Antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine: mechanisms and bacterial agents with the greatest impact on human health

Vários estudos retrospectivos e prospectivos têm sido realizados para investigar o aumento e a disseminação de microorganismos resistentes a antimicrobianos. As taxas de resistência entre esses agentes são crescentes e representam uma preocupação mundial, tanto em medicina humana como em veterinária. O objetivo da presente revisão é descrever os mecanismos de resistência antimicrobiana e os riscos associados ao uso de antimicrobianos na produção animal. Os patógenos de maior impacto em saúde humana e animal são abordados, incluindo bactérias Gram-negativas e Grampositivas multirresistentes e extensivamente resistentes.Many retrospective and prospective studies have been performed to understand the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The rates of antimicrobial drug resistance among bacterial pathogens are high and now represent a worldwide concern, both in human medicine and veterinary practices. The aim of this review is to describe the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and the risks associated with antimicrobial use in animal production. Pathogens with major impacts on human and animal health are discussed, including multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteri

ERIC-PCR genotypic characterization of Haemophilus parasuis isolated from Brazilian swine

Haemophilus parasuis infection, known as Glässer’s disease, is characterized by fibrinous polyserositis, arthritis and meningitis in piglets. Although traditional diagnosis is based on herd history, clinical signs, bacterial isolation and serotyping, the molecular-based methods are alternatives for species-specific tests and epidemiologic study. The aim of this study was to characterize H. parasuis strains isolated from different states of Brazil by serotyping, PCR and ERIC-PCR. Serotyping revealed serovar 4 as the most prevalent (24 %), followed by serovars 14 (14 %), 5 (12 %), 13 (8 %) and 2 (2 %), whereas 40 % of the strains were considered as non-typeable. From 50 strains tested 43 (86%) were positive to Group 1 vtaA gene that have been related to virulent strains of H.parasuis. ERIC-PCR was able to type isolates tested among 23 different patterns, including non-typeable strains. ERIC-PCR patterns were very heterogeneous and presented high similarity between strains of the same animal or farm origin. The results indicated ERIC-PCR as a valuable tool for typing H. parasuis isolates collected in Brazil.This study was sponsored by FAPESP (process: 07/04893-9)

Molecular epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from different sources in Brazil

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that primarily affects pregnant women, neonates, the elderly and immune-compromised individuals, and it may cause abortion, septicemia, and meningitis. From the 13 capsular groups described, serotypes 4b, 1/2b and 1/2a are most closely related to human infection. For this reason, serotyping has limited value as an epidemiological tool; thus, improved discriminatory typing methods are required to enhance knowledge of L. monocytogenes contamination and infection. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic diversity of L. monocytogenes isolates in the pork processing industry in Sao Paulo, Brazil and human infection isolates by ERICPCR and single enzyme AFLP. Serotypes 1/2c and 4b were frequent among isolates from pork and slaughterhouse/market environments, whereas serotypes 4b and 1/2a were observed among human isolates. ERIC-PCR and AFLP revealed 34 and 31 distinct profiles, respectively, which had tendencies of separation according to serogroup and isolate origin. The genetic profiles from slaughterhouse and market environments suggest the possibility of different sources of Listeria contamination in the environment, although in certain cases, continuous contamination caused by the persistence of clonal strains is also a possibility.Listeria monocytogenes é um importante patógeno de origem alimentar que afeta principalmente grávidas, neonatos, idosos e indivíduos imunocomprometidos, e pode causar abortamento, septicemia e meningite. Dos 13 grupos capsulares descritos, os sorotipos 4b, 1/2b e 1/2a são os mais relacionados à infecção humana. Por esta razão, a sorotipagem possui valor limitado como ferramenta epidemiológica e, dessa forma, métodos mais discriminatórios são necessários para melhorar o conhecimento sobre a contaminação e a infecção por L. monocytogenes. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar a diversidade genética de isolados de L. monocytogenes da indústria de processamento de carne suína no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, e compará-los a isolados de casos de infecção humana através do ERIC-PCR e AFLP com uma única enzima. Os sorotipos 1/2c e 4b foram frequentes em carne suína e ambientes de abatedouros e mercados, enquanto os sorotipos 4b e 1/2a foram observados nos isolados de humanos. ERIC-PCR e AFLP resultaram em 34 e 31 perfis distintos, respectivamente, com uma tendência a separar de acordo com o sorogrupo e a origem do isolado. Os perfis genéticos de ambiente dos abatedouros e mercados sugerem a possibilidade de diferentes origens de contaminação por Listeria nos ambientes estudados, porém, em alguns casos, é possível que ocorra a persistência de cepas clonais causando contaminação contínua

Genetic and Functional Characterization of an MCR-3-Like Enzyme-Producing Escherichia coli Isolate Recovered from Swine in Brazil

A collection of 126 pigs was screened for carriage of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in a farm in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Out of this collection, eight colistin-resistant Escherichia coli isolates were recovered, including one from Minas Gerais State producing a new MCR-3 variant (MCR-3.12). Analysis of the lipopolysaccharide revealed that MCR-3.12 had a function similar to that of MCR-1 and MCR-2 as a result of the addition of a phosphoethanolamine group to the lipid A moiety. Genetic analysis showed that the mcr-3.12 gene was carried by an IncA/C2 plasmid and was embedded in an original genetic environment. This study reports the occurrence of the MCR-3-like determinant in South America and is the first to demonstrate the functionality of this group of enzymes as a phosphoethanolamine transferase

Doenças infeciosas em peixes ornamentais de aquário: medidas de prevenção e controle

Peixes ornamentais de aquário representam um grande segmento no mercado de animais de estimação, no qual Estados Unidos, Europa e Japão dominam. São aproximadamente 1.500 espécies de peixes marinhos e em torno de 4.500 de espécies de água doce comercializados com fins ornamentais. O peixe é a quarta espécie mais comum nos domicílios brasileiros. Peixes ornamentais de aquário são comercializados e distribuídos em diferentes partes do território nacional e do mundo. O comércio e circulação de animais vivos sem o uso de procedimentos de manejo profilático adequados possibilita a disseminação de inúmeros agentes patogênicos. Peixes ornamentais de aquário carreiam consigo agentes patogênicos de etiologia bacteriana, viral, fúngica e parasitária, sendo alguns de caráter zoonótico colocando em riscopessoas que os manipulam. O objetivo desta revisão é apresentar os principais agentes infeciosos patogênicos - de natureza bacteriana, viral e fúngica - que acometem peixes ornamentais de aquário, bem como os métodos de prevenção e controle que permitam excelência no segmento.Aquarium ornamental pet fish constitute a major segment in the pet industry, with the United States, Europe, and Japan dominating the market. There are approximately 1,500 marine fish species and over 4,500 freshwater fish species commercialized as aquarium ornamental pet fish. Fish are the fourth most common pet present in Brazilian homes. In Brazil, aquarium ornamental pet fish can be marketed and distributed from different parts of the Brazilian territory and the world. Commercialization and circulation of living animals without the use of adequate prophylactic management procedures enables dissemination of a number of agents responsible for infectious diseases. Aquarium pet fish can also carry pathogenic agents, of bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic etiology, that may have a zoonotic feature endangering the persons handling the animals. This review presents the main pathogenic infectious agents of bacterial, viral, andfungal etiology that affect aquarium pet fish, as well as the prevention and control measures to ensure sanitary excellence in this segment

Pandemic extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) clonal group O6-B2-ST73 as a cause of avian colibacillosis in Brazil

Extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) represent an emerging pathogen, with pandemic strains increasingly involved in cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacteremia, and meningitis. In addition to affecting humans, the avian pathotype of ExPEC, avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), causes severe economic losses to the poultry industry. Several studies have revealed overlapping characteristics between APEC and human ExPEC, leading to the hypothesis of a zoonotic potential of poultry strains. However, the description of certain important pandemic clones, such as Sequence Type 73 (ST73), has not been reported in food sources. We characterized 27 temporally matched APEC strains from diverse poultry farms in Brazil belonging to the O6 serogroup because this serogroup is frequently described as a causal factor in UTI and septicemia in humans in Brazil and worldwide. The isolates were genotypically characterized by identifying ExPEC virulence factors, phylogenetically tested by phylogrouping and multilocus sequence type (MLST) analysis, and compared to determine their similarity employing the pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) technique. The strains harbored a large number of virulence determinants that are commonly described in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and sepsis associated E. coli (SEPEC) strains and, to a lesser extent in neonatal meningitis associated E. coli (NMEC), such as pap (85%), sfa (100%), usp (100%), cnf1 (22%), kpsMTII (66%), hlyA (52%), and ibeA (4%). These isolates also yielded a low prevalence of some genes that are frequently described in APEC, such as iss (37%), tsh, ompT, and hlyF (8% each), and cvi/cva (0%). All strains were classified as part of the B2 phylogroup and sequence type 73 (ST73), with a cluster of 25 strains showing a clonal profile by PFGE. These results further suggest the zoonotic potential of some APEC clonal lineages and their possible role in the epidemiology of human ExPEC, in addition to providing the first description of the O6-B2-ST73 clonal group in poultry.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo - FAPESPUniv Sao Paulo, Dept Pathol, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Dept Vet Prevent Med, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 05/57500-9-TFAPESP: 11/182046-TFAPESP: 14/11523-7]Web of Scienc

Prevalence of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) Clone Harboring sfa Gene in Brazil

Escherichia coli sfa+ strains isolated from poultry were serotyped and characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Isolates collected from 12 Brazilian poultry farms mostly belonged to serogroup O6, followed by serogroups O2, O8, O21, O46, O78, O88, O106, O111, and O143. Virulence genes associated were: iuc 90%, fim 86% neuS 60%, hly 34%, tsh 28%, crl/csg 26%, iss 26%, pap 18%, and 14% cnf. Strains from the same farm presented more than one genotypic pattern belonging to different profiles in AFLP. AFLP showed a clonal relation between Escherichia coli sfa+ serogroup O6. The virulence genes found in these strains reveal some similarity with extraintestinal E. coli (ExPEC), thus alerting for potential zoonotic risk

Sorogrupos e genes de virulência em Escherichia coli isoladas de psitacídeos

Escherichia coli isolates from 24 sick psittacine birds were serogrouped and investigated for the presence of genes encoding the following virulence factors: attaching and effacing (eae), enteropathogenic E. coli EAF plasmid (EAF), pili associated with pyelonephritis (pap), S fimbriae (sfa), afimbrial adhesin (afa), capsule K1 (neu), curli (crl, csgA), temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh), enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin-1 (astA), heat-stable enterotoxin -1 heat labile (LT) and heat stable (STa and STb) enterotoxins, Shiga-like toxins (stx1 and stx2), cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (cnf1), haemolysin (hly), aerobactin production (iuc) and serum resistance (iss). The results showed that the isolates belonged to 12 serogroups: O7; O15; O21; O23; O54; O64; O76; O84; O88; O128; O152 and O166. The virulence genes found were: crl in all isolates, pap in 10 isolates, iss in seven isolates, csgA in five isolates, iuc and tsh in three isolates and eae in two isolates. The combination of virulence genes revealed 11 different genotypic patterns. All strains were negative for genes encoding for EAF, EAEC, K1, sfa, afa, hly, cnf, LT, STa, STb, stx1 and stx2. Our findings showed that some E. coli isolated from psittacine birds present the same virulence factors as avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) pathotypes.Amostras de Escherichia coli isoladas de 24 psitacídeos doentes foram sorogrupadas e investigadas para a presença de genes que codificam os seguintes fatores de virulência: attaching e effacing (eae), plasmídeo EAF (EAF), pili associado à pielonefrite (pap), fímbria S (sfa), adesina afimbrial (afa), cápsula K1 (neu), curli (crl, csgA), hemaglutinina termosensível (tsh), enterotoxina termo-estável 1 de E. coli enteroagregativa (astA), toxina termolábil (LT) e toxina termoestável (STa e STb), Shiga-like toxinas (stx1 e stx2), fator citotóxico necrotizante 1 (cnf1), hemolisina (hly), produção de aerobactina (iuc) e resistência sérica (iss). Os resultados mostraram que os isolados pertenciam a 12 sorogrupos: O7; O15; O21; O23; O54; O64; O76; O84; O88; O128; O152 e O166. Os genes de virulência encontrados foram: crl em todos os isolados, pap em 10 isolados, iss em sete isolados, csgA em cinco isolados, iuc e tsh em três isolados e eae em dois isolados. A combinação dos genes de virulência revelou 11 perfis genotípicos distintos. Todas as amostras foram negativas para os genes que codificam EAF, EAEC, K1, sfa, afa, hly, cnf, LT, STa, STb, stx1 e stx2. Estes resultados demonstraram que algumas amostras de E. coli isoladas de psitacídeos apresentam os mesmos fatores de virulência presentes nos patotipos de E. coli patogênicas para aves (APEC), uropatogênicas (UPEC) e E. coli enteropatogênicas (EPEC).Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Doenças InfecciosasUniabc Faculdade de Medicina VeterináriaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUniversidade Estadual de Campinas Instituto de BiologiaUniversidade de Santiago de Compostela Facultad de Veterinaria Departamento de Microbiologia e ParasitologíaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL