococcus faecalis, 40% E. hirae, 12% E. casseliflavus and 8 % other enterococcal species. Resistance profiles were observed to erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. The prevalence of virulence genes was ace (68%), gelE (54%), asa (22%) and cylA (4%). In erythromycin- and tetracycline strains, erm(B) and tet(M) were detected, respectively. The RAPD-PCR demonstrated a close phylogenetic relationship between the enterococci isolated from A. australis and A. tropicalis. In conclusion, different enterococcus species showing antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinates were isolated from fecal samples of fur seals. Antibiotic resistant strains in these animals could be related within food chain and aquatic pollutants or linked to environmental resistome, and demonstrates the potential importance of these animals as reservoirs and disseminators of such determinants in marine environmental.
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Naiara Aguiar
NA
Santestevan
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Dejoara
D
de Angelis Zvoboda
Gram Positive Coccus Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre, Av. Sarmento Leite 245, Room 204, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Janira
J
Prichula
Gram Positive Coccus Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre, Av. Sarmento Leite 245, Room 204, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Rebeca Inhoque
RI
Pereira
Gram Positive Coccus Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre, Av. Sarmento Leite 245, Room 204, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Guilherme Raffo
GR
Wachholz
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Leonardo Almansa
LA
Cardoso
Gram Positive Coccus Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre, Av. Sarmento Leite 245, Room 204, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Tiane Martin
TM
de Moura
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Aline Weber
AW
Medeiros
Center for Coastal Studies, Limnology and Marine (Ceclimar), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Tramandaí, 976, ZIP. 95625-000, Imbé, RS, Brazil.
Derek Blaese
DB
de Amorin
Center for Coastal Studies, Limnology and Marine (Ceclimar), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Tramandaí, 976, ZIP. 95625-000, Imbé, RS, Brazil.
Maurício
M
Tavares
Gram Positive Coccus Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre, Av. Sarmento Leite 245, Room 204, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Pedro Alves
PA
d'Azevedo
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Ana Claudia
AC
Franco
Department of Food Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500 - Campus do Vale - Prédio 443.212, ZIP. 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Jeverson
J
Frazzon
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Sarmento Leite 500, Room 158, ZIP. 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. ana.frazzon@ufrgs.br.
Ana Paula Guedes
AP
Frazzon
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D046069:Fur Seals / Q000382:microbiology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors
Antimicrobial susceptibility; Enterococci species; Virulence genes; Wild fur seals