Two hundred eleven Salmonella enterica strains representing 35 serotypes isolated from healthy poultry (n=103) and swine (n=108) were used in this study. The occurrence and characteristics of class 1 integrons were investigated. Salmonella genomic islands (SGIs) and the horizontal transfer of integrons were assessed. One hundred eighty-six isolates (88%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 140 isolates (66%) were multidrug resistant. The intI1 gene was present in 54 isolates (25.6%), of which 33 (15.6%) carried gene cassettes with sizes ranging from 0.7 to 2.3 kb. Sequence analysis revealed 11 distinct integron profiles in which resistance genes bla(PSE-1), dfrA1, dfrA12, aadA2, aadA4a, and silB were present. The gene cassette array dfrA12-aadA2 was the most prevalent among the isolates whereas most integrons were located on conjugative plasmids. SGI1 variants (SGI1-A and -F) were present in nine isolates belonging to serovars Albany, Emek, Kedougou, and Kingston.

A total of 83 Vibrio isolates from farmed marine shrimps (Penaeus monodon) were tested for the presence of class 1, 2 and 3 integrons, SXT constin and tetracycline resistance-encoding genes. Mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of the gyrA and parC genes were determined in fluoroquinolone-resistant Vibrio strains (n=17). Five isolates were found to carry class 1 integrons, of which only one contained the partial rumA gene in the variable region. All the Vibrio strains were devoid of class 2 and 3 integrons. Seven isolates harbored SXT constin. None of the Vibrio isolates were positive to the tet(K), tet(L), tet(M), tet(O) and tet(S) genes. Ten fluoroquinolone-resistant Vibrio strains carried a point mutation G-248-T in the gyrA QRDR, leading to a Ser-83-Ile substitution in GyrA, but none of these strains had mutations in the QRDR of the parC gene.

One hundred sixty Salmonella enterica isolates from clinically healthy dairy cows were assayed for antibiotic susceptibilities, the presence of class 1 integrons, antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence genes, and conjugal transfer of antimicrobial resistance determinants. One hundred nine (68%) of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic, and 14 isolates (9%) were multiresistant. The most prevalent resistance observed was to streptomycin (64%). Class 1 integrons were detected in only two Salmonella isolates (serovar Singapore and Derby), and both integrons harbored the same cassette content aadA2. The Derby class 1 integrons were associated with Salmonella genomic island 1-A. Most commonly found resistance genes were strA and strB (9.2%). None of class 1 integrons were horizontally transferred, and the resistance genes were successfully transferred from six (5.5%) Salmonella strains. One hundred fifty-nine isolates (98.8%) were positive to the invasion gene invA, whereas the virulence plasmid-associated genes spvC and pefA were found in only two (1.3%) and one (0.6%) Salmonella isolates, respectively.

ABSTRACT. Salmonella enterica isolates from poultry (n=125) and swine (n=132) in Thailand were investigated for antibiotic resistance, susceptibility to disinfectants (benzalkonium chloride (BKC), chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), zinc chloride and copper sulfate) and cyclohexane tolerance. Forty-two percent were of multiple resistance to antibiotics. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all antibiotics against isolates from swine were higher than that against the isolates from poultry. There were generally few variations in MICs to all disinfectants, indicating that the isolates had either no or only a limited degree of developed resistance to the disinfectants tested. Only 5 isolates (1.9%) were tolerant to cyclohexane. The proton-dependent efflux systems did not play a major role in the reduced susceptibility to BKC and CHX, since susceptibility was not restored when an efflux inhibitor, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) was present. Successive exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of BKC and CHX generated mutants resistant to BKC and CHX. A spontaneous BKC-resistant derivative expressed cross-resistance to antibiotics, chloramphenicol and erythromycin. The mechanism responsible for cross-resistance between BKC and antibiotics was not driven by the proton motif force (PMF). KEY WORDS: benzalkonium chloride, multiple antibiotic resistance, Salmonella enterica, proton-dependent efflux system.