Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococcus spp. Isolated from Environmental Samples in an Area of Intensive Poultry Production

Abstract

Enterococcus spp. from two poultry farms and proximate surface and ground water sites in an area of intensive poultry production were tested for resistance to 16 clinical antibiotics. Resistance patterns were compared to assess trends and possible correlations for specific antimicrobials and levels of resistance. Enterococci were detected at all 12 surface water sites and three of 28 ground water sites. Resistance to lincomycin, tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin in poultry litter isolates was high (80.3%, 65.3%, 61.1% and 49.6%, respectively). Resistance in the surface water to the same antibiotics was 87.1%, 24.1%, 7.6% and 12.9%, respectively. Overall, 86% of litter isolates, 58% of surface water isolates and 100% of ground water isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Fifty-four different resistance patterns were recognised in isolates obtained from litter and environmental samples and several E. faecium and E. faecalis isolates from litter and environment samples shared the same resistance pattern. Multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) indices calculated to assess health risks due to the presence of resistant enterococci suggested an increased presence of antibiotics in surface water, likely from poultry sources as no other wastewater contributions in the area were documented.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus strains isolated from poultry

“…Our results are similar to the resistance profiles of lincomycin, tetracycline, penicillin, ciprofloxacin and tylosin in Enterococcus isolates from the environment of broiler and/or layer farms (Ruzauskas et al, 2009;Diarra et al, 2010;Šeputienė et al, 2012;Furtula et al, 2013). Moreover, in Poland, Różańska et al (2015) noted that the highest number of E. faecalis strains isolated from poultry meat were resistant to lincomycin (24 strains; 100%), the second-highest resistance was to tetracycline (21 strains; 87.5%), followed by tylosin (16 strains; 66.7%).…”

“…Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis are usually the most prevalent enterococcal species among isolates recovered from environmental samples such as poultry faeces/manure, feed, water and air (Yoshimura et al, 2000;Ruzauskas et al, 2009;Ali et al, 2013;Furtula et al, 2013), but very few data are available on enterococci from internal organs of healthy or diseased poultry (Tankson et al, 2002;Maasjost et al, 2015). In contrast to these data, the results obtained in this study indicate that E. faecalis accounted for the highest percentage of enterococci isolated from the internal organs of poultry, followed by E. faecium.…”

Occurrence and antibiogram of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in dairy products consumed in parts of Kaduna State, Nigeria

“…MAR index values greater than 0.2 indicates high risk source of contamination where antibiotics are often used (Furtula et al, 2013). The residues of antibiotics have also been reported in tissues of food animals and their products (Kabir et al 2004;Adesokan et al 2013).…”

“…MAR index was calculated as the ratio of number of antibiotics to which an organism is resistant to total number of antibiotics to which an organism is exposed (Furtula et al, 2013).…”

“…Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) was calculated according to Furtula et al (2013) as the ratio of number of antibiotics to which an organism is resistant, to the total number of antibiotics to which an organism is exposed to.…”