title: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium with vanA gene isolated for the first time from wildlife in Slovakia.
abstract: Corvids have been identified as an important vector of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in several European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of VRE in wildlife in Slovakia and to characterize vanA-carrying VRE. At the beginning of 2013, we collected 287 fecal samples of common raven (Corvus corax) in Petrovce and 99 fecal samples of rooks (Corvus frugilegus) in Kosice. Samples were cultured selectively on Slanetz-Bartley agar with vancomycin and screened for vanA, other resistance genes, and virulence genes. PCR mapping of Tn1546 carrying vanA gene was performed. Multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis were used to examine the genotypic diversity of vanA-containing VRE. The mobility of vancomycin resistance traits was tested in vitro, using filter mating experiments. VRE with the vanA gene were found in 4 (1.4%) of 287 raven samples and in one (1%) of 99 rook samples. All 5 isolates belonged to Enterococcus faecium and were multiresistant with resistance to erythromycin encoded by the erm(B) gene, tetracycline (tet(M) and tet(L) genes), and ampicillin (mutations in C-terminal region of pbp5 gene). Isolates from Petrovce also were resistant to chloramphenicol. Virulence genes were not proven. The vanA gene was carried by Tn1546 types E (combined with insertion sequence IS1216) or F5 (IS1251). One isolate from a rook in Kosice belonged to ST (sequence type) 6 and the remaining four from ravens in Petrovce belonged to new ST917 (a single locus variant of ST18). All tested VRE were able to transfer the vancomycin resistance trait. In conclusion, we identified clinically important enterococci with the vanA gene in corvids in Slovakia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: oravcova.veronica@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oravcova
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hadelova
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; CEITEC VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Literak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D046368:Crows / Q000382:microbiology*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; D014640:Vancomycin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Glycopeptides; Raven; Rook; VRE; Wild birds