Antibiotic-Resistant Enterococci in Seawater and Sediments from a Coastal Fish Farm

The aim of this study was to detect and characterize antibiotic-resistant enterococci in seawater and sediment from a Mediterranean aquaculture site where no antibiotics are used. Colonies (650) grown on Slanetz-Bartley (SB) agar were amplified on antibiotic-supplemented SB, and erythromycin (ERY),...

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Published in:Microbial drug resistance (Larchmont, N.Y.) Vol. 18; no. 5; pp. 52 - 509
Main Authors: Di Cesare, Andrea, Vignaroli, Carla, Luna, Gian Marco, Pasquaroli, Sonia, Biavasco, Francesca
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Los Angeles, CA Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.10.2012
SAGE Publications
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics
Aquaculture
Bacteria
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Contaminated sediments
Drug resistance
Drug Resistance, Bacterial - genetics
Enterococcus
Enterococcus - classification
Enterococcus - drug effects
Enterococcus - genetics
Enterococcus - isolation & purification
Enterococcus faecalis
Enterococcus faecalis - classification
Enterococcus faecalis - drug effects
Enterococcus faecalis - genetics
Enterococcus faecalis - isolation & purification
Enterococcus faecium - classification
Enterococcus faecium - drug effects
Enterococcus faecium - genetics
Enterococcus faecium - isolation & purification
Epidemiology
Fish farms
Geologic Sediments - microbiology
Marine
Marine aquaculture
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Seawater
Seawater - microbiology
ISSN:1076-6294, 1931-8448, 1931-8448
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The aim of this study was to detect and characterize antibiotic-resistant enterococci in seawater and sediment from a Mediterranean aquaculture site where no antibiotics are used. Colonies (650) grown on Slanetz-Bartley (SB) agar were amplified on antibiotic-supplemented SB, and erythromycin (ERY), tetracycline (TET), and ampicillin (AMP) MICs were determined. Of 75 resistant isolates (17 to TET, 5 to ERY, and 45 to AMP), 5 Enterococcus faecalis , 25 E. faecium , 5 E. casseliflavus , 1 E. gallinarum , 1 E. durans , and 23 Enterococcus spp. were identified by genus- and species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). tet (M), tet (O), tet (L), tet (K), erm (B), erm (A), erm (C), mef , msr , blaZ , and int (Tn 916 ) were sought by PCR, including an improved multiplex PCR assay targeting tet (M), tet (L), and erm (B). Tet (M) was the most frequent TET resistance gene; msr (C) was the sole ERY resistance gene detected. blaZ was found in 29/45 AMP-resistant isolates; however, no β-lactamase production was detected. Antibiotic-resistant enterococci were recovered 2 km off the coast despite the absence of selective pressure exerted by antibiotic use. The occurrence of resistant strains in the absence of the tested genes may indicate the presence of less common resistance determinants. This first evidence of resistant enterococci at a Mediterranean aquaculture site suggests the existence of a marine reservoir of antibiotic resistances potentially transmissible to virulent strains that could be affected by mariculture in an antibiotic-independent manner.
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ISSN:1076-6294
1931-8448
1931-8448
DOI:10.1089/mdr.2011.0204