Background: Multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria producing extended-spectrum ?-lactamases (ESBLs) are an\nemerging problem in human and veterinary medicine. This study focused on comparative molecular characterization\nof ?-lactamase and ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates from central Hesse in Germany. Isolates originated from\nhumans, companion animals (dogs and cats) and horses.\nResults: In this study 153 (83.6%) of the human isolates (n = 183) and 163 (91.6%) of the animal isolates (n = 178) were\nconfirmed as ESBL producers by PCR and subsequent sequencing of the PCR amplicons. Predominant ESBL subtypes in\nhuman and animal samples were CTX-M-15 (49.3%) and CTX-M-1 (25.8%) respectively. Subtype blaCTX-M-2 was found\nalmost exclusively in equine and was absent from human isolates. The carbapenemase OXA-48 was detected in 19\nertapenem-resistant companion animal isolates in this study. The Plasmid-encoded quinolone resistance (PMQR)\ngene aac(ââ?¬Ë?6)-Ib-cr was the most frequently detected antibiotic- resistance gene present in 27.9% of the human and\n36.9% of the animal ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates. Combinations of two or up to six different resistance genes\n(penicillinases, ESBLs and PMQR) were detected in 70% of all isolates investigated. The most frequent species in\nthis study was Escherichia coli (74%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.5%), and Enterobacter cloacae (4.2%).\nInvestigation of Escherichia coli phylogenetic groups revealed underrepresentation of group B2 within the animal\nisolates.\nConclusions: Isolates from human, companion animals and horses shared several characteristics regarding\npresence of ESBL, PMQR and combination of different resistance genes. The results indicate active transmission\nand dissemination of multi-resistant Enterobacteriaceae among human and animal populations
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