Enterococci isolated from Portuguese pig facilities, a cause of concern?

ITQB PhD Seminar

Title: Enterococci isolated from Portuguese pig facilities, a cause of concern?

Speaker: Teresa Braga

Laboratory: Antobiotic Stress and Virulence of Enterococci

Abstract

Enterococcus are Gram-positive commensal bacteria colonizing the alimentary canals of humans and animals and can also be found in fermented foods, water, soil and air. They are thus vehicles of transmission of antibiotic and biocide resistance traits. This transmission can be from strain to strain, but also to humans and animals, as they can inhalant these bacteria. These isolates are however, poorly studied concerning antibiotic and biocide resistance. In this work, enterococci were isolated from dust samples collected in 171 Portuguese breeding pig facilities.
Nasal mucosa of some veterinary doctors from the same facilities were also screened. The presence of vancomycin-resistance enterococcus (VRE) was investigated for all facilities. Minimal inhibitory concentration values
(MIC) for benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine were determined according to CLSI for all isolates. Overall, E. faecalis and E. faecium were the prevalent species found, 44% and 37% respectively, and 44 VRE isolates were detected. MICs ranged from 0.5 and 8 g/ml, for both biocides. Our results suggest that the concentration of biocides used in the studied pig facilities are not selecting for enterococci with low susceptibility to the tested biocidal compounds. Constant surveillance is, however, strongly advised in order to avoid animal infection and consequently risks for human health. More studies will be performed to characterize these isolates in what concerns other relevant resistances for animal and human health.

Short CV

2003 - Graduated as Biologist in Faculdade Ciências da Universidade do Porto

2003 to 2005 – Research student at Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina

2005 to 2007 - PhD student at Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina

2007 – PhD student at Stress by Antibiotic and Virulence in Enterococcus