The aim of this study was to map the spectrum of microorganisms belonging to the genus Acinetobacter in domestic animals with a specific focus on the prevalence of Acinetobacter pseudolwoffii. Additionally, the susceptibility of isolates to antimicrobial agents was determined. In the period from January 1, 2014, to August 31, 2015, a total of 9 544 samples originating from gross lesions and pathological processes of animals exhibiting clinical symptoms of the disease were examined across 41 districts in the Czech Republic. The examinations were carried out using culture methods involving meat-peptone blood agar and Endo agar under aerobic conditions at a temperature of 37 ± 1 °C for 18-24 hours. Isolates were confirmed using molecular phenotypic method MALDI-TOF MS with the MBT Compass Library Revision L 2020 covering 3 239 species/entries (9 607 MSP) from Bruker Daltonics company. Out of the 108 isolates (prevalence 1.13%), 14 species of Acinetobacter spp. were identified, with 5 isolates remaining unclassified as species. A. pseudolwoffii was the predominant species isolated in 25 cases (prevalence 0.26%). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for 12 antimicrobials by the disc diffusion method, with A. pseudolwoffii isolates exhibiting the lowest susceptibility to ceftazidime (32%) and co-trimoxazole (60%).

• Keywords
• organ, pathogenicity, prevalence, species, susceptibility, veterinary,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

In recent years, several efforts have been made to develop quick and low cost bacterial identification methods. Genotypic methods, despite their accuracy, are laborious and time consuming, leaving spectroscopic methods as a potential alternative. Mass and infrared spectroscopy are among the most reconnoitered techniques for this purpose, with Raman having been practically unexplored. Some species of the bacterial genus Acinetobacter are recognized as etiological agents of nosocomial infections associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity, which makes their accurate identification important. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of Raman spectroscopy to discriminate between 16 Acinetobacter species belonging to two phylogroups containing taxonomically closely related species, that is, the Acinetobacter baumannii-Acinetobacter calcoaceticus complex (six species) and haemolytic clade (10 species). Bacterial spectra were acquired without the need for any sample pre-treatment and were further analyzed with multivariate data analysis, namely partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA). Species discrimination was achieved through a series of sequential PLSDA models, with the percentage of correct species assignments ranging from 72.1% to 98.7%. The obtained results suggest that Raman spectroscopy is a promising alternative for identification of Acinetobacter species.

• Keywords
• bacteria, haemolytic clade, species, typing, vibrational spectroscopy,
• MeSH
• Acinetobacter baumannii chemistry   classification   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Acinetobacter calcoaceticus chemistry   classification   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Bacteriological Techniques MeSH
• Cross Infection diagnosis   microbiology   MeSH
• Classification MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Spectrum Analysis, Raman * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH