Comparative analysis of extended-spectrum- -lactamase-carrying plasmids from different members of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from poultry, pigs and humans: evidence for a shared  -lactam resistance gene pool? (original) (raw)

2009, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Sir, b-Lactam antibiotics are extensively used in human and veterinary medicine. The detection rate of extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from humans has increased rapidly worldwide. 1 In addition, ESBLs have been increasingly described in bacterial populations circulating in animals. 2,3 Recently, a high diversity of ESBLs in Escherichia coli was reported in Belgian poultry farms. In that instance, CTX-M enzymes were the predominant ESBL family. 4 CTX-M-2-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Virchow strains and TEM-52-producing S. enterica serovar Infantis strains have also been isolated from Belgian poultry. 2,3 This raises a potential public health concern. Moreover, the presence of ESBLs in the microbiota of food-producing animals may pose a human health hazard since these bacteria may represent a reservoir of resistance genes for pathogens causing disease in humans and animals. 4 Therefore, to demonstrate whether a common ESBL gene pool exists among isolates in different hosts, we characterized the plasmids and determined the location and transfer possibilities of the ESBLs bla TEM-52 , bla CTX-M-2 and bla CTX-M-15 that were present in different members of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from humans, broilers and pigs.

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