Low prevalence of vancomycin- and bifunctional aminoglycoside-resistant enterococci isolated from poultry farms in Malaysia

Int J Food Microbiol. 2008 Feb 29;122(1-2):221-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2007.11.063. Epub 2007 Dec 4.

Abstract

A total of 225 samples from poultry farms and the surrounding environment were screened for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and bifunctional aminoglycoside-resistant enterococci using conventional microbiological tests and a nanoplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Three (1.3%) of the samples were found to contain vancomycin-resistant isolates (MIC>256 microg/mL) that had a vanA genotype. The three vanA positive VRE isolates were identified as different species. Only one isolate (Enterococcus faecium F 4/13_54) was sensitive to teicoplanin (MIC<0. 12-0.35 microg/mL); the other two VRE (E. faecalis A 21_35 and E. gallinarum F 5/10_1) were resistant to teicoplanin (MIC 3.6-->16 microg/mL). The vanC genotype was observed in nine (4%) of the samples collected. High-level gentamicin-resistant (HLGR) enterococci (with MIC ranging between 100 and 500 microg/mL) were detected in 44 samples. However, only 40 of these were found to possess the aac(6')-aph(2'') gene. The overall prevalence of VRE among the samples from the poultry farms and environment was 5.3%, but the prevalence of the clinically significant vanA VRE was 1.3%, and the prevalence of bifunctional aminoglycoside-resistant enterococci was slightly higher, at 19.5%.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminoglycosides / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Consumer Product Safety
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Enterococcus / drug effects
  • Enterococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Food Contamination / prevention & control
  • Genotype
  • Malaysia
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Poultry / microbiology*
  • Poultry Products / microbiology
  • Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

  • Aminoglycosides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents