Enterococci form a complex, diverse, and very important group of bacteria from the technological and food safety aspect, or from the health-improving aspect as probiotics. Generally, enterococci are considered to be of low pathogenic potential, which is associated mostly with clinical strains. In these strains, production of virulence factors as well as resistance to many antimicrobial drugs could complicate treatment of nosocomial infections. Because there is a lack of information on incidence of these attributes in animal commensal enterococci, we screened 160 strains originating from feces of clinically healthy dogs in Eastern Slovakia (n = 105). The predominant species were Enterococcus faecium (57.5%) followed by Enterococcus faecalis (21.9%), and Enterococcus hirae (17.5%), while Enterococcus casseliflavus (1.9%) and Enterococcus mundtii (1.2%) rarely occurred. Among the tested antibiotics, gentamicin (high level) was the most effective drug against canine enterococci (95% of isolates were sensitive). In contrast, the highest resistance recorded (71.9%) was to teicoplanin. PCR screening showed the highest incidence of virulence genes in E. faecalis species. The most frequently detected were genes encoding adhesins efa Afm and efa Afs and sex pheromone cpd. IS16 gene, a marker specific for hospital strains, appeared in nine E. faecium strains. No strain was positive for DNase activity, 8.8% of the isolated strains showed gelatinase activity, and almost 100% strains produced tyramine. It seems commensal-derived enterococci from dogs could also to some extent be potential reservoir of risk factors for other microbiota or organisms.
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology MeSH
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial MeSH
- Bacterial Proteins genetics metabolism MeSH
- Enterococcus drug effects genetics isolation & purification physiology MeSH
- Virulence Factors genetics metabolism MeSH
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
- Dogs microbiology MeSH
- Symbiosis MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Dogs microbiology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The present study focuses on the detection of enterococci in ostrich faeces. Forty-six bacterial colonies from 140 ostriches were identified at the species level using the MALDI-TOF MS identification system. According to the score value evaluation, they were allotted to the species Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus mundtii confirmed also by phenotypic testing. Dominated species E. hirae (34 strains) were submitted to more detailed testing. Those strains E. hirae produced either no or only slight amount of the enzymes related to disorders (N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, β-glucuronidase, α-chymotrypsin, trypsin). Most of the strains were not hemolytic. They did not harbour the hiracin-producing gene. Five E. hirae strains harboured virulence factor gene gelE; however, they were phenotypically gelatinase negative. They also harboured other virulence factor genes such as esp, efaAfm and ccf. E. hirae strains were mostly sensitive to antibiotics and those resistant at least to one antibiotic were sensitive to enterocins (200-25,600 AU/mL). This study represents original and novel results concerning the enterococcal microflora in ostriches; enterococci in ostriches have not been described in detail up to now; sensitivity to enterocins of E. hirae strains harbouring virulence factor genes to enterocins is also new.
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology MeSH
- Enterococcus classification drug effects genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Virulence Factors analysis genetics MeSH
- Feces microbiology MeSH
- Animals, Domestic MeSH
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
- Bridged-Ring Compounds metabolism MeSH
- Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization MeSH
- Struthioniformes microbiology MeSH
- Bacterial Typing Techniques MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Only limited information exists concerning the microbiota in beaver (Castor fiber). This study has been focused on the virulence factors genes detection in enterococci from beavers. In general, animals are not affected by enterococcal infections, but they can be a reservoir of, e.g. pathogenic strains. Moreover, detection of virulence factors genes in enterococci from beavers was never tested before. Free-living beavers (12), male and female (age 4-5 years) were caught in the north-east part of Poland. Sampling of lower gut and faeces was provided according to all ethical rules for animal handling. Samples were treated using a standard microbiological method. Pure bacterial colonies were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) identification system. Virulence factors genes-gelE (gelatinase), agg (aggregation), cylA (cytolysin A), efaAfs (adhesin Enterococcus faecalis), efaAfm (adhesin Enterococcus faecium) and esp (surface protein) were tested by PCR. Moreover, gelatinase and antibiotic phenotypes were tested. Species detected were Enterococcus thailandicus, E. faecium, E. faecalis and Enterococcus durans. In literature, enterococcal species distribution was never reported yet up to now. Strains were mostly sensitive to antibiotics. Vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis EE9Tr1 possess cylA, efaAfs, esp and gelE genes. Strains were aggregation substance genes absent. Adhesin E. faecium (efaAfm) gene was detected in two of three E. faecium strains, but it was present also in E. thailandicus. Esp gene was present in EE9Tr1 and E. durans EDTr92. The most detected were gelE, efaAfm genes; in EF 4Hc1 also gelatinase phenotype was found. Strains with virulence factors genes will be tested for their sensitivity to antimicrobial enterocins.
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology MeSH
- Bacteriological Techniques MeSH
- Enterococcus classification drug effects genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Virulence Factors analysis genetics MeSH
- Feces microbiology MeSH
- Genotype MeSH
- Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections microbiology veterinary MeSH
- Rodentia microbiology MeSH
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
- Polymerase Chain Reaction MeSH
- Rectum microbiology MeSH
- Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization MeSH
- Gelatinases analysis MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Poland MeSH
Cíl práce: Rod Enterococcus patří k fyziologickým zástupcům střevní mikroflóry i významným nozokomiálním patogenům. Znepokojivou skutečnosti je nárůst rezistence k antimikrobiálním přípravkům, např. vankomycinu (VRE). Enterokoky často produkují Hmoho faktorů virulence: gelatinasu, povrchový protein, adhesiny a sexuální feromony, jejichž geny, současně ve vztahu k rezistenci k vankomycinu, jsou v této práci sledovány. Materiál a metody: U 108 izolátů enterokoků, zachycených z různých klinických vzorků (kromě stolice) od pacientů Fakultní nemocnice Olomouc a rozdělených do skupin VRE (n = 54) a kontrolní, k vankomycinu citlivých (n = 54), byl sledován výskyt genů pro gelatinasu (gelE), povrchový protein [esp) a sexuální feromony (cpd, cob a ccf). Ke genetickému průkazu byla použita real-time PCR. Výsledky: V kontrolní skupině enterokoků citlivých k vankomycinu pouze šest izolátů (11,1 %) neneslo žádný ze sledovaných faktorů virulence. Nejčastěji se vyskytoval gen ccf (11,7 %, n = 42). Dále byl prokázán cpd v 66,6 % (36), gelE v 55,5 % (30), esp v 46,3 % (25), cob V 38,9 % (21). Ve skupině VRE neobsahovalo 17 izolátů (31,5 %) žádný z vyšetřovaných genů. Ve větší míře byl zjištěn esp v 62,9 % (34), podstatně méně cpd v 5,6 % (3), cob v 5,6 % (3), ccf v 5,6 % (3), gelE v 3,7 % (2). Závěr: U VRE byl prokázán menší výskyt čtyř z pěti sledovaných faktorů virulence. Menší výskyt genů pro faktory virulence u VRE byl spojen zřejmě s jejich druhovým zastoupením (podstatně vyšší frekvence Enterococcus faecium, u něhož se většinou tyto geny vyskytují v mnohem menší míře).
Bacteria of the genus Enterococcus are a normal part of the intestinal microflora but also important nosocomial pathogens. An alarming fact is increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents such as vancomycin (VRE). Enterococci frequently produce numerous virulence factors, e.g. gelatinase, surface protein, adhesins and sex pheromones. Their genes, with respect to vancomycin resistance, are studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 108 isolates obtained from various clinical samples (except for stools) taken from patients in the University Hospital Olomouc and divided into VRE (n = 54) and control, vancomycin-susceptible (n = 54) groups, the prevalence of genes for gelatinase (gelE), surface protein (esp) and sex pheromones (cpd, cob and ccf) was investigated. For genetic detection, real-time PCR was used. RESULTS: In the control group of vancomycin-susceptible enterococci, only six isolates (11.1 %) showed none of the studied virulence factors. The most prevalent gene was ccf (77.7 %, n = 42), followed by cpd in 66.6 % (36), gelE in 55.5 % (30), esp in 46.3 % (25) and cob in 38.9 % (21). In the VRE group, 17 isolates (31.5%) contained none of the studied genes. More prevalent was esp in 62.9 % (34), substantially less frequent were cpd in 5.6 % (3), cob in 5.6 % (3), ccf in 5.6 % (3) and gelE in 3.7 % (2). CONCLUSIONS: In VRE a smaller occurence, i.e. four out of the five studied virulence factors, were detected. The lower prevalence of genes for virulence factors was probably due to their species representation (substantially higher frequency of Enterococcus faecium in which these genes are mostly much less prevalent).
