title: Virulence and antimicrobial resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from passerine and psittacine birds.
abstract: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered one of the most important Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens. The contact between humans and birds poses health risks to both. The aim of this study was to investigate the resistance and virulence of K. pneumoniae isolates from psittacines and passerines, seized from illegal trade in Brazil. We analysed 32 strains isolated from birds of the orders Psittaciformes and Passeriformes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for virulence factor genes. Antibiotic resistance was assessed by disk diffusion assay and PCR. The results indicated that fimH (100%), uge (96.8%), kfu (81.2%) and irp-2 (68.7%) were the most common virulence genes, followed by kpn (46.8%), K2 (43.7%), mrkD (34.3%) and iroN (15.6%). The combination of virulence genes resulted in a great diversity of genotypes and the heterogeneity of the strains is also confirmed in the analysis by amplified fragment length polymorphism. The susceptibility profiles of the K. pneumoniae showed 25% of multiple antibiotic resistance strains. We identified seven strains that presented non-extended spectrum beta lactamase blaSHV variants SHV-1 and SHV-11 and one strain positive to the blaTEM-1 gene. Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance was present in 10 strains (10/32). The data obtained in this study reveal the pathogenic potential of this pathogen and highlight the need for surveillance and monitoring.
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: M P V
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: M G X
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: M C V
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Philadelpho
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: b Ecological Park of Tietê, Engineer Goulart Center (CRAS/PET) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milanelo
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: A J P
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: L R M
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.affiliation: a School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Knöbl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001938:Brazil; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011563:Psittaciformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015363:Quinolones; D037521:Virulence Factors; C054882:beta-lactamase PIT-2; D001618:beta-Lactamases
keywords: Birds; Enterobacteriaceae; Klebsiella; resistance; virulence; wildlife trade