A 10-day vacancy period after cleaning and disinfection has no effect on the bacterial load in pig nursery units

Background: Biosecurity measures such as cleaning, disinfection and a vacancy period between production cycles on pig farms are essential to prevent disease outbreaks. No studies have tested the effect of a longer vacancy period on bacterial load in nursery units. Methods: The present study evaluated the effect of a 10-day vacancy period in pig nursery units on total aerobic flora, Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, faecal coliforms and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Three vacancy periods of 10 days were monitored, each time applied in 3 units. The microbiological load was measured before disinfection and at 1, 4, 7 and 10 days after disinfection. Results: No significant decrease or increase in E. coli, faecal coliforms, MRSA and Enterococcus spp. was noticed. Total aerobic flora counts were the lowest on day 4 after disinfection (i.e. 4.07 log CFU/625 cm(2)) (P < 0.05), but the difference with other sampling moments was limited (i.e. 0.6 log CFU/625 cm(2)) and therefore negligible. Furthermore, this observation on day 4 was not confirmed for the other microbiological parameters. After disinfection, drinking nipples were still mostly contaminated with total aerobic flora (i.e. 5.32 log CFU/625 cm(2)) and Enterococcus spp. (i.e. 95 % of the samples were positive) (P < 0.01); the feeding troughs were the cleanest location (total aerobic flora: 3.53 log CFU/625 cm(2) and Enterococcus spp.: 50 % positive samples) (P < 0.01). Conclusions: This study indicates that prolonging the vacancy period in nursery units to 10 days after disinfection with no extra biosecurity measures has no impact on the environmental load of total aerobic flora, E. coli, faecal coliforms, MRSA and Enterococcus spp.

Genomic comparative analysis of the environmental Enterococcus mundtii against enterococcal representative species

Background Enterococcus mundtii is a yellow-pigmented microorganism rarely found in human infections. The draft genome sequence of E. mundtii was recently announced. Its genome encodes at least 2,589 genes and 57 RNAs, and 4 putative genomic islands have been detected. The objective of this study was to compare the genetic content of E. mundtii with respect to other enterococcal species and, more specifically, to identify genes coding for putative virulence traits present in enterococcal opportunistic pathogens. Results An in-depth mining of the annotated genome was performed in order to uncover the unique properties of this microorganism, which allowed us to detect a gene encoding the antimicrobial peptide mundticin among other relevant features. Moreover, in this study a comparative genomic analysis against commensal and pathogenic enterococcal species, for which genomic sequences have been released, was conducted for the first time. Furthermore, our study reveals significant similarities in gene content between this environmental isolate and the selected enterococci strains (sharing an “enterococcal gene core” of 805 CDS), which contributes to understand the persistence of this genus in different niches and also improves our knowledge about the genetics of this diverse group of microorganisms that includes environmental, commensal and opportunistic pathogens. Conclusion Although E. mundtii CRL1656 is phylogenetically closer to E. faecium, frequently responsible of nosocomial infections, this strain does not encode the most relevant relevant virulence factors found in the enterococcal clinical isolates and bioinformatic predictions indicate that it possesses the lowest number of putative pathogenic genes among the most representative enterococcal species. Accordingly, infection assays using the Galleria mellonella model confirmed its low virulenceFil: Repizo, Guillermo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Cristian Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Esteban, Luis. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Escuela de Cs.médicas. Cátedra de Fisiología; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

Genome sequence of Enterococcus mundtii EM01, isolated from Bombyx mori midgut and responsible for flacherie disease in silkworms reared on an artificial diet

The whole genome sequence of Enterococcus mundtii strain EM01 is reported here. The isolate proved to be the cause of flacherie in Bombyx mori. To date, the genomes of 11 other E. mundtii strains have been sequenced. EM01 is the only strain that displayed active pathological effects on its associated animal species

In Vitro Inhibition Zone Test Of Binahong (Anredera Cordifolia) Towards Staphylococcus Aureus, Enterococcus Faecalis, Escherichia Coli, And Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

This is a true experimental research with post test-only control group design. The study was conducted to test the inhibitory zone of the Binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia) against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Binahong leaf extract is prepared using maceration technique, by soaking it in a sealed jar for 24 hours with 95% methanol. Then subsequently filtered using a funnel with filter paper, and the filtrate is collected inside an erlenmeyer. The filtrate then concentrated using a rotavapor, this concentrated extract dissolved into aquadest with a concentration of 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 1000 ppm. By taking a few colonies with a sterile loop into a stock of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Esherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa then scratch it into MH blood agar medium, and incubate it for 24 hours with a temperature of 370C. The next day, bacterial suspension was made in test tube, which already contains 0.9% NaCl. The suspension tturbidity is equivalent to 0.5 Mc Farland. Bacterial inhibition zone of binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia) is tested using absorbance disc method or better known as the Kirby-Bauer method. First, pour 10 ml of agar medium (± 400C) into a cup (petridish) and then wait until it's cold. After the medium becomes solid, the suspension of bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Esherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are slowly smeared with sterile cotton sticks on the surface of the media. Soak the paper discs into binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia) with concentrations of 50, 100, and 1000 ppm, for about 5 minutes, and placed it on the surface of the petridish, together with the positive control (amoxicillin) and negative control (aquadest). Then incubate it at 370C for 24 hours. The effectiveness of binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia) inhibition zone, can be determined by measuring the diameter of clear zone around the paper using a sliding-term. Binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia) zone of inhibition is negative, a very slight different is showed by the amoxicillin inhibition zone, for having a clear zone diameter of 28 mm for Staphylococcus aureus and Esherichia coli, and 21 mm for Enterococcus faecalis. This fact is probably caused by several things concerning the mechanism of action of a substance as an anti bacterial of the binahong leaf extract (Anredera cordifolia)

Airborne Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from a Concentrated Swine Feeding Operation

The use of nontherapeutic levels of antibiotics in swine production can select for antibiotic resistance in commensal and pathogenic bacteria in swine. As a result, retail pork products, as well as surface and groundwaters contaminated with swine waste, have been shown to be sources of human exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, it is unclear whether the air within swine operations also serves as a source of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens. To investigate this issue, we sampled the air within a concentrated swine feeding operation with an all-glass impinger. Samples were analyzed using a method for the isolation of Enterococcus. A total of 137 presumptive Enterococcus isolates were identified to species level using standard biochemical tests and analyzed for resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, virginiamycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin using the agar dilution method. Thirty-four percent of the isolates were confirmed as Enterococcus, 32% were identified as coagulase-negative staphylococci, and 33% were identified as viridans group streptococci. Regardless of bacterial species, 98% of the isolates expressed high-level resistance to at least two antibiotics commonly used in swine production. None of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic that has never been approved for use in livestock in the United States. In conclusion, high-level multidrug-resistant Enterococcus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and viridans group streptococci were detected in the air of a concentrated swine feeding operation. These findings suggest that the inhalation of air from these facilities may serve as an exposure pathway for the transfer of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens from swine to humans

Characteristics of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated from medical fields in Japan

学位記番号：医博甲169

A genomic view of food-related and probiotic Enterococcus strains

The study of enterococcal genomes has grown considerably in recent years. While special attentionis paid to comparative genomic analysis among clinical relevant isolates, in this study we performedan exhaustive comparative analysis of enterococcal genomes of food origin and/or with potential tobe used as probiotics. Beyond common genetic features, we especially aimed to identify those thatare specific to enterococcal strains isolated from a certain food-related source as well as features presentin a species-specific manner. Thus, the genome sequences of 25 Enterococcus strains, from 7different species, were examined and compared. Their phylogenetic relationship was reconstructedbased on orthologous proteins and whole genomes. Likewise, markers associated with a successfulcolonization (bacteriocin genes and genomic islands) and genome plasticity (phages and clusteredregularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) were investigated for lifestyle specific genetic features.At the same time, a search for antibiotic resistance genes was carried out, since they are of bigconcern in the food industry. Finally, it was possible to locate 1617 FIGfam families as a core proteomeuniversally present among the genera and to determine that most of the accessory genes codefor hypothetical proteins, providing reasonable hints to support their functional characterization.Fil: Bonacina, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Nadia Elina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Hormigo, Daniel Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Fadda, Silvina G.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Lechner, Marcus. University Marburg; AlemaniaFil: Saavedra, Maria Lucila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Phage inducible islands in the gram-positive cocci

The SaPIs are a cohesive subfamily of extremely common phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs) that reside quiescently at specific att sites in the staphylococcal chromosome and are induced by helper phages to excise and replicate. They are usually packaged in small capsids composed of phage virion proteins, giving rise to very high transfer frequencies, which they enhance by interfering with helper phage reproduction. As the SaPIs represent a highly successful biological strategy, with many natural Staphylococcus aureus strains containing two or more, we assumed that similar elements would be widespread in the Gram-positive cocci. On the basis of resemblance to the paradigmatic SaPI genome, we have readily identified large cohesive families of similar elements in the lactococci and pneumococci/streptococci plus a few such elements in Enterococcus faecalis. Based on extensive ortholog analyses, we found that the PICI elements in the four different genera all represent distinct but parallel lineages, suggesting that they represent convergent evolution towards a highly successful lifestyle. We have characterized in depth the enterococcal element, EfCIV583, and have shown that it very closely resembles the SaPIs in functionality as well as in genome organization, setting the stage for expansion of the study of elements of this type. In summary, our findings greatly broaden the PICI family to include elements from at least three genera of cocci

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Trends Observed in Urinary Pathogens Obtained From New York State

International guidelines recommend using local susceptibility data to direct empiric therapy for acute uncomplicated cystitis. We evaluated outpatient urinary isolate susceptibility trends in New York State. Nitrofurantoin had the lowest resistance prevalence whereas trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and fluoroquinolones had higher prevalences. This study highlights the need for local outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs