Antibacterial resistance of Enterococcus spp. isolated from commercial poultry of the Russian Federation farms in 2013–2016, and identification of vancomycin resistance genes ; Антибиотикорезистентность культур Enterococcus spp., выделенных от промышленной птицы в 2013–2016 гг. в хозяйствах Российской Федерации, и детекция у них генов резистентности к ванкомицину

Rationale: Enterococci are the leading cause of a number of nosocomial and community-acquired human diseases. In the last decade, these pathogens are becoming resistant to antibacterials, including vancomycin. Multidrug-resistant enterococci have been also isolated from agricultural animals in many countries worldwide, which raises concern of scientists because of possible horizontal transfer of resistance genes. Aim: To assess antibacterial sensitivity of Enterococcus spp. isolates collected from the poultry in the Russian Federation from 2013 to 2016, and to identify vancomycin-resistance genes in their genomes. Materials and methods: Eighty-seven enterococci isolates belonging to E. faecalis (n = 47, 54%), E. faecium (n = 25, 28.7%) and other species (n = 15, 17.2%) were collected from clinical samples of 297 heads of poultry (liver, lungs, heart, spleen, contents of the nasal and sinus cavities) from 17 poultry farms of the Northwest, Central, Volga, Ural and Southern Federal districts of the Russian Federation. Sensitivity of enterococci to antibacterials was determined by disk-diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Vancomycin resistance genes van was detected by polymerase chain reaction with specific primers. Results: Most enterococci isolates were resistant to erythromycin (74/87, 85.1%), gentamicin (70/87, 80.5%), ceftriaxone (61/87, 70.1%), ciprofloxacin (56/87, 64.4%), tetracycline (57/87, 65.5%), and rifampicin (48/87, 55.2%), fewer ones to trimethoprim (38/87, 43.7%), ampicillin (28/87, 32.2%), linezolid (15/87, 17.2%) and chloramphenicol (5/87, 5.7%). The vanC type genes (vanC1 and vanC2/3) were identified in 10 isolates. Vancomycin minimal inhibitory concentrations for these isolates were 2 to 8 mg/L. E. faecium with vanC1 gene was isolated from poultry probably for the first time ever. Conclusion: Commercial poultry in the Russian poultry farms is an important reservoir and source of antibiotic-resistant enterococci populations, including enterococci carrying vanC1 and vanC2/3 vancomycin ...