Occurrence of Enterococcus species with virulence markers in an urban flow-influenced tropical recreational beach

Mar Pollut Bull. 2014 May 15;82(1-2):26-38. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.028. Epub 2014 Apr 13.

Abstract

Median enterococci counts of beach water samples gradually increased at statistically significant levels (χ2: 26.53, df: 4; p<0.0001) with increasing proximity to river influx. The difference in proportion of antibiotic resistant enterococci in beach water and river water samples was statistically significant (p<0.05) for the tested antibiotics with river isolates generally presenting higher resistance frequencies. Virulence genes cyl, esp, gelE and asa were detected at varying frequencies (7.32%, 21.95%, 100% and 63.41% respectively) among river isolates. On the other hand, the prevalence of these genes was lower (0%, 20%, 67.27% and 41.82% respectively) among beach water isolates. Multi-Locus-Sequence-Typing analysis of Enterococcus faecalis presented four sequence types (ST) one of which shared six out of seven tested loci with ST6, a member of the clonal complex of multi-drug resistant strains associated with hospital outbreaks.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Beach water; Enterococcus; Sequence type; Virulence factors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bathing Beaches*
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Enterococcus / classification
  • Enterococcus / drug effects
  • Enterococcus / genetics*
  • Enterococcus / pathogenicity
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / epidemiology
  • Malaysia / epidemiology
  • Microbiota
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • Tropical Climate
  • Virulence Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Virulence Factors
  • SodA protein, Bacteria
  • Superoxide Dismutase

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KC594678
  • GENBANK/KC594679
  • GENBANK/KC594680
  • GENBANK/KC594681
  • GENBANK/KC594682
  • GENBANK/KC603859
  • GENBANK/KC603860
  • GENBANK/KC603861
  • GENBANK/KC603862
  • GENBANK/KC707577
  • GENBANK/KC707578
  • GENBANK/KC707579
  • GENBANK/KC707580
  • GENBANK/KC707581
  • GENBANK/KC707582
  • GENBANK/KC707583
  • GENBANK/KC707584
  • GENBANK/KC707585
  • GENBANK/KC707586
  • GENBANK/KC890838
  • GENBANK/KC890839
  • GENBANK/KC890840
  • GENBANK/KC890841
  • GENBANK/KC890842