Occurrence of cfr-mediated multiresistance in staphylococci from veal calves and pigs, from humans at the corresponding farms, and from veterinarians and their family members.
This study reports on the emergence of linezolid-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) containing the multiresistance gene cfr in veal calves and pigs, as well as in humans exposed to these animals. CoNS (Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus cohnii, Staphylococcus lentus, Staphylococcus kloosii, Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus simulans), but not Staphylococcus aureus, carrying the gene cfr were detected in samples of 12 out of 52 calves at three farms which had a history of florfenicol use. Nasal swabs from 10 humans living on these farms were negative for cfr-carrying staphylococci. Nasal swabs taken from 142 calves at 16 farms in the same area that did not use florfenicol were also negative for cfr-carrying staphylococci. 14 cfr-carrying CoNS (S. kloosii, S. saprophyticus, S. simulans) were detected in three of eight conventional pig farms investigated. One of 12 humans living on these farms harboured a cfr-carrying S. cohnii. Among the nasal swabs taken from 169 veterinarians from all over Germany, four (2.3%) were positive for cfr-carrying CoNS (three S. epidermidis, one S. saprophyticus), and three (1.1%) of 263 contact persons of this group also harboured cfr-carrying CoNS (one S. epidermidis, two S. saprophyticus). In vitro conjugation of cfr by filter mating to S. aureus 8325-4 was possible for 10 of 34CoNS and the cfr gene was associated with plasmids of 38-40kb. Moreover, a total of 363 humans of a German municipal community were investigated for nasal carriage of cfr-carrying staphylococci to get an idea whether such isolates are disseminated as nasal colonizers in non-hospitalized humans in the community, were all negative.
Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch, Germany.
Christiane
C
Cuny
Veterinary Practice Arnold, Echternach, Luxembourg.
Phillippe
P
Arnold
Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Germany.
Julia
J
Hermes
Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Germany.
Tim
T
Eckmanns
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Epidemiology Department, Germany; PhD Program Epidemiology, Hannover Biomedical Research School and Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Germany.
Jaishri
J
Mehraj
Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
Sonja
S
Schoenfelder
Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
Wilma
W
Ziebuhr
Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China.
Qin
Q
Zhao
Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China.
Yang
Y
Wang
Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
Andrea T
AT
Feßler
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Epidemiology Department, Germany; Hannover Medical School, Germany.
Gérard
G
Krause
Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
Stefan
S
Schwarz
Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch, Germany. Electronic address: wittew@rki.de.
Wolfgang
W
Witte
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D000072480:Farms; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013839:Thiamphenicol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018634:Veterinarians
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C539943:CFR protein, Staphylococcus aureus; C035534:florfenicol; D013839:Thiamphenicol
Co-selection; Horizontal gene transfer; Oxazolidinones; Plasmid