Detection of antibiotic resistance and classical enterotoxin genes in coagulase -negative staphylococci isolated from poultry in Poland

Abstract

Introduction: The study sought to characterise antimicrobial resistance among coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) species recovered from broiler chickens and turkeys in Poland including the presence of 12 antimicrobial resistance genes and five classical genes of staphylococcal enterotoxins. Material and Methods: A panel of 11 antimicrobial disks evaluated the phenotypic sensitivity of the tested strains to antibiotics. Five multiplex PCR assays were performed using primer pairs for specific detection of antibiotic resistance genes and staphylococcal enterotoxin A to E genes. Results: Selected antimicrobial agent susceptibility testing revealed 100% of such in in vitro conditions to cefoxitin among strains of Staphylococcus sciuri and S. chromogenes. The blaZ (for ß-lactam) and mecA (for methicillin resistance) genes were in 58.3% and 27.5% of strains, respectively. Among genes resistant to tetracyclines, tetK was most frequent. Fewer (CNS) strains showed genes resistant to macrolides, lincosamides, and florfenicol/chloramphenicol. Multiplex PCR for classical enterotoxins (A-E) detected the see gene in two S. hominis strains, while the seb gene producing enterotoxin B was found in one strain of S. epidermidis. Conclusion: CNS strains of Staphylococcus isolated from poultry were either phenotypically or genotypically multidrug resistant. Testing for the presence of the five classical enterotoxin genes showed that CNS strains, as in the case of S. aureus strains, can be a source of food intoxications.

Virulence Factors in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci

“…However, some enterotoxin-producing CoNS strains have been isolated from cases of SFP [536,537]. However, although with low frequency, several studies reported that different CoNS isolated from poultry can encode toxin-producing genes [538,539]. CoNS species such as S. epidermidis, S. gallinarum, S. arlettae, S. chromogenes, and S. xylosus have commonly been isolated from the skin and nares of chickens [540].…”

Frequency and Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci from Wild Birds in Spain. Detection of tst-Carrying S. sciuri Isolates

“…However, in the last decade, CoNS have also been recognized as important causative agents of nosocomial infections, especially the species S. haemolyticus , S. epidermidis , S. saprophyticus and S. lugdunensis [ 3 , 4 ]. Moreover, CoNS can also cause disease in animals [ 1 , 5 ], including dermatitis and endocarditis in poultry [ 6 , 7 ].…”

Profiles of coagulase-positive and -negative staphylococci in retail pork: prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, enterotoxigenicity, and virulence factors

“…MRS, especially methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), likely originated from CoNS by acquisition of SCC mec [ 22 ]. Methicillin-resistant CoNS have been isolated from a number of livestock and their products [ 3 , 4 , 23 ]. Consistent with these previous reports, four methicillin-resistant CoNS and one MRSA were isolated from raw pork meat samples in the current study.…”

“…Similarly, a relatively high level of TET resistance (52%) was observed in staphylococci isolated in the current study, which is mainly attributed to TET-resistant S. saprophyticus isolates (11/16, 69%). TET resistance in staphylococci is mediated by acquisition of mobile tet genes, of which tet (K) has been most frequently associated with TET resistance in many CoNS of animal origin [ 3 , 18 ]. Consistent with previous observations [ 27 ], the present study found that 93% of TET-resistant staphylococci, and all the TET-resistant S. saprophyticus and S. sciuri isolates, carried tet (K).…”

“…Frequency of SFP is often associated with economic impact such as loss in productivity, financial burden for food industry, and public healthcare system [ 2 ]. Although a detailed pathogenic role of SE-producing CoNS in SFP has not been elucidated, recent studies have demonstrated that CoNS can also produce SEs and could be a potential cause of food poisoning [ 3 ]. Furthermore, classical SEs (SEA-SEE) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) genes have been detected in CoNS isolated from human and animal clinical samples [ 3 , 4 ].…”