Enterocin TW21, a novel bacteriocin from dochi-isolated Enterococcus faecium D081821.

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Chang, S-Y; Chen, Y-S; Pan, S-F; Lee, Y-S; Chang, C-H; Chang, C-H; Yu, B; Wu, H-C

2013-09-01

Purification and characterization of a novel bacteriocin produced by strain Enterococcus faecium D081821. Enterococcus faecium D081821, isolated from the traditional Taiwanese fermented food dochi (fermented black beans), was previously found to produce a bacteriocin against Listeria monocytogenes and some Gram-positive bacteria. This bacteriocin, termed enterocin TW21, was purified from culture supernatant by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Mass spectrometry analysis showed the mass of the peptide to be approximately 5300·6 Da. The N-terminal amino acid sequencing yielded a partial sequence NH2 -ATYYGNGVYxNTQK by Edman degradation, and it contains the consensus class IIa bacteriocin motif YGNGV in the N-terminal region. The open reading frame (ORF) encoding the bacteriocin was identified from the draft genome sequence of Enterococcus faecium D081821, and sequence analysis of this peptide indicated that enterocin TW21 is a novel bacteriocin. Enterococcus faecium D081821 produced a bacteriocin named enterocin TW21, the molecular weight and amino acid sequence both revealed it to be a novel bacteriocin. A new member of class IIa bacteriocin was identified. This bacteriocin shows great inhibitory ability against L. monocytogenes and could be applied as a natural food preservative. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Antibiotic resistance and virulence traits in clinical and environmental Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates.

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Rathnayake, I U; Hargreaves, M; Huygens, F

2012-07-01

This study compared virulence and antibiotic resistance traits in clinical and environmental Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates. E. faecalis isolates harboured a broader spectrum of virulence determinants compared to E. faecium isolates. The virulence traits Cyl-A, Cyl-B, Cyl-M, gel-E, esp and acm were tested and environmental isolates predominantly harboured gel-E (80% of E. faecalis and 31.9% of E. faecium) whereas esp was more prevalent in clinical isolates (67.8% of E. faecalis and 70.4% of E. faecium). E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from water had different antibiotic resistance patterns compared to those isolated from clinical samples. Linezolid resistance was not observed in any isolates tested and vancomycin resistance was observed only in clinical isolates. Resistance to other antibiotics (tetracycline, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin) was detected in both clinical and water isolates. Clinical isolates were more resistant to all the antibiotics tested compared to water isolates. Multi-drug resistance was more prevalent in clinical isolates (71.2% of E. faecalis and 70.3% of E. faecium) compared to water isolates (only 5.7% E. faecium). tet L and tet M genes were predominantly identified in tetracycline-resistant isolates. All water and clinical isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and ampicillin contained mutations in the gyrA, parC and pbp5 genes. A significant correlation was found between the presence of virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance in all the isolates tested in this study (pantibiotic resistant enterococci, together with associated virulence traits, in surface recreational water could be a public health risk. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Purification and characterization of enterocin MC13 produced by a potential aquaculture probiont Enterococcus faecium MC13 isolated from the gut of Mugil cephalus.

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Satish Kumar, R; Kanmani, P; Yuvaraj, N; Paari, K A; Pattukumar, V; Arul, V

2011-12-01

A bacteriocin producer strain MC13 was isolated from the gut of Mugil cephalus (grey mullet) and identified as Enterococcus faecium. The bacteriocin of E. faecium MC13 was purified to homogeneity, as confirmed by Tricine sodium dodecyl sulphate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed a single active fraction eluted at 26 min, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis showed the molecular mass to be 2.148 kDa. The clear zone in native PAGE corresponding to enterocin MC13 band further substantiated its molecular mass. A dialyzed sample (semicrude preparation) of enterocin MC13 was broad spectrum in its action and inhibited important seafood-borne pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes , Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. This antibacterial substance was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes: trypsin, protease, and chymotrypsin but insensitive to catalase and lipase, confirming that inhibition was due to the proteinaceous molecule, i.e., bacteriocin, and not due to hydrogen peroxide. Enterocin MC13 tolerated heat treatment (up to 90 °C for 20 min). Enterococcus faecium MC13 was effective in bile salt tolerance, acid tolerance, and adhesion to the HT-29 cell line. These properties reveal the potential of E. faecium MC13 to be a probiotic bacterium. Enterococcus faecium MC13 could be used as potential fish probiotic against pathogens such as V. parahaemolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, and Aeromonas hydrophila in fisheries. Also, this could be a valuable seafood biopreservative against L. monocytogenes.

Purification and characterization of enterocin FH 99 produced by a faecal isolate Enterococcus faecium FH 99.

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Gupta, H; Malik, R K; Bhardwaj, A; Kaur, G; De, S; Kaushik, J K

2010-06-01

Enterococcus faecium FH 99 was isolated from human faeces and selected because of its broad spectrum of inhibitory activity against several Gram-positive foodborne spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Ent. faecium FH 99 accumulates enterocin in large number in early stationary phase of the growth. The enterocin FH 99 was stable over a wide pH range (2-10) and recovered activity even after treatment at high temperatures (10 min at 100°C). The enterocin was subjected to different purification techniques viz., gel filteration, cation exchange chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The activity was eluted as one individual active fraction. SDSPAGE revealed a molecular weight of less than 6.5 kDa. Studies carried out to identify the genetic determinants for bacteriocin production showed that this trait may be plasmid encoded as loss in both of the plasmids (size>chromosomal DNA) led to loss in bacteriocin production by Ent. faecium FH 99. Ent. faecium strain FH 99 is a newly discovered high bacteriocin producer with Activity Units 1.8 × 10(5) AU ml(-1) and its characteristics indicate that it may have strong potential for application as a protective agent against pathogens and spoilage bacteria in foods.

Enterococcus faecium strains characterization through polymorphism study of VNTR loci

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Belteghi, C.,

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Enterococci are commensally bacteria of the gastrointestinal and female genital tract in humans and some mammals and birds, and one of the significant causes of hospital-acquired infections, especially in immuno-compromised patients. Genetic fingerprinting (DNA fingerprinting is a tool for identifying, marking and prevention of infectious agents dissemination. SSR (short sequence repeat are known to suffer frequent variations in the number of repetitive units.MLVA (multiple locus variable number tandem repeats analysis is a variant of genetic fingerprinting, in epidemiological studies on the pathogenetic Enterococcus faecium. Our study included laboratory Enterococcus faecium strains or isolated from clinical cases or from the environment (2003-2008. All analyzed strains of Enterococcus faecium were sensitive to vancomycin, except BM4147, and resistant to oxacilin. Strains isolated from the birds’ samples have shown a smaller resistance profile than those of human origin. 33 Enterococus faecium strains were analyzed by PCR amplification. 27 MT (VNTR profiles were obtained: six in the case of the strains isolated from birds, 15 in the case of the strains isolated form humans, 4 in the case of the collection strains and 2 in the case of the strains isolated from water samples. Among the strains isolated from humans and those isolated from animals, identical profiles were not recorded. Within the strains isolated from clinical cases, and those isolated from birds, circulating genotypes were noted, which can be considered as epidemical. The strains used as probiotics proved to be different from those circulating in birds. All MLVA profiles codes compared with those published on line in the UMC Utrecht database proved to be different. Results obtained in this study support the usefulness of the polymorphic VNTR analysis, as genetic marker, inepidemiological investigations.

Enterococcal surface protein transiently aggravates Enterococcus faecium-induced urinary tract infection in mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leendertse, Masja; Heikens, Esther; Wijnands, Lucas M.; van Luit-Asbroek, Miranda; Teske, Gwendoline J. D.; Roelofs, Joris J. T. H.; Bonten, Marc J. M.; van der Poll, Tom; Willems, Rob J. L.

2009-01-01

The role that the enterococcal surface protein Esp plays in the capacity of Enterococcus faecium to adhere to uroepithelial cells and the role that it plays in urinary tract infection and peritonitis was investigated in vitro and in vivo, respectively, using Esp-expressing E. faecium (E1162) and its

Transfer of antibiotic resistance from Enterococcus faecium of fermented meat origin to Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua.

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Jahan, M; Holley, R A

2016-04-01

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause infection in children, pregnant women, the immunocompromised and the elderly. Antibiotic resistance in this species would represent a significant public health problem since the organism has a high fatality/case ratio and resistance may contribute to failure of therapeutic treatment. This study was designed to explore whether the in vitro transferability of antibiotic resistance from enterococci to Listeria spp. could occur. It was found that 2/8 Listeria strains were able to acquire tetracycline resistance from Enterococcus faecium. Listeria monocytogenes GLM-2 acquired the resistance determinant tet(M) and additional streptomycin resistance through in vitro mating with Ent. faecium S27 isolated from commercial fermented dry sausage. Similarly, Listeria innocua became more resistant to tetracycline, but the genetic basis for this change was not confirmed. It has been suggested that enterococci may transfer antibiotic resistance genes via transposons to Listeria spp., and this may explain, in part, the origin of their antibiotic resistance. Thus, the presence of enterococci in food should not be ignored since they may actively contribute to enhanced antibiotic resistance of L. monocytogenes and other pathogens. Acquisition of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria in the absence of antibiotic pressure represents an unquantified threat to human health. In the present work resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin were transferred by nonplasmid-based conjugation from Enterococcus faecium isolated from fermented sausage to Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. Thus, natural transfer of antibiotic resistance to Listeria strains may occur in the future which reinforces the concern about the safety of enterococcal strains present in foods. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Combined effect of enterocin and lipase from Enterococcus faecium NCIM5363 against food borne pathogens: mode of action studies.

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Ramakrishnan, Vrinda; Narayan, Bhaskar; Halami, Prakash M

2012-08-01

Food borne diseases have a major impact on public health whose epidemiology is rapidly changing. The whole cells of pathogens involved or their toxins/metabolites affect the human health apart from spoiling sensory properties of the food products finally affecting the food industry as well as consumer health. With pathogens developing mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, there has been an increased need to replace antibiotics as well as chemical additives with naturally occurring bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are known to act mainly against Gram-positive pathogens and with little or no effect towards Gram-negative enteric bacteria. In the present study, combination effect of lipase and bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium NCIM5363, a highly lipolytic lactic acid bacterium against various food pathogens was assessed. The lipase in combination with enterocin exhibited a lethal effect against Gram-negative pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy studies carried out to ascertain the constitutive mode of action of lipase and enterocin revealed that the lipase degrades the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria and creates a pore through which enterocin enters thereby resulting in cell death. The novelty of this work is the fact that this is the first report revealing the synergistic effect of lipase with enterocin against Gram-negative bacteria.

The mazEF toxin–antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

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Soheili S

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Sara Soheili,1 Sobhan Ghafourian,2 Zamberi Sekawi,1 Vasantha Kumari Neela,1 Nourkhoda Sadeghifard,2 Morovat Taherikalani,2 Afra Khosravi,2 Ramliza Ramli,3 Rukman Awang Hamat11Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia; 2Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; 3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaakob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Abstract: The toxin–antitoxin (TA system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems

Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus durans isolated from cheese: Survival in the presence of medications under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and adhesion properties.

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Amaral, Daniel M F; Silva, Luana F; Casarotti, Sabrina N; Nascimento, Liane Caroline Sousa; Penna, Ana Lúcia B

2017-02-01

In this study, we evaluated the survival of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus durans, isolated from cheese, in the presence of medications and under simulated in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. The presence of genes encoding virulence factors, the susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, and adhesion properties were also assessed. Enterococcus faecium and E. durans both exhibited resistance to most of the tested medications but showed a large sensitivity to analgesics and antihypertensives; they also showed wide susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. Enterococcus durans SJRP29 had greater resistance to the presence of medications in comparison with the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5. The strains, except for E. durans SJRP05, did not harbor virulence genes. Enterococcus durans SJRP14, SJRP17, and SJRP26 were sensitive to all tested antimicrobial agents. Enterococcus faecium was more stable during the simulation of gastrointestinal tract and showed greater viability. At the end of the assay, except for E. durans SJRP17, all strains showed high viability (>7 log cfu/mL). Enterococcus durans SJRP29 stood out from the other strains and was selected for further evaluation; it tolerated up to 3.0% NaCl at 30 and 37°C, besides having good adhesion properties (high values of auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, and hydrophobicity). Additionally, the microorganism did not show bile salt hydrolase activity or mucin degradation. These results encourage carrying out additional tests to evaluate the probiotic features by using in vitro dynamic models and in vivo tests before applying these strains to a food system. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Outcompetes Enterococcus faecium via Mucus-Binding Pili

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tytgat, Hanne L.P.; Douillard, François P.; Reunanen, Justus; Rasinkangas, Pia; Hendrickx, Antoni P.A.; Laine, Pia K.; Paulin, Lars; Satokari, Reetta; Vos, de Willem M.

2016-01-01

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become a major nosocomial threat. Enterococcus faecium is of special concern, as it can easily acquire new antibiotic resistances and is an excellent colonizer of the human intestinal tract. Several clinical studies have explored the potential use of

Molecular Occurrence of Enterocin A Gene among Enterococcus faecium Strains Isolated from Gastro-Intestinal Tract and Antimicrobial Effect of this Bacteriocin Against Clinical Pathogens

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Mitra Salehi

2014-06-01

Materials and Methods: In this study occurrence of class II enterocin structural gene (enterocin A in a target of 42 Enterococcus faecium strains, isolated from gastrointestinal tract of animal have been surveyed. E. faecium identification and occurrence of enterocin A gene was performed by PCR method. Cell-free neutralized supernatant of gene positive strains was used to test bacteriocin production and antimicrobial spectrum of supernatant was assayed by wall diffusion method on the gram-positive and negative indicators bacteriaResults: Based on our results, 73.8% of isolated strains had enterocin A gene that they inhibited growth of indicator bacteria such as clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteric PTCC1709, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis.Conclusions: Studied enterocins have growth inhibitory spectrum on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria especially against pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, these strains have the potential to explore and use as, alternative antimicrobial compound and bio-preservatives in food or feed or as probiotics.

Success of linezolid therapy for postneurosurgical ventriculitis due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium: case report and literature review

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

JiaJi Qiu; Jie Tang; DeLing Li

2016-01-01

Background:Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ventriculitis is one of the most severe events in postneurosurgical intracranial infections.There are no guidelines recommending an appropriate treatment before.Case presentation:This case presents a successful linezolid treatment for post-neurosurgical vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ventriculitis of a 24-year-old man in the department of neurosurgery,Beijing Tiantan Hospital.Conclusions:Linezolid should be considered as one of the important methods for the treatment of postneurosurgical intracranial infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Enterocin P Selectively Dissipates the Membrane Potential of Enterococcus faecium T136

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Herranz, C.; Chen, Y.; Chung, H.-J.; Cintas, L. M.; Hernández, P. E.; Montville, T. J.; Chikindas, M. L.

2001-01-01

Enterocin P is a pediocin-like, broad-spectrum bacteriocin which displays a strong inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteriocin was purified from the culture supernatant of Enterococcus faecium P13, and its molecular mechanism of action against the sensitive strain E. faecium T136 was evaluated. Although enterocin P caused significant reduction of the membrane potential (ΔΨ) and the intracellular ATP pool of the indicator organism, the pH gradient (ΔpH) component of the proton motive force (Δp) was not dissipated. By contrast, enterocin P caused carboxyfluorescein efflux from E. faecium T136-derived liposomes. PMID:11282622

Contribution of the collagen adhesin Acm to pathogenesis of Enterococcus faecium in experimental endocarditis.

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Singh, Kavindra V; Murray, Barbara E

2008-09-01

Enterococcus faecium is a multidrug-resistant opportunist causing difficult-to-treat nosocomial infections, including endocarditis, but there are no reports experimentally demonstrating E. faecium virulence determinants. Our previous studies showed that some clinical E. faecium isolates produce a cell wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, and that an isogenic acm deletion mutant of the endocarditis-derived strain TX0082 lost collagen adherence. In this study, we show with a rat endocarditis model that TX0082 Deltaacm::cat is highly attenuated versus wild-type TX0082, both in established (72 h) vegetations (P Acm the first factor shown to be important for E. faecium pathogenesis. In contrast, no mortality differences were observed in a mouse peritonitis model. While 5 of 17 endocarditis isolates were Acm nonproducers and failed to adhere to collagen in vitro, all had an intact, highly conserved acm locus. Highly reduced acm mRNA levels (>or=50-fold reduction relative to an Acm producer) were found in three of these five nonadherent isolates, including the sequenced strain TX0016, by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, indicating that acm transcription is downregulated in vitro in these isolates. However, examination of TX0016 cells obtained directly from infected rat vegetations by flow cytometry showed that Acm was present on 40% of cells grown during infection. Finally, we demonstrated a significant reduction in E. faecium collagen adherence by affinity-purified anti-Acm antibodies from E. faecium endocarditis patient sera, suggesting that Acm may be a potential immunotarget for strategies to control this emerging pathogen.

Enterocin P Causes Potassium Ion Efflux from Enterococcus faecium T136 Cells

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Herranz, Carmen; Cintas, Luis M.; Hernández, Pablo E.; Moll, Gert N.; Driessen, Arnold J. M.

2001-01-01

Enterocin P is a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium P13. We studied the mechanism of its bactericidal action using enterocin-P-sensitive E. faecium T136 cells. The bacteriocin is incapable of dissipating the transmembrane pH gradient. On the other hand, depending on the buffer used, enterocin P dissipates the transmembrane potential. Enterocin P efficiently elicits efflux of potassium ions, but not of intracellularly accumulated anions like phosphate and glutamate. Taken together, t...

New Insights into the Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus Host Interaction Mechanisms.

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Ana María Sánchez-Díaz

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (S. gallolyticus were classically clustered into the Lancefield Group D streptococci and despite their taxonomic reclassification still share a similar genetic content and environment. Both species are considered as opportunistic pathogens. E. faecium is often associated with nosocomial bacteraemia, and S. gallolyticus is sporadically found in endocarditis of colorectal cancer patients. In both cases, the source of infection is commonly endogenous with a translocation process that launches through the intestinal barrier. To get new insights into the pathological processes preceding infection development of both organisms, we used an in vitro model with Caco-2 cells to study and compare the adhesion, invasion and translocation inherent abilities of 6 E. faecium and 4 S. gallolyticus well-characterized isolates. Additionally, biofilm formation on polystyrene, collagen I and IV was also explored. Overall results showed that E. faecium translocated more efficiently than S. gallolyticus, inducing a destabilization of the intestinal monolayer. Isolates Efm106, Efm121 and Efm113 (p < .001 compared to Ef222 exhibited the higher translocation ability and were able to adhere 2-3 times higher than S. gallolyticus isolates. Both species preferred the collagen IV coated surfaces to form biofilm but the S. gallolyticus structures were more compact (p = .01. These results may support a relationship between biofilm formation and vegetation establishment in S. gallolyticus endocarditis, whereas the high translocation ability of E. faecium high-risk clones might partially explain the increasing number of bacteraemia.

Investigating the mobilome in clinically important lineages of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis.

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Mikalsen, Theresa; Pedersen, Torunn; Willems, Rob; Coque, Teresa M; Werner, Guido; Sadowy, Ewa; van Schaik, Willem; Jensen, Lars Bogø; Sundsfjord, Arnfinn; Hegstad, Kristin

2015-04-10

The success of Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis evolving as multi-resistant nosocomial pathogens is associated with their ability to acquire and share adaptive traits, including antimicrobial resistance genes encoded by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Here, we investigate this mobilome in successful hospital associated genetic lineages, E. faecium sequence type (ST)17 (n=10) and ST78 (n=10), E. faecalis ST6 (n=10) and ST40 (n=10) by DNA microarray analyses. The hybridization patterns of 272 representative targets including plasmid backbones (n=85), transposable elements (n=85), resistance determinants (n=67), prophages (n=29) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-cas sequences (n=6) separated the strains according to species, and for E. faecalis also according to STs. RCR-, Rep_3-, RepA_N- and Inc18-family plasmids were highly prevalent and with the exception of Rep_3, evenly distributed between the species. There was a considerable difference in the replicon profile, with rep 17/pRUM , rep 2/pRE25 , rep 14/EFNP1 and rep 20/pLG1 dominating in E. faecium and rep 9/pCF10 , rep 2/pRE25 and rep 7 in E. faecalis strains. We observed an overall high correlation between the presence and absence of genes coding for resistance towards antibiotics, metals, biocides and their corresponding MGEs as well as their phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Although most IS families were represented in both E. faecalis and E. faecium, specific IS elements within these families were distributed in only one species. The prevalence of IS256-, IS3-, ISL3-, IS200/IS605-, IS110-, IS982- and IS4-transposases was significantly higher in E. faecium than E. faecalis, and that of IS110-, IS982- and IS1182-transposases in E. faecalis ST6 compared to ST40. Notably, the transposases of IS981, ISEfm1 and IS1678 that have only been reported in few enterococcal isolates were well represented in the E. faecium strains. E. faecalis ST40 strains harboured

Glycopeptide resistance in Enterococcus faecium from broilers and pigs following discontinued use of avoparcin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bager, Flemming; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Madsen, Mogens

1999-01-01

The use of the glycopeptide growth promoter avoparcin was discontinued in Denmark in 1995 following concerns that vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium occurring as a result of its use could be transferred to humans via food. The present study is an analysis of results obtained by the continu......The use of the glycopeptide growth promoter avoparcin was discontinued in Denmark in 1995 following concerns that vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium occurring as a result of its use could be transferred to humans via food. The present study is an analysis of results obtained...... by the continuous surveillance of an antimicrobial resistance in Denmark (DANMAP) with the aim of determining the effect of the ban on the occurrence of glycopeptide resistance among E, faecium isolated from broilers and pigs, Among isolates from broilers, the proportion that were resistant to glycopeptides has....... Alternatively, the results indicate that the different outcomes may result from different co-selection patterns in pigs and broilers. In pigs, the antimicrobials most commonly used favored co-selection of glycopeptide-resistant strains of E. faecium while in broilers the antimicrobials most widely used selected...

Co-diversification of Enterococcus faecium core genomes and PBP5: evidences of pbp5 horizontal transfer

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Carla Novais

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Ampicillin resistance has greatly contributed to the recent dramatic increase of a cluster of human adapted Enterococcus faecium lineages (ST17, ST18 and ST78 in hospital-based infections. Changes in the chromosomal pbp5 gene have been associated with different levels of ampicillin susceptibility, leading to protein variants (designated as PBP5 C-types to keep the nomenclature used in previous works with diverse degrees of reduction in penicillin affinity. Our goal was to use a comparative genomics approach to evaluate the relationship between the diversity of PBP5 among E. faecium isolates of different phylogenomic groups as well as to assess the pbp5 transferability among isolates of disparate clonal lineages. The analyses of 78 selected E. faecium strains as well as published E. faecium genomes, suggested that the diversity of pbp5 mirrors the phylogenomic diversification of E. faecium. The presence of identical PBP5 C-types as well as similar pbp5 genetic environments in different E. faecium lineages and clones from quite different geographical and environmental origin was also documented and would indicate their horizontal gene transfer among E. faecium populations. This was supported by experimental assays showing transfer of large (≈180-280 kb chromosomal genetic platforms containing pbp5 alleles, ponA (transglycosilase and other metabolic and adaptive features, from E. faecium donor isolates to suitable E. faecium recipient strains. Mutation profile analysis of PBP5 from available genomes and strains from this study suggests that the spread of PBP5 C-types might have occurred even in the absence of a significant ampicillin resistance phenotype. In summary, genetic platforms containing pbp5 sequences were stably maintained in particular E. faecium lineages, but were also able to be transferred among E. faecium clones of different origins, emphasizing the growing risk of further spread of ampicillin resistance in this nosocomial pathogen.

FACTORS AFFECTED DECARBOXYLATION ACTIVITY OF ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM ISOLATED FROM RABBIT

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František Buňka

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 21 false false false SK JA X-NONE Biogenic amines (BA are basic nitrogenous compounds formed mainly by decarboxylation of amino acids. There are generated in course of microbial, vegetable and animal metabolisms. The aim of the study was to monitor factors affected production of biogenic amines by Enterococcus faecium, which is found in rabbit meat. Biogenic amines were analyzed by means of UPLC (ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography equipped with a UV/VIS DAD detector. Decarboxylation activity of E. faecium was mainly influenced by the cultivation temperature and the amount of NaCl in this study. E. faecium produced most of the monitored biogenic amines levels: tyramine ˂2500 mg.l-1; putrescine ˂30 mg.l-1; spermidine ˂10 mg.l-1 and cadaverine ˂5 mg.l-1.doi:10.5219/182

Effect of Enterococcus faecium M74 strain on egg yolk fat and cholesterol

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Mária Angelovičová

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract The aim was to evaluate the functional efficiency of a probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium M74 in the feed on egg yolk weight, egg yolk fat and cholesterol contents of Shaver Starcross 288 hens.  Feed in the experimental group was enriched with a probiotic additive containing of 5*109 viable Enterococcus faecium per g. Egg samples a total 30 pcs per group were collected during the first egg-laying period at week 28 and 38 of hens´ age. Non-significantly lower of egg yolk weight was observed in the experimental group at all sampling times compared with their respective controls. Non-significantly lower of egg yolk weight was observed in the experimental group at all sampling times compared with their respective controls. Significantly lower concentrations of egg yolk cholesterol were found in the experimental group at week 28, and week 38 in compare with controls. In conclusion, the addition of probiotic strains Enterococcus faecium M74 to the feed of Shaver Starcross 288 hens reduced cholesterol in egg yolk at all sampling times. Even though the hypocholesterolemic mechanism of probiotics has not yet been fully understood, it is an established fact that cholesterol and bile salt metabolism are closely linked. However, the hypocholesterolemic mechanism of probiotics based on the bile salt hydrolase activity hypothesis has not yet been sufficiently elucidated.

Biological Activities of Tetrodotoxin-Producing Enterococcus faecium AD1 Isolated from Puffer Fishes

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Tu Hoang Khue Nguyen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Puffer fishes were collected from the central sea in Vietnam from spring to summer season. The eggs were incubated in MRS broth that was used to test the toxicity in mice and isolate the lactic acid bacteria community that could produce tetrodotoxin (TTX. Thin layer chromatography (TLC and high performance lipid chromatography (HPLC were used to detect and quantify TTX. As a result, Enterococcus faecium AD1 which was identified by biochemical test and 16S rRNA analysis could produce TTX 0.3 mg/mL when cultured in MRS broth. The bacterium was optimized for TTX production and gave 0.18 mg/mL, 0.07 mg/mL, and 0.15 mg/mL in media prepared from the meat-washing water of freshwater fishes (Pangasius bocourti, Oreochromis sp. and sea fish (Auxis thazard, respectively, that are also hopeful to answer some poisoning cases related to eating fishes. Enterococcus faecium also showed the wide antimicrobial activities on yeast, Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. Extracted exopolysaccharide (EPS that reacted with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl to give IC50 at 5 mg/mL equaled 11 mg/mL ascorbic acid which could show effects on Hela-6 and Hep G2 using sulforhodamine B test. Enterococcus faecium can be claimed as a promising source in tetrodotoxin and biological compounds.

AsrR is an oxidative stress sensing regulator modulating Enterococcus faecium opportunistic traits, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenicity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Lebreton

Full Text Available Oxidative stress serves as an important host/environmental signal that triggers a wide range of responses in microorganisms. Here, we identified an oxidative stress sensor and response regulator in the important multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium belonging to the MarR family and called AsrR (antibiotic and stress response regulator. The AsrR regulator used cysteine oxidation to sense the hydrogen peroxide which results in its dissociation to promoter DNA. Transcriptome analysis showed that the AsrR regulon was composed of 181 genes, including representing functionally diverse groups involved in pathogenesis, antibiotic and antimicrobial peptide resistance, oxidative stress, and adaptive responses. Consistent with the upregulated expression of the pbp5 gene, encoding a low-affinity penicillin-binding protein, the asrR null mutant was found to be more resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. Deletion of asrR markedly decreased the bactericidal activity of ampicillin and vancomycin, which are both commonly used to treat infections due to enterococci, and also led to over-expression of two major adhesins, acm and ecbA, which resulted in enhanced in vitro adhesion to human intestinal cells. Additional pathogenic traits were also reinforced in the asrR null mutant including greater capacity than the parental strain to form biofilm in vitro and greater persistance in Galleria mellonella colonization and mouse systemic infection models. Despite overexpression of oxidative stress-response genes, deletion of asrR was associated with a decreased oxidative stress resistance in vitro, which correlated with a reduced resistance to phagocytic killing by murine macrophages. Interestingly, both strains showed similar amounts of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Finally, we observed a mutator phenotype and enhanced DNA transfer frequencies in the asrR deleted strain. These data indicate that AsrR plays a major role in antimicrobial

Dogs are a reservoir of ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium lineages associated with human infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damborg, Peter Panduro; Top, Janetta; Hendrickx, Antoni P.A.

2009-01-01

Ampicillin resistance is a marker for hospital-associated Enterococcus faecium. Feces from 208 dogs were selectively screened for the occurrence of ampicillin-resistant E. faecium (AREF). AREF was detected in 42 (23%) of 183 dogs screened in a cross-sectional study in the United Kingdom and in 19...

Characterization of an anti-listerial enterocin from wheat silage based Enterococcus faecium.

Science.gov (United States)

Bal, Emel Banu Buyukunal; Isevi, Taner; Bal, Mehmet Ali

2012-10-01

Two Enterococcus faecium and one E. faecalis strains isolated and identified from wheat silage were characterized based on plasmid content, hemolytic activity, antibiotic resistance patterns, bacteriocin production potential, and presence of enterocin structural genes (entA, entB, entP, entL50B). Among the isolates, only the E. faecium U7 strain exhibited bacteriocin activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). A combination of three structural genes (entA, entB, and entP) was detected in E. faecium U7. A relationship between the presence of enterocin structural genes, and bacteriocin activity was detected in E. faecium U7; therefore partially purified enterocin (PPE) was further investigated from the isolate. Several bands of different molecular weights were expressed from PPE extracts following tricine SDS-PAGE analysis. However, the only band showing bacteriocin activity was in an approximate 4-kDa region. PPE treatment with proteinase K, lysozyme, and α -amylase caused complete loss of bacteriocin activity. PPE heat treatment at various temperatures resulted in a notable reduction in bacteriocin expression. Enterocin U7 was relatively heat stable, and presumably exhibits a glucoprotein nature with distinct inhibitory properties. Specific bacterial inhibitory activity of enterocin U7, and the producer strain absence of β -hemolysis and vancomycin susceptibility features deserves further investigation to evaluate its potential application in silage inoculation and food preservation. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enterocin P Causes Potassium Ion Efflux from Enterococcus faecium T136 Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Herranz, Carmen; Cintas, Luis M.; Hernández, Pablo E.; Moll, Gert N.; Driessen, Arnold J. M.

2001-01-01

Enterocin P is a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium P13. We studied the mechanism of its bactericidal action using enterocin-P-sensitive E. faecium T136 cells. The bacteriocin is incapable of dissipating the transmembrane pH gradient. On the other hand, depending on the buffer used, enterocin P dissipates the transmembrane potential. Enterocin P efficiently elicits efflux of potassium ions, but not of intracellularly accumulated anions like phosphate and glutamate. Taken together, these data demonstrate that enterocin P forms specific, potassium ion-conducting pores in the cytoplasmic membrane of target cells. PMID:11181377

Simple test of synergy between ampicillin and vancomycin for resistant strains of Enterococcus faecium.

OpenAIRE

Green, M; Barbadora, K; Wadowsky, R M

1994-01-01

The combination of ampicillin and vancomycin kills some but not all strains of ampicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. We compared a simple test for synergy utilizing a commercially available microdilution susceptibility system with time-kill studies and determined acceptable breakpoints for this test for 20 strains of ampicillin- and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium. The combination of ampicillin and vancomycin was tested for synergy by time-kill, broth macrodilution, and b...

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Poultry Flocks in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Maasjost, J; Mühldorfer, K; Cortez de Jäckel S; Hafez, H M

2015-03-01

Between 2010 and 2011, 145 Enterococcus isolates (Enterococcus faecalis, n = 127; Enterococcus faecium, n = 18) were collected during routine bacteriologic diagnostics from broilers, layers, and fattening turkeys in Germany showing various clinical signs. The susceptibility to 24 antimicrobial agents was investigated by broth microdilution test to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). All E. faecalis isolates (n = 127) were susceptible to the beta-lactam antibiotics ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and penicillin. Corresponding MIC with 50% inhibition (MIC50) and MIC with 90% inhibition (MIC90) values of these antimicrobial agents were at the lower end of the test range (≤ 4 μg/ml). In addition, no vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were found. High resistance rates were identified in both Enterococcus species for lincomycin (72%-99%) and tetracycline (67%-82%). Half or more than half of Enterococcus isolates were resistant to gentamicin (54%-72%) and the macrolide antibiotics erythromycin (44%-61%) and tylosin-tartate (44%-56%). Enterococcus faecalis isolated from fattening turkeys showed the highest prevalence of antimicrobial resistance compared to other poultry production systems. Eighty-nine out of 145 Enterococcus isolates were resistant to three or more antimicrobial classes. Again, turkeys stood out with 42 (8 1%) multiresistant isolates. The most-frequent resistance patterns of E. faecalis were gentamicin, lincomycin, and tetracycline in all poultry production systems.

Antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from commercial probiotic products used in cattle and swine.

Science.gov (United States)

Amachawadi, Raghavendra G; Giok, Felicia; Shi, Xiaorong; Soto, Jose; Narayanan, Sanjeev K; Tokach, Mike D; Apley, Mike D; Nagaraja, T G

2018-04-03

Probiotics, an antibiotic alternative, are widely used as feed additives for performance benefits in cattle and swine production systems. Among bacterial species contained in probiotics, Enterococcus faecium is common. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly multidrug resistance, is a common trait among enterococci because of their propensity to acquire resistance and horizontally transfer AMR genes. Also, E. faecium is an opportunistic pathogen, and in the United States, it is the second most common nosocomial pathogen. There has been no published study on AMR and virulence potential in E. faecium contained in probiotic products used in cattle and swine in the United States. Therefore, our objectives were to determine phenotypic susceptibilities or resistance to antimicrobials, virulence genes (asa1, gelE, cylA, esp, and hyl) and assess genetic diversity of E. faecium isolated from commercial products. Twenty-two commercially available E. faecium-based probiotic products used in cattle (n = 13) and swine (n = 9) were procured and E. faecium was isolated and species confirmed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations was done by micro-broth dilution method using National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring Systems Gram-positive Sensititre panel plate (CMV3AGPF), and categorization of strains as susceptible or resistant was as per Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute's guidelines. E. faecium strains from 7 products (3 for swine and 4 for cattle) were pan-susceptible to the 16 antimicrobials tested. Strains from 15 products (6 for swine and 9 for cattle) exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial and a high proportion of strains was resistant to lincomycin (10/22), followed by tetracycline (4/22), daptomycin (4/22), ciprofloxacin (4/22), kanamycin (3/22), and penicillin (2/22). Four strains were multidrug resistant, with resistant phenotypes ranging from 3 to 6 antimicrobials or class. None of the E

The mazEF toxin-antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis.

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Soheili, Sara; Ghafourian, Sobhan; Sekawi, Zamberi; Neela, Vasantha Kumari; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Taherikalani, Morovat; Khosravi, Afra; Ramli, Ramliza; Hamat, Rukman Awang

2015-01-01

The toxin-antitoxin (TA) system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems are potent and sensitive targets in all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains.

The mazEF toxin–antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

Science.gov (United States)

Soheili, Sara; Ghafourian, Sobhan; Sekawi, Zamberi; Neela, Vasantha Kumari; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Taherikalani, Morovat; Khosravi, Afra; Ramli, Ramliza; Hamat, Rukman Awang

2015-01-01

The toxin–antitoxin (TA) system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems are potent and sensitive targets in all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains. PMID:26005332

Incidence of high-level evernimicin resistance in Enterococcus faecium among food animals and humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Frank Møller; McNicholas, P. M.

2002-01-01

Six high-level evernimicin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates were identified among 304 avilarnycin-resistant E. faecium isolates from animals and 404 stool samples from humans with diarrhea. All four animal isolates, and one of the human isolates, were able to transfer resistance...... to a susceptible E. faecium strain. The resulting transconjugants all tested positive for the presence of emtA, a gene encoding a methyltransferase previously linked with high-level evernimicin resistance. The four transconjugants derived from animal isolates all carried the same plasmid, while a differently sized...... plasmid was found in the isolate from humans. This study demonstrated a low incidence of high-level evernimicin resistance mediated by the emtA gene in different E. faecium isolates of animal and human origin....

Photodynamic and antibiotic therapy impair the pathogenesis of Enterococcus faecium in a whole animal insect model.

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José Chibebe Junior

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecium has emerged as one of the most important pathogens in healthcare-associated infections worldwide due to its intrinsic and acquired resistance to many antibiotics, including vancomycin. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT is an alternative therapeutic platform that is currently under investigation for the control and treatment of infections. PDT is based on the use of photoactive dye molecules, widely known as photosensitizer (PS. PS, upon irradiation with visible light, produces reactive oxygen species that can destroy lipids and proteins causing cell death. We employed Galleria mellonella (the greater wax moth caterpillar fatally infected with E. faecium to develop an invertebrate host model system that can be used to study the antimicrobial PDT (alone or combined with antibiotics. In the establishment of infection by E. faecium in G. mellonella, we found that the G. mellonella death rate was dependent on the number of bacterial cells injected into the insect hemocoel and all E. faecium strains tested were capable of infecting and killing G. mellonella. Antibiotic treatment with ampicillin, gentamicin or the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin prolonged caterpillar survival infected by E. faecium (P = 0.0003, P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0001, respectively. In the study of antimicrobial PDT, we verified that methylene blue (MB injected into the insect followed by whole body illumination prolonged the caterpillar survival (P = 0.0192. Interestingly, combination therapy of larvae infected with vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, with antimicrobial PDT followed by vancomycin, significantly prolonged the survival of the caterpillars when compared to either antimicrobial PDT (P = 0.0095 or vancomycin treatment alone (P = 0.0025, suggesting that the aPDT made the vancomycin resistant E. faecium strain more susceptible to vancomycin action. In summary, G. mellonella provides an invertebrate model host to

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Outcompetes Enterococcus faecium via Mucus-Binding Pili: Evidence for a Novel and Heterospecific Probiotic Mechanism.

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Tytgat, Hanne L P; Douillard, François P; Reunanen, Justus; Rasinkangas, Pia; Hendrickx, Antoni P A; Laine, Pia K; Paulin, Lars; Satokari, Reetta; de Vos, Willem M

2016-10-01

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become a major nosocomial threat. Enterococcus faecium is of special concern, as it can easily acquire new antibiotic resistances and is an excellent colonizer of the human intestinal tract. Several clinical studies have explored the potential use of beneficial bacteria to weed out opportunistic pathogens. Specifically, the widely studied Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG has been applied successfully in the context of VRE infections. Here, we provide new insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of this model probiotic on VRE decolonization. Both clinical VRE isolates and L. rhamnosus GG express pili on their cell walls, which are the key modulators of their highly efficient colonization of the intestinal mucosa. We found that one of the VRE pilus clusters shares considerable sequence similarity with the SpaCBA-SrtC1 pilus cluster of L. rhamnosus GG. Remarkable immunological and functional similarities were discovered between the mucus-binding pili of L. rhamnosus GG and those of the clinical E. faecium strain E1165, which was characterized at the genome level. Moreover, E. faecium strain E1165 bound efficiently to mucus, which may be prevented by the presence of the mucus-binding SpaC protein or antibodies against L. rhamnosus GG or SpaC. These results present experimental support for a novel probiotic mechanism, in which the mucus-binding pili of L. rhamnosus GG prevent the binding of a potential pathogen to the host. Hence, we provide a molecular basis for the further exploitation of L. rhamnosus GG and its pilins for prophylaxis and treatment of VRE infections. Concern about vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium causing nosocomial infections is rising globally. The arsenal of antibiotic strategies to treat these infections is nearly exhausted, and hence, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Here, we provide molecular evidence to underpin reports of the successful clinical application of

Isolation and characterization of large spectrum and multiple bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium strain from raw bovine milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaaloul, N; ben Braiek, O; Hani, K; Volski, A; Chikindas, M L; Ghrairi, T

2015-02-01

To assess the antimicrobial properties of lactic acid bacteria from Tunisian raw bovine milk. A bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium strain was isolated from raw cow milk with activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial substances produced by this strain were sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and were thermostable and resistant to a broad range of pH (2-10). Mode of action of antimicrobial substances was determined as bactericidal. Maximum activity was reached at the end of the exponential growth phase when checked against Listeria ivanovii BUG 496 (2366.62 AU ml(-1)). However, maximum antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa 28753 was recorded at the beginning of the exponential growth phase. Enterococcus faecium GGN7 was characterized as free from virulence factors and was susceptible to tested antibiotics. PCR analysis of the micro-organism's genome revealed the presence of genes coding for enterocins A and B. Mass spectrometry analysis of RP-HPLC active fractions showed molecular masses corresponding to enterocins A (4835.77 Da) and B (5471.56 Da), and a peptide with a molecular mass of 3215.5 Da active only against Gram-negative indicator strains. The latter was unique in the databases. Enterococcus faecium GGN7 produces three bacteriocins with different inhibitory spectra. Based on its antimicrobial properties and safety, Ent. faecium GGN7 is potentially useful for food biopreservation. The results suggest the bacteriocins from GGN7 strain could be useful for food biopreservation. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

High-density fecal Enterococcus faecium colonization in hospitalized patients is associated with the presence of the polyclonal subcluster CC17

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruiz-Garbajosa, P.; de Regt, M.; Bonten, M.; Baquero, F.; Coque, T. M.; Canton, R.; Harmsen, H. J. M.; Willems, Rob J. L.

Enterococcus faecium belonging to the polyclonal subcluster CC17, with a typical ampicillin-resistant E. faecium (AREfm) phenotype, have become prevalent among nosocomial infections around the world. High-density intestinal AREfm colonization could be one of the factors contributing to the

Caracterización bioquímica y genética de enterocinas producidas por cepas de "Enterococcus faecium" de origen cárnico : optimización de la producción molecular de acción de la enterocina P de "Enterococcus faecium" P13

OpenAIRE

Herranz Sorribes, Carmen

2001-01-01

En primer lugar, se identificaron las bacteriocinas producidas por Enterococcus faecium AA13, E. faecium G16 y E. faecium P21, tres cepas aisladas de chorizos españoles artesanos. Tras purificar a homogeneidad las bacteriocinas, se determinó su secuencia aminoacídica mediante degradación de Edman y, seguidamente, la secuencia nucleotídica de sus determinantes genéticos mediante clonación, PCR y secuenciación nucleotídica. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que E. faecium AA13 y E. faecium G16...

Enterococcus faecium biofilm formation: identification of major autolysin AtlAEfm, associated Acm surface localization, and AtlAEfm-independent extracellular DNA Release.

Science.gov (United States)

Paganelli, Fernanda L; Willems, Rob J L; Jansen, Pamela; Hendrickx, Antoni; Zhang, Xinglin; Bonten, Marc J M; Leavis, Helen L

2013-04-16

Enterococcus faecium is an important multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen causing biofilm-mediated infections in patients with medical devices. Insight into E. faecium biofilm pathogenesis is pivotal for the development of new strategies to prevent and treat these infections. In several bacteria, a major autolysin is essential for extracellular DNA (eDNA) release in the biofilm matrix, contributing to biofilm attachment and stability. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized the major autolysin of E. faecium E1162 by a bioinformatic genome screen followed by insertional gene disruption of six putative autolysin genes. Insertional inactivation of locus tag EfmE1162_2692 resulted in resistance to lysis, reduced eDNA release, deficient cell attachment, decreased biofilm, decreased cell wall hydrolysis, and significant chaining compared to that of the wild type. Therefore, locus tag EfmE1162_2692 was considered the major autolysin in E. faecium and renamed atlAEfm. In addition, AtlAEfm was implicated in cell surface exposure of Acm, a virulence factor in E. faecium, and thereby facilitates binding to collagen types I and IV. This is a novel feature of enterococcal autolysins not described previously. Furthermore, we identified (and localized) autolysin-independent DNA release in E. faecium that contributes to cell-cell interactions in the atlAEfm mutant and is important for cell separation. In conclusion, AtlAEfm is the major autolysin in E. faecium and contributes to biofilm stability and Acm localization, making AtlAEfm a promising target for treatment of E. faecium biofilm-mediated infections. IMPORTANCE Nosocomial infections caused by Enterococcus faecium have rapidly increased, and treatment options have become more limited. This is due not only to increasing resistance to antibiotics but also to biofilm-associated infections. DNA is released in biofilm matrix via cell lysis, caused by autolysin, and acts as a matrix stabilizer. In this study

Enhanced Control of Listeria monocytogenes by Enterococcus faecium KE82, a Multiple Enterocin-Producing Strain, in Different Milk Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandera, Elpiniki; Lianou, Alexandra; Kakouri, Athanasia; Feng, Jinbo; Koukkou, Anna-Irini; Samelis, John

2017-01-01

Enterococcus faecium KE82, isolated from traditional Greek Graviera cheese, was identified in pure broth cultures in vitro as a multiple enterocin-producing bacterial strain possessing the structural entA, entB, and entP enterocin genes. E. faecium KE82 was further assessed for in situ antilisterial activity in raw milk (RM) and commercially thermized milk (TM; 63°C for 30 s) in the presence of the indigenous microbiota and in sterile raw milk (SRM; 121°C for 5 min) with or without the addition of two commercial starter culture (CSC) strains Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis . Growth of Listeria monocytogenes was completely inhibited in RM incubated at 37°C for 6 h, whereas the pathogen was significantly inactivated in RM+KE82 samples during further incubation at 18°C for 66 h. In contrast, L. monocytogenes levels increased by approximately 2 log CFU/ml in TM, but in TM+KE82 samples, pathogen growth was retarded during the first 6 h at 37°C followed by growth cessation and partial inactivation at 18°C. After 48 to 72 h, growth of L. monocytogenes in SRM+CSC samples decreased by 4 to 5 log CFU/ml compared with the SRM control, whereas additional 10-fold decreases in the pathogen were observed in SRM+CSC+KE82 samples. Reverse transcription PCR analysis of SRM+KE82 and SRM+CSC+KE82 samples confirmed that the entA and entB genes were transcribed, but entP gene transcription was not detected. All RM and SRM samples inoculated with E. faecium KE82 displayed strong in situ inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes in well diffusion bioassays, whereas activity was weaker to undetectable in comparable or additional TM+KE82 samples; no milk sample without E. faecium KE82 had activity against L. monocytogenes . The findings of this study indicate that E. faecium KE82 is an antilisterial agent that could be used in traditional dairy foods because it concomitantly produces enterocins A and B in situ in milk.

Antimicrobial activity and the presence of virulence factors and bacteriocin structural genes in Enterococcus faecium CM33 isolated from ewe colostrum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YOUSEF eNAMI

2015-07-01

Full Text Available AbstractScreening of lactic acid bacteria isolated from ewe colostrum led to the identification and isolation of Enterococcus faecium CM33 with interesting features, such as high-survival rates under acidic or bile salt conditions, high tolerance to the simulated gastrointestinal condition, and high adhesive potential to Caco-2 cells. According to the inhibition of pathogen adhesion test results, this strain could reduce more than 50% adhesion capacity of Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus to Caco-2 cells. Based on the antibiotic sensitivity test findings, E. faecium CM33 was susceptible to gentamycin, vancomycin, erythromycin, ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, and rifampicin, but resistant to chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and kanamycin. Upon the assessment of the virulence determinants for E. faecium CM33, this strain was negative for all tested virulence genes. Furthermore, the genome of this strain was evaluated for the incidence of the known enterocin genes by specific PCR amplification, and the genes encoding enterocins A, 31, X, and Q were discovered. The findings of this study showed that the strain E. faecium CM33 could be considered a valuable nutraceutical, and it can be introduced as a new potential probiotic.

Effect of Enterococcus faecium SF68 on growth performance and in vivo digestibility in buffalo calves

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V. Proto

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The effect of dietary supplementation with Enterococcus faecium strain SF68 on growth performance, faecal consistency and in vivo digestibility in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis calves was evaluated. Forty calves were randomly assigned at 10 d of age to one of four treatments: (A milk replacer with no additive, (B milk replacer supplemented with 0.17 g/l of viable (2 x l09 cfu/g E. faecium bacteria daily for 3 days with an interval of 7 days throughout 11 weeks, (C milk replacer supplemented with E. faecium daily for 4 weeks, (D milk replacer supplemented with E. faecium daily for 11 weeks. A total mixed ration was offered ad libitum from 5th week of the experimental period. Faecal score was significantly better in E. faecium-treated calves than control ones. The use of E. faecium had no effect on average daily gain at any stage, total body weight (BW gain, dry matter intake or total tract digestibility. Therefore, E. faecium supplementation may be able to act favourably on the health of the gastrointestinal tract.

RelA Mutant Enterococcus faecium with Multiantibiotic Tolerance Arising in an Immunocompromised Host.

Science.gov (United States)

Honsa, Erin S; Cooper, Vaughn S; Mhaissen, Mohammed N; Frank, Matthew; Shaker, Jessica; Iverson, Amy; Rubnitz, Jeffrey; Hayden, Randall T; Lee, Richard E; Rock, Charles O; Tuomanen, Elaine I; Wolf, Joshua; Rosch, Jason W

2017-01-03

Serious bacterial infections in immunocompromised patients require highly effective antibacterial therapy for cure, and thus, this setting may reveal novel mechanisms by which bacteria circumvent antibiotics in the absence of immune pressure. Here, an infant with leukemia developed vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) bacteremia that persisted for 26 days despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Sequencing of 22 consecutive VRE isolates identified the emergence of a single missense mutation (L152F) in relA, which constitutively activated the stringent response, resulting in elevated baseline levels of the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp). Although the mutant remained susceptible to both linezolid and daptomycin in clinical MIC testing and during planktonic growth, it demonstrated tolerance to high doses of both antibiotics when growing in a biofilm. This biofilm-specific gain in resistance was reflected in the broad shift in transcript levels caused by the mutation. Only an experimental biofilm-targeting ClpP-activating antibiotic was able to kill the mutant strain in an established biofilm. The relA mutation was associated with a fitness trade-off, forming smaller and less-well-populated biofilms on biological surfaces. We conclude that clinically relevant relA mutations can emerge during prolonged VRE infection, causing baseline activation of the stringent response, subsequent antibiotic tolerance, and delayed eradication in an immunocompromised state. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens is a major challenge currently facing the medical community. Such pathogens are of particular importance in immunocompromised patients as these individuals may favor emergence of novel resistance determinants due to lack of innate immune defenses and intensive antibiotic exposure. During the course of chemotherapy, a patient developed prolonged bacteremia with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium that failed to clear

Optimization of conditions for probiotic curd formulation by Enterococcus faecium MTCC 5695 with probiotic properties using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramakrishnan, Vrinda; Goveas, Louella Concepta; Prakash, Maya; Halami, Prakash M; Narayan, Bhaskar

2014-11-01

Enterococcus faecium MTCC 5695 possessing potential probiotic properties as well as enterocin producing ability was used as starter culture. Effect of time (12-24 h) and inoculum level (3-7 % v/v) on cell growth, bacteriocin production, antioxidant property, titrable acidity and pH of curd was studied by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized conditions were 26.48 h and 2.17%v/v inoculum and the second order model validated. Co cultivation studies revealed that the formulated product had the ability to prevent growth of foodborne pathogens that affect keeping quality of the product during storage. The results indicated that application of E. faecium MTCC 5695 along with usage of optimized conditions attributed to the formation of highly consistent well set curd with bioactive and bioprotective properties. Formulated curd with potential probiotic attributes can be used as therapeutic agent for the treatment of foodborne diseases like Traveler's diarrhea and gastroenteritis which thereby help in improvement of bowel health.

Sensibilidad antimicrobiana in vitro en aislamientos de Enterococcus faecalis y Enterococcus faecium obtenidos de pacientes hospitalizados

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Manuel Medell

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Introducción. Actualmente se considera a Enterococcus spp. como uno de los agentes de infección hospitalaria más importantes, siendo su resistencia a los antibióticos un problema importante en los centros de salud. Objetivos. Caracterizar la resistencia antimicrobiana en 50 cepas de Enterococcus spp. aisladas de muestras clínicas de pacientes hospitalizados. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio de tipo descriptivo observacional de corte transversal en 50 aislamientos clínicos de estas especies microbianas. Se trabajó un aislamiento por paciente. La identificación y la sensibilidad a los antibióticos se realizaron por métodos automatizados y convencionales. El análisis fenotípico de los mecanismos de resistencia a glucopéptidos se hizo según las recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. Resultados. De 50 aislamientos, 30 (60,0 % y 20 (40,0 % pertenecían a las especies de Enterococcus faecalis y Enterococcus faecium, respectivamente. La resistencia global expresada por este género fue de 38/50 (76,0 % para ampicilina; 33/50 (66,0 % para gentamicina de alto nivel; 34/50 (68,0 % para estreptomicina de alto nivel; 26/50 (52,0 % para ciprofloxacina; 4/50 (8,0 % para linezolid; 17/50 (34,0 % para teicoplanina; 25/50 (50,0 % para vancomicina; 31/50 (62,0 % para minociclina; 34/50 (68,0 % para tetraciclina y 9/50 (18,0 % para nitrofurantoina. Frente a los glucopéptidos, 25/50 (50,0 % y 10/50 (20,0 % de los aislamientos presentaron los mecanismos Van A y Van B, respectivamente. Conclusiones. Podemos concluir que la mayoría de las veces, las cepas aisladas en el Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras mostraron porcentajes de resistencia por encima de lo reportado en la literatura científica consultada. El alto porcentaje de cepas con resistencia a la vancomicina podría influir en la aparición de otros gérmenes Gram positivos con resistencia a este fármaco. Se reporta por

Rapid Emergence of Resistance to Linezolid during Linezolid Therapy of an Enterococcus faecium Infection▿

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Seedat, Jamela; Zick, Günther; Klare, Ingo; Konstabel, Carola; Weiler, Norbert; Sahly, Hany

2006-01-01

We report the emergence of linezolid resistance (MICs of 16 to 32 mg/liter) in clonally related vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from an intensive care unit patient after 12 days of linezolid therapy. Only linezolid-susceptible isolates of the same clone were detected at 28 days after termination of linezolid therapy.

[BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES OF ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM].

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Vasilchenko, A S; Rogozhin, E A; Valyshev, A V

2015-01-01

Isolate bacteriocins from Enterococcus faecium metabolites and characterize their effect on cells of Gram positive (Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Methods of solid-phase extraction, ion-exchange and reversed phase chromatography were applied for isolation of bacteriocins from cultural medium of bacteria MALDI time-of-flight mass-spectrometry was used for characterization of the obtained preparations. The mechanism of biological effect of peptides was evaluated using DNA-tropic dyes (SYTO 9 and PI) with subsequent registration of fluorescence spectra: Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) was used for characterization of morpho-functional reaction of target cells. Peptide fractions with mass of 1.0 - 3.0 kDa were isolated from enterococci metabolites, that inhibit the growth of indicator microorganisms. E. faecium strain exoproducts were shown to increase membrane permeability during interaction with L. monocytogenes, that results in subsequent detectable disturbance of normal cell morphology of listeria. Alterations of E. coli surface during the effect of purified peptide fraction was detected using AFM. The studies carried out have revealed the effect of bacteriocins of enterococci on microorganisms with various types of cell wall composition and have confirmed the importance of bacterial barrier structure permeability disturbance in the mechanism of antimicrobial effect of enterocins.

Production of enterocin A by Enterococcus faecium MMRA isolated from 'Rayeb', a traditional Tunisian dairy beverage.

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Rehaiem, A; Martínez, B; Manai, M; Rodríguez, A

2010-05-01

Characterization and purification of a bacteriocin produced by a wild Enterococcus faecium strain, isolated from a Tunisian traditional fermented milk. Enterococcus faecium MMRA was selected on the basis of its strong anti-Listeria activity. The antibacterial activity was sensitive to proteases, confirming its proteinaceous nature. It was extremely heat stable (15 min at 121 degrees C), remained active over a wide pH range (2-12), and also after treatment with lipase, amylase, organic solvents, detergents, lyophilisation and long-term storage at -20 degrees C. Production of the bacteriocin occurred throughout the logarithmic growth phase, it did not adhere to the surface of the producer cells and the mode of action was bactericidal. After partial purification of the active supernatants, a 4-kDa band with antibacterial activity was revealed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and bioassay. Tryptic digestion followed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified the peptide as enterocin A. The inhibitory activity of Ent. faecium MMRA, a wild strain isolated from the artisan dairy beverage 'Rayeb', is due to the synthesis of an enterocin A. Traditional fresh Tunisian fermented dairy products are generally manufactured with raw milk that can be used as a source of uncharacterized wild lactic acid bacteria strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of an enterocin A producing Ent. faecium from 'Rayeb'. This bacteriocin or the producing strain might have a promising potential in biopreservation to enhance the hygienic quality of this dairy product.

[Emergence of glycopeptide resistant Enterococcus faecium in Algeria: a case report].

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Hamidi, Moufida; Ammari, Houria; Ghaffor, Mohamed; Benamrouche, Nabila; Tali-Maamar, Hassiba; Tala-Khir, Farida; Younsi, Mokhtar; Rahal, Kheira

2013-01-01

A glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium (EFRG) was isolated from a wound in a patient hospitalized in a university hospital in Algiers. This strain was resistant to several antibiotics. This patient was carrying this strain in the digestive tract which may partly explain its origin. Genotypic comparison of the two strains by pulsed field gel electrophoresis showed that it was the same strain. Glycopeptide resistance was due to the presence of the vanA gene. Vigilance is required facing the emergence of strains of EFRG in our hospitals.

Inhibition of Enterococcus faecium adherence to collagen by antibodies against high-affinity binding subdomains of Acm.

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Sillanpää, Jouko; Ganesh, Vannakambadi K; Höök, Magnus; Murray, Barbara E

2007-06-01

Strains of Enterococcus faecium express a cell wall-anchored protein, Acm, which mediates adherence to collagen. Here, we (i) identify the minimal and high-affinity binding subsegments of Acm and (ii) show that anti-Acm immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) purified against these subsegments reduced E. faecium TX2535 strain collagen adherence up to 73 and 50%, respectively, significantly more than the total IgGs against the full-length Acm A domain (28%) (P Acm adherence with functional subsegment-specific antibodies raises the possibility of their use as therapeutic or prophylactic agents.

Enterococcus faecium F58, a bacteriocinogenic strain naturally occurring in Jben, a soft, farmhouse goat's cheese made in Morocco.

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Achemchem, F; Martínez-Bueno, M; Abrini, J; Valdivia, E; Maqueda, M

2005-01-01

Characterization of Ent F-58 produced by Enterococcus faecium strain F58 isolated from Jben, a soft, farmhouse goat's cheese manufactured without starter cultures. E. faecium strain F58 was isolated because of its broad inhibitory spectrum, including activity against food-borne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. The antimicrobial substance was produced during the growth phase, with maximum production after 16-20 h of incubation at 30 degrees C, and was stable over a wide pH range (4-8) and at high temperatures (5 min at 100 degrees C). The enterocin was purified to homogeneity using cation exchange and hydrophobic interaction on C-18 and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The activity was eluted as two individual active fractions (F-58A and F-58B) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis showed masses of 5210.5 and 5234.3 Da respectively. Both peptides were partially sequenced by Edman degradation, and amino-acid sequencing revealed high similarity with enterocin L50 (I). PCR-amplified fragments containing the structural genes for F-58 A and B were located in a 22-kb plasmid harboured by this strain. We verified that it also holds the structural gene for P-like enterocin. E. faecium strain F58 from Jben cheese, a producer of enterocin L50, exerts an inhibitory effect against strains of genera such as Listeria, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Brochothrix and Bacillus. Enterocin was characterized according to its functional and biological properties, purification to homogeneity and an analysis of its amino acid and genetic sequences. E. faecium strain F58 is a newly discovered producer of enterocin L50, the biotechnological characteristics of which indicate its potential for application as a protective agent against pathogens and spoilage bacteria in foods.

High Rate of Resistance to Quinupristin-Dalfopristin in Enterococcus faecium Clinical Isolates from Korea

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Oh, Won Sup; Ko, Kwan Soo; Song, Jae-Hoon; Lee, Mi Young; Park, Sulhee; Peck, Kyong Ran; Lee, Nam Yong; Kim, Choon-Kwan; Lee, Hyuck; Kim, Shin-Woo; Chang, Hyun-Ha; Kim, Yeon-Sook; Jung, Sook-In; Son, Jun Seong; Yeom, Joon-Sup; Ki, Hyun Kyun; Woo, Gun-Jo

2005-01-01

We tested the in vitro susceptibilities of 603 enterococcal isolates from eight tertiary-care hospitals in Korea. The quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance rate in Enterococcus faecium was very high (25 isolates, 10.0%). It was suggested that both clonal spread and the sporadic emergence of quinupristin-dalfopristin-resistant isolates may explain the high prevalence of quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance in Korea. PMID:16304198

Failure of daptomycin β-Lactam combination therapy to prevent resistance emergence in Enterococcus faecium.

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Menon, Vidthiya; Davis, Rebecca; Shackel, Nick; Espedido, Bjorn A; Beukers, Alicia G; Jensen, Slade O; van Hal, Sebastiaan J

2018-02-01

Daptomycin β-Lactam combination therapy offers "protection" against daptomycin non-susceptibility (DNS) development in Enterococcus faecium. We report failure of this strategy and the importance of source control. Mutations were detected in the LiaF and cls genes in DNS isolates. A single DNS isolate contained an unrecognized mutation, which requires confirmation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Synergy of Telavancin and Rifampin Against Enterococcus faecium Resistant to Both Linezolid and Vancomycin.

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Pankey, George A; Ashcraft, Deborah S

2013-01-01

An emerging pathogen is Enterococcus faecium resistant to both linezolid and vancomycin (LRVRE). Antimicrobial combinations may be required for therapy and need to be evaluated. The combination of daptomycin and rifampin has demonstrated good in vitro activity against gram-positive bacteria, including E faecium. Telavancin, a newer lipoglycopeptide, has shown in vitro activity against E faecium. We evaluated the combination of telavancin and rifampin and compared the results to the combination of daptomycin and rifampin used previously on the same isolates. Twenty-four genetically unique (by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis), clinical LRVRE isolates were collected in the United States from 2001-2004. Etest minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (μg/mL) were 0.064-8 for telavancin, 1-4 for daptomycin, and 0.012 to >32 for rifampin. In vitro synergy testing was performed in triplicate by an Etest MIC:MIC ratio method, and summation fractional inhibitory concentration (ΣFIC) was calculated: synergy ≤0.5; indifference >0.5-4; and antagonism >4. The Etest method showed synergy (ΣFICs of 0.1-0.5) with telavancin + rifampin in 20/24 (83%) isolates and indifference (ΣFICs of 0.6-0.8) in 4/24 (17%) isolates. Similarly, the daptomycin + rifampin combination showed synergy (ΣFICs of 0.1-0.5) in 21/24 (88%) isolates and indifference (ΣFICs of 0.6-1.0) in 3/24 (12%) isolates by the Etest method. No antagonism was found. In vitro synergy with both combinations (rifampin + telavancin or daptomycin) was 83% and 88%, respectively, by Etest against these LRVRE isolates. Although both daptomycin and telavancin in combination with rifampin showed a high incidence of synergistic activity, further in vitro synergy testing with this combination should be performed against additional E faecium isolates. In vitro synergy may or may not translate into in vivo effectiveness.

The first report of the vanC1 gene in Enterococcus faecium isolated from a human clinical specimen

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Mingyue Sun

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The vanC1 gene, which is chromosomally located, confers resistance to vancomycin and serves as a species marker for Enterococcus gallinarum. Enterococcus faecium TJ4031 was isolated from a blood culture and harbours the vanC1gene. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR assays were performed to detect vanXYc and vanTc genes. Only the vanXYc gene was found in the E. faecium TJ4031 isolate. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin and teicoplanin were 2 µg/mL and 1 µg/mL, respectively. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR results revealed that the vanC1and vanXYc genes were not expressed. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and southern hybridisation results showed that the vanC1 gene was encoded in the chromosome. E. faecalis isolated from animals has been reported to harbour vanC1gene. However, this study is the first to report the presence of the vanC1gene in E. faecium of human origin. Additionally, our research showed the vanC1gene cannot serve as a species-specific gene of E. gallinarum and that it is able to be transferred between bacteria. Although the resistance marker is not expressed in the strain, our results showed that E. faecium could acquire the vanC1gene from different species.

Antibiotics and heavy metals resistance patterns of Enterococcus faecalis and faecium bacteria isolated from the human and the livestock sources

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Yaser Sharifi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Enterococci have emerged as a major cause of nosocomial infections and within this group, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium cause the majority of human and livestock enterococcal infections. In this article, we tried to determine antibiotics and metals resistance patterns of E. faecalis and E. faecium strains. Methods: One hundred sixty different strains of E. faecalis and E. faecium were collected from livestock sewage and the human fecal waste during 15 months. Then bacterial antibiotics sensitivity tests were carried out using the Agar disc diffusion method. Results: Generally, 100% of E. faecalis strains separated from human and livestock sources (i.e. sheep showed penicillin (P/ kanamycin (K/ nitrofurantoin (N/ loracarbef (L/ Ciprofloxacin (Cc/ ampicillin (AN/ nalidixic acid (NA/ sulfamethoxazole (S antibiotics resistance patterns. In addition, 55% of isolated E. faecium showed P/S/AN/NA antibiotics resistance patterns. Each strain showed a resistance to at least two aminoglycoside antibiotics. However, E. faecalis strains from human and the livestock sources showed 94% and 100% of resistance to nitrofurantoin, respectively. The effects of different metal concentrations was evaluated in both strains. The agar dilution method was applied in this stage. Hg at 0.05 mmol/L of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC showed toxicity to both the human and livestock Enterococcus strains. Cadmium at 1 mmol/L and 0.5 mmol/L concentrations had the most toxicity to E. faecalis and E. faecium strains, respectively. Obviously, toxicity to bacteria is less than other metals. As a result, Zn/Ni/Cu/Co resistance pattern is suggested for both strains. Finally, antibiotics and heavy metals resistance patterns were monitored simultaneously. Conclusion: Almost all E. faecalis strains isolated from humans and livestock showed antibiotics and heavy metals resistance patterns of P/K/L/Cc/S/AN/NA/Zn/Cu/Co simultaneously. Moreover, 55% of E

Resistance mechanisms of linezolid-nonsusceptible enterococci in Korea: low rate of 23S rRNA mutations in Enterococcus faecium.

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Lee, Sae-Mi; Huh, Hee Jae; Song, Dong Joon; Shim, Hyang Jin; Park, Kyung Sun; Kang, Cheol-In; Ki, Chang-Seok; Lee, Nam Yong

2017-12-01

To investigate linezolid-resistance mechanisms in linezolid-nonsusceptible enterococci (LNSE) isolated from a tertiary hospital in Korea. Enterococcal isolates exhibiting linezolid MICs ≥4 mg l -1 that were isolated between December 2011 and May 2016 were investigated by PCR and sequencing for mutations in 23S rRNA or ribosomal proteins (L3, L4 and L22) and for the presence of cfr, cfr(B) and optrA genes.Results/Key findings. Among 135 LNSE (87 Enterococcus faecium and 48 Enterococcus faecalis isolates), 39.1 % (34/87) of E. faecium and 18.8 % (9/48) of E. faecalis isolates were linezolid-resistant. The optrA carriage was the dominant mechanism in E. faecalis: 13 isolates, including 10 E. faecalis [70 % (7/10) linezolid-resistant and 30 % (3/10) linezolid-intermediate] and three E. faecium [33.3 % (1/3) linezolid-resistant and 66.7 % (2/3) linezolid-intermediate], contained the optrA gene. G2576T mutations in the 23S rRNA gene were detected only in E. faecium [14 isolates; 71.4 % (10/14) linezolid-resistant and 28.6 % (4/14) linezolid-intermediate]. One linezolid-intermediate E. faecium harboured a L22 protein alteration (Ser77Thr). No isolates contained cfr or cfr(B) genes and any L3 or L4 protein alterations. No genetic mechanism of resistance was identified for 67.6 % (23/34) of linezolid-resistant E. faecium. A low rate of 23S rRNA mutations and the absence of known linezolid-resistance mechanisms in the majority of E. faecium isolates suggest regional differences in the mechanisms of linezolid resistance and the possibility of additional mechanisms.

Healthcare-associated vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium infections in the Mansoura University Hospitals intensive care units, Egypt

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Dalia Moemen

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF ia an emerging and challenging nosocomial pathogen. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors and clonal relationships between different VREF isolates in the intensive care units (ICUs of the university hospitals in our geographic location. This prospective study was conducted from July, 2012 until September, 2013 on 781 patients who were admitted to the ICUs of the Mansoura University Hospitals (MUHs, and fulfilled the healthcare-associated infection (HAI criteria. Susceptibility testing was determined using the disk diffusion method. The clonal relationships were evaluated with pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. Out of 52 E. faecium isolates, 12 (23.1% were vancomycin resistant. The significant risk factors for the VREF infections were: transfer to the ICU from a ward, renal failure, an extended ICU stay and use of third-generation cephalosporins, gentamicin, or ciprofloxacin. PFGE with the 12 isolates showed 9 different patterns; 3 belonged to the same pulsotype and another 2 carried a second pulsotypes. The similar pulsotypes isolates were isolated from ICUs of one hospital (EICUs; however, all of the isolates from the other ICUs had different patterns. Infection control policy, in conjunction with antibiotic stewardship, is important to combat VREF transmission in these high-risk patients.

Enterococcus infection biology: lessons from invertebrate host models.

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Yuen, Grace J; Ausubel, Frederick M

2014-03-01

The enterococci are commensals of the gastrointestinal tract of many metazoans, from insects to humans. While they normally do not cause disease in the intestine, they can become pathogenic when they infect sites outside of the gut. Recently, the enterococci have become important nosocomial pathogens, with the majority of human enterococcal infections caused by two species, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Studies using invertebrate infection models have revealed insights into the biology of enterococcal infections, as well as general principles underlying host innate immune defense. This review highlights recent findings on Enterococcus infection biology from two invertebrate infection models, the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella and the free-living bacteriovorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Atypical Genetic Locus Associated with Constitutive Production of Enterocin B by Enterococcus faecium BFE 900

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Franz, Charles M. A. P.; Worobo, Randy W.; Quadri, Luis E. N.; Schillinger, Ulrich; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H.; Vederas, John C.; Stiles, Michael E.

1999-01-01

A purified bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium BFE 900 isolated from black olives was shown by Edman degradation and mass spectrometric analyses to be identical to enterocin B produced by E. faecium T136 from meat (P. Casaus, T. Nilsen, L. M. Cintas, I. F. Nes, P. E. Hernández, and H. Holo, Microbiology 143:2287–2294, 1997). The structural gene was located on a 2.2-kb HindIII fragment and a 12.0-kb EcoRI chromosomal fragment. The genetic characteristics and production of EntB by E. faecium BFE 900 differed from that described so far by the presence of a conserved sequence like a regulatory box upstream of the EntB gene, and its production was constitutive and not regulated. The 2.2-kb chromosomal fragment contained the hitherto undetected immunity gene for EntB in an atypical orientation that is the reverse of that of the structural gene. Typical transport and other genes associated with bacteriocin production were not detected on the 12.0-kb chromosomal fragment containing the EntB structural gene. This makes the EntB genetic system different from most other bacteriocin systems, where transport and possible regulatory genes are clustered. EntB was subcloned and expressed by the dedicated secretion machinery of Carnobacterium piscicola LV17A. The structural gene was amplified by PCR, fused to the divergicin A signal peptide, and expressed by the general secretory pathway in Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433. PMID:10224016

Virulence Genes among Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Coastal Beaches and Human and Nonhuman Sources in Southern California and Puerto Rico

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Donna M. Ferguson

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Most Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium are harmless to humans; however, strains harboring virulence genes, including esp, gelE, cylA, asa1, and hyl, have been associated with human infections. E. faecalis and E. faecium are present in beach waters worldwide, yet little is known about their virulence potential. Here, multiplex PCR was used to compare the distribution of virulence genes among E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from beaches in Southern California and Puerto Rico to isolates from potential sources including humans, animals, birds, and plants. All five virulence genes were found in E. faecalis and E. faecium from beach water, mostly among E. faecalis. gelE was the most common among isolates from all source types. There was a lower incidence of asa1, esp, cylA, and hyl genes among isolates from beach water, sewage, septage, urban runoff, sea wrack, and eelgrass as compared to human isolates, indicating that virulent strains of E. faecalis and E. faecium may not be widely disseminated at beaches. A higher frequency of asa1 and esp among E. faecalis from dogs and of asa1 among birds (mostly seagull suggests that further studies on the distribution and virulence potential of strains carrying these genes may be warranted.

Evaluation of Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 as a Surrogate for Salmonella During Extrusion of Low-Moisture Food.

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Verma, Tushar; Wei, Xinyao; Lau, Soon Kiat; Bianchini, Andreia; Eskridge, Kent M; Subbiah, Jeyamkondan

2018-04-01

Salmonella in low-moisture foods is an emerging challenge due to numerous food product recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks. Identification of suitable surrogate is critical for process validation at industry level due to implementation of new Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. The objective of this study was to evaluate Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 as a surrogate for Salmonella during the extrusion of low-moisture food. Oat flour, a low-moisture food, was adjusted to different moisture (14% to 26% wet basis) and fat (5% to 15% w/w) contents and was inoculated with E. faecium NRRL B-2354. Inoculated material was then extruded in a lab-scale single-screw extruder running at different screw speeds (75 to 225 rpm) and different temperatures (75, 85, and 95 °C). A split-plot central composite 2nd order response surface design was used, with the central point replicated six times. The data from the selective media (m-Enterococcus agar) was used to build the response surface model for inactivation of E. faecium NRRL B-2354. Results indicated that E. faecium NRRL B-2354 always had higher heat resistance compared to Salmonella at all conditions evaluated in this study. However, the patterns of contour plots showing the effect of various product and process parameters on inactivation of E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was different from that of Salmonella. Although E. faecium NRRL B-2354 may be an acceptable surrogate for extrusion of low-moisture products due to higher resistance than Salmonella, another surrogate with similar inactivation behavior may be preferred and needs to be identified. Food Safety Modernization Act requires the food industry to validate processing interventions. This study validated extrusion processing and demonstrated that E. faecium NRRL B-2354 is an acceptable surrogate for extrusion of low-moisture products. The developed response surface model allows the industry to identify process conditions to achieve a desired lethality for their

Clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium exhibit strain-specific collagen binding mediated by Acm, a new member of the MSCRAMM family.

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Weinstock, George M; Murray, Barbara E

2003-03-01

A collagen-binding adhesin of Enterococcus faecium, Acm, was identified. Acm shows 62% similarity to the Staphylococcus aureus collagen adhesin Cna over the entire protein and is more similar to Cna (60% and 75% similarity with Cna A and B domains respectively) than to the Enterococcus faecalis collagen-binding adhesin, Ace, which shares homology with Acm only in the A domain. Despite the detection of acm in 32 out of 32 E. faecium isolates, only 11 of these (all clinical isolates, including four vancomycin-resistant endocarditis isolates and seven other isolates) exhibited binding to collagen type I (CI). Although acm from three CI-binding vancomycin-resistant E. faecium clinical isolates showed 100% identity, analysis of acm genes and their promoter regions from six non-CI-binding strains identified deletions or mutations that introduced stop codons and/or IS elements within the gene or the promoter region in five out of six strains, suggesting that the presence of an intact functional acm gene is necessary for binding of E. faecium strains to CI. Recombinant Acm A domain showed specific and concentration-dependent binding to collagen, and this protein competed with E. faecium binding to immobilized CI. Consistent with the adherence phenotype and sequence data, probing with Acm-specific IgGs purified from anti-recombinant Acm A polyclonal rabbit serum confirmed the surface expression of Acm in three out of three collagen-binding clinical isolates of E. faecium tested, but in none of the strains with a non-functional pseudo acm gene. Introduction of a functional acm gene into two non-CI-binding natural acm mutant strains conferred a CI-binding phenotype, further confirming that native Acm is sufficient for the binding of E. faecium to CI. These results demonstrate that acm, which encodes a potential virulence factor, is functional only in certain infection-derived clinical isolates of E. faecium, and suggest that Acm is the primary adhesin responsible for the

Molecular Analysis of VanA Outbreak of Enterococcus faecium in Two Warsaw Hospitals: The Importance of Mobile Genetic Elements

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Ewa Wardal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium represents a growing threat in hospital-acquired infections. Two outbreaks of this pathogen from neighboring Warsaw hospitals have been analyzed in this study. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE of SmaI-digested DNA, multilocus VNTR analysis (MLVA, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST revealed a clonal variability of isolates which belonged to three main lineages (17, 18, and 78 of nosocomial E. faecium. All isolates were multidrug resistant and carried several resistance, virulence, and plasmid-specific genes. Almost all isolates shared the same variant of Tn1546 transposon, characterized by the presence of insertion sequence ISEf1 and a point mutation in the vanA gene. In the majority of cases, this transposon was located on 50 kb or 100 kb pRUM-related plasmids, which lacked, however, the axe-txe toxin-antitoxin genes. 100 kb plasmid was easily transferred by conjugation and was found in various clonal backgrounds in both institutions, while 50 kb plasmid was not transferable and occurred solely in MT159/ST78 strains that disseminated clonally in one institution. Although molecular data indicated the spread of VRE between two institutions or a potential common source of this alert pathogen, epidemiological investigations did not reveal the possible route by which outbreak strains disseminated.

Molecular Analysis of VanA Outbreak of Enterococcus faecium in Two Warsaw Hospitals: The Importance of Mobile Genetic Elements

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Wardal, Ewa; Markowska, Katarzyna; Żabicka, Dorota; Wróblewska, Marta; Giemza, Małgorzata; Mik, Ewa; Połowniak-Pracka, Hanna; Woźniak, Agnieszka; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Sadowy, Ewa

2014-01-01

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium represents a growing threat in hospital-acquired infections. Two outbreaks of this pathogen from neighboring Warsaw hospitals have been analyzed in this study. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI-digested DNA, multilocus VNTR analysis (MLVA), and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed a clonal variability of isolates which belonged to three main lineages (17, 18, and 78) of nosocomial E. faecium. All isolates were multidrug resistant and carried several resistance, virulence, and plasmid-specific genes. Almost all isolates shared the same variant of Tn1546 transposon, characterized by the presence of insertion sequence ISEf1 and a point mutation in the vanA gene. In the majority of cases, this transposon was located on 50 kb or 100 kb pRUM-related plasmids, which lacked, however, the axe-txe toxin-antitoxin genes. 100 kb plasmid was easily transferred by conjugation and was found in various clonal backgrounds in both institutions, while 50 kb plasmid was not transferable and occurred solely in MT159/ST78 strains that disseminated clonally in one institution. Although molecular data indicated the spread of VRE between two institutions or a potential common source of this alert pathogen, epidemiological investigations did not reveal the possible route by which outbreak strains disseminated. PMID:25003118

Increasing Incidence of Linezolid-Intermediate or -Resistant, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Strains Parallels Increasing Linezolid Consumption▿

OpenAIRE

Scheetz, Marc H.; Knechtel, Stephanie A.; Malczynski, Michael; Postelnick, Michael J.; Qi, Chao

2008-01-01

Clinical enterococcal resistance to linezolid is defined by the presence of the G2576T mutation. We evaluated the incidence of genetically proven linezolid resistance among vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains and linezolid consumption for a possible association. A relationship was found (r2 = 0.73, P = 0.03) and predicts increasing resistance with current trends of linezolid use.

A decade of genomic history for healthcare-associated Enterococcus faecium in the United Kingdom and Ireland

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Raven, Kathy E.; Reuter, Sandra; Reynolds, Rosy; Brodrick, Hayley J.; Russell, Julie E.; Török, M. Estée; Parkhill, Julian; Peacock, Sharon J.

2016-01-01

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. We undertook whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 495 E. faecium bloodstream isolates from 2001–2011 in the United Kingdom and Ireland (UK&I) and 11 E. faecium isolates from a reference collection. Comparison between WGS and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) identified major discrepancies for 17% of isolates, with multiple instances of the same sequence type (ST) being located in genetically distant positions in the WGS tree. This confirms that WGS is superior to MLST for evolutionary analyses and is more accurate than current typing methods used during outbreak investigations. E. faecium has been categorized as belonging to three clades (Clades A1, hospital-associated; A2, animal-associated; and B, community-associated). Phylogenetic analysis of our isolates replicated the distinction between Clade A (97% of isolates) and Clade B but did not support the subdivision of Clade A into Clade A1 and A2. Phylogeographic analyses revealed that Clade A had been introduced multiple times into each hospital referral network or country, indicating frequent movement of E. faecium between regions that rarely share hospital patients. Numerous genetic clusters contained highly related vanA-positive and -negative E. faecium, which implies that control of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in hospitals also requires consideration of vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium. Our findings reveal the evolution and dissemination of hospital-associated E. faecium in the UK&I and provide evidence for WGS as an instrument for infection control. PMID:27527616

Identification and phenotypic characterization of a second collagen adhesin, Scm, and genome-based identification and analysis of 13 other predicted MSCRAMMs, including four distinct pilus loci, in Enterococcus faecium.

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Sillanpää, Jouko; Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Prakash, Vittal P; Qin, Xiang; Höök, Magnus; Weinstock, George M; Murray, Barbara E

2008-10-01

Attention has recently been drawn to Enterococcus faecium because of an increasing number of nosocomial infections caused by this species and its resistance to multiple antibacterial agents. However, relatively little is known about the pathogenic determinants of this organism. We have previously identified a cell-wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, produced by some isolates of E. faecium, and a secreted antigen, SagA, exhibiting broad-spectrum binding to extracellular matrix proteins. Here, we analysed the draft genome of strain TX0016 for potential microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs). Genome-based bioinformatics identified 22 predicted cell-wall-anchored E. faecium surface proteins (Fms), of which 15 (including Acm) had characteristics typical of MSCRAMMs, including predicted folding into a modular architecture with multiple immunoglobulin-like domains. Functional characterization of one [Fms10; redesignated second collagen adhesin of E. faecium (Scm)] revealed that recombinant Scm(65) (A- and B-domains) and Scm(36) (A-domain) bound to collagen type V efficiently in a concentration-dependent manner, bound considerably less to collagen type I and fibrinogen, and differed from Acm in their binding specificities to collagen types IV and V. Results from far-UV circular dichroism measurements of recombinant Scm(36) and of Acm(37) indicated that these proteins were rich in beta-sheets, supporting our folding predictions. Whole-cell ELISA and FACS analyses unambiguously demonstrated surface expression of Scm in most E. faecium isolates. Strikingly, 11 of the 15 predicted MSCRAMMs clustered in four loci, each with a class C sortase gene; nine of these showed similarity to Enterococcus faecalis Ebp pilus subunits and also contained motifs essential for pilus assembly. Antibodies against one of the predicted major pilus proteins, Fms9 (redesignated EbpC(fm)), detected a 'ladder' pattern of high-molecular-mass protein bands in a

Streptogramin resistance among Enterococcus faecium isolated from production animals in Denmark in 1997

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Jensen, Lars Bogø; Hammerum, Anette Marie; Bager, Flemming

2002-01-01

The genetic background for streptogramin resistance was examined in Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigs (n = 55) and broilers (n = 207) in 1997 in Denmark. Fifty-one percent and 67%, respectively, of the isolates were resistant to streptogramins. Among streptogramin-resistant E. faecium (SREF......), the genetic background for streptogramin A resistance could be determined in 96% of the isolates from broilers, compared with 14% among SREF from pigs. For broiler isolates 89% of SREF contained the vat(E) gene and 10% the vat(D) gene. Three of these isolates contained both resistance genes. Among SREF from...... pigs two isolates contained the vat(E) gene and two others the vat(D) gene. The genetic background for streptogramin B was most often identified as the erm(B) gene encoding macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance. Among SREF, 84% and 86% of isolates from broilers and pigs...

Bacteriocin-Producing Enterococcus faecium LCW 44: A High Potential Probiotic Candidate from Raw Camel Milk.

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Vimont, Allison; Fernandez, Benoît; Hammami, Riadh; Ababsa, Ahlem; Daba, Hocine; Fliss, Ismaïl

2017-01-01

Bacterial isolates from raw camel milk were screened for antibacterial activity using the agar diffusion assay. Ten isolates selected for their inhibition of Gram-positive bacteria were identified by 16S sequencing as Enterococcus faecium or durans . An isolate named E. faecium LCW 44 exhibited the broadest antibacterial spectrum with an inhibitory activity against several Gram-positive strains belonging to the genera Clostridium , Listeria , Staphylococcus , and Lactobacillus. E. faecium LCW 44 was shown to produce N-formylated enterocins L50A and L50B, as revealed by mass spectrometry and PCR analyses. This isolate did not harbor any of the virulence factors tested and was shown to be sensitive to all tested antibiotics. It showed high resistance to gastric and intestinal conditions (78 ± 4% survival). Its adhesion index was evaluated at 176 ± 86 and 24 ± 86 on Caco-2 cells and HT-29 cells, respectively, and it significantly reduced adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes by 65 and 49%, respectively. In Macfarlane broth (simulating the nutrient content of the colon), counts of L. monocytogenes were reduced by 2 log 10 cycles after 24 h in co-culture with E. faecium LCW 44, compared to the increase of 4 log 10 cycles when cultured alone. Comparison with a bacteriocin-non-producing mutant of E. faecium LCW 44 strongly suggests that inhibition of L. monocytogenes was due to bacteriocin production. Altogether, E. faecium LCW 44 thus has potential for use as a probiotic for humans and veterinary medicine.

Bacteriocin-Producing Enterococcus faecium LCW 44: A High Potential Probiotic Candidate from Raw Camel Milk

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Allison Vimont

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Bacterial isolates from raw camel milk were screened for antibacterial activity using the agar diffusion assay. Ten isolates selected for their inhibition of Gram-positive bacteria were identified by 16S sequencing as Enterococcus faecium or durans. An isolate named E. faecium LCW 44 exhibited the broadest antibacterial spectrum with an inhibitory activity against several Gram-positive strains belonging to the genera Clostridium, Listeria, Staphylococcus, and Lactobacillus. E. faecium LCW 44 was shown to produce N-formylated enterocins L50A and L50B, as revealed by mass spectrometry and PCR analyses. This isolate did not harbor any of the virulence factors tested and was shown to be sensitive to all tested antibiotics. It showed high resistance to gastric and intestinal conditions (78 ± 4% survival. Its adhesion index was evaluated at 176 ± 86 and 24 ± 86 on Caco-2 cells and HT-29 cells, respectively, and it significantly reduced adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes by 65 and 49%, respectively. In Macfarlane broth (simulating the nutrient content of the colon, counts of L. monocytogenes were reduced by 2 log10 cycles after 24 h in co-culture with E. faecium LCW 44, compared to the increase of 4 log10 cycles when cultured alone. Comparison with a bacteriocin-non-producing mutant of E. faecium LCW 44 strongly suggests that inhibition of L. monocytogenes was due to bacteriocin production. Altogether, E. faecium LCW 44 thus has potential for use as a probiotic for humans and veterinary medicine.

Genome-wide Screening Identifies Phosphotransferase System Permease BepA to Be Involved in Enterococcus faecium Endocarditis and Biofilm Formation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paganelli, Fernanda L.; Huebner, Johannes; Singh, Kavindra V.; Zhang, Xinglin; Van Schaik, Willem; Wobser, Dominique; Braat, Johanna C.; Murray, Barbara E.; Bonten, Marc J M; Willems, Rob J L; Leavis, Helen L.

2016-01-01

Enterococcus faecium is a common cause of nosocomial infections, of which infective endocarditis is associated with substantial mortality. In this study, we used a microarray-based transposon mapping (M-TraM) approach to evaluate a rat endocarditis model and identified a gene, originally annotated

Outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a haematology unit: risk factor assessment and successful control of the epidemic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmers, Gert Jan; van der Zwet, Wil C.; Simoons-Smit, Ina M.; Savelkoul, Paul H. M.; Meester, Helena H. M.; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M. J. E.; Huijgens, Peter C.

2002-01-01

We describe an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) on the haematology ward of a Dutch university hospital. After the occurrence of three consecutive cases of bacteraemia with VRE, strains were genotyped and found to be identical. During the next 4 months an intensive

Analysis of the world epidemiological situation among vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infections and the current situation in Poland

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Talaga-Ćwiertnia, Katarzyna; Bulanda, Małgorzata

2018-01-01

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) strains have become an important hospital pathogen due to their rapid spread, high mortality rate associated with infections and limited therapeutic options. Vancomycin resistance is predominantly mediated by VanA or VanB phenotypes, which differ as regards maintaining sensitivity to teicoplanin in the VanB phenotype. The majority of VREfm cases in the United States, Europe, Korea, South America and Africa are currently caused by the VanA phenotype. However, the epidemics in Australia and Singapore are chiefly brought about by the VanB phenotype. The rate of VREfm isolate spread varies greatly. The greatest percentage of VREfm is now recorded in the USA, Ireland and Australia. Supervision of VRE is implemented to varying degrees. Therefore, the epidemiological situation in some countries is difficult to assess due to limited data or lack thereof.

Simple test of synergy between ampicillin and vancomycin for resistant strains of Enterococcus faecium.

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Green, M; Barbadora, K; Wadowsky, R M

1994-11-01

The combination of ampicillin and vancomycin kills some but not all strains of ampicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. We compared a simple test for synergy utilizing a commercially available microdilution susceptibility system with time-kill studies and determined acceptable breakpoints for this test for 20 strains of ampicillin- and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium. The combination of ampicillin and vancomycin was tested for synergy by time-kill, broth macrodilution, and broth microdilution procedures. Repeat testing of isolates by macro- and microdilution synergy methods yielded MICs that were within one twofold dilution of each other for both intra- and intertest comparisons. Synergy was always detected by time-kill studies when the MIC of ampicillin in the combination synergy screen was 16 micrograms/ml in the combination microdilution synergy screen. The determination of the synergy by the broth microdilution procedure appears to be simple, convenient, and accurate.

Control of Listeria monocytogenes in goat's milk and goat's jben by the bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecium F58 strain.

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Achemchem, Fouad; Abrini, Jamal; Martínez-Bueno, Manuel; Valdivia, Eva; Maqueda, Mercedes

2006-10-01

The bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecium F58 strain, a natural goat's jben cheese isolate, lacks decarboxylase activity involved in most biogenic amine formation. It was also sensitive to 13 antibiotics assayed and free of virulence and vancomycin resistance genes. The F58 strain reached the stationary phase after 12 h of growth in sterile goat's milk, and the production of enterocin F-58 (Ent L50) was first detected after 48 h (400 AU/ml), thereafter remaining stable up to 5 days. The effectiveness of the F58 strain in controlling Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b in reduced fat and whole goat's milk, and in goat's jben has been examined. Coculture experiments of F58-L. monocytogenes in both types of milk demonstrated that listeriae were not eliminated, although reductions by 1 to 4 log units were found. Nevertheless, when the F58 strain was previously inoculated in whole milk and left to grow for 12 h before contamination, the pathogen was completely eliminated after 130 h of coculture. Production of jben cheese contaminated with L. monocytogenes prior to packaging, using preparations of F58-producer strain, caused a significant decrease in the number of viable listeriae, which were undetectable after 1 week of cheese storage at 22 degrees C. Altogether, results from this study suggest that E. faecium F58 strain may be used as an adjunct culture in cheese to control contamination and growth of L. monocytogenes by in situ enterocin production, thus providing an additional hurdle to enhance control of this pathogen.

In vivo model experiment using laying hens treated with Enterococcus faecium EM41 from ostrich faeces and its enterocin EM41

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Andrea Lauková1,

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecium EM41 is an isolate from ostrich faeces. It produces a thermo-stable proteinaceous substance, bacteriocin (enterocin EM41 with the highest inhibition activity in late logarithmic phase of growth (25 600 AU/ml. This strain and its enterocin have not been previously tested in animals. Lohmann Brown laying hens (aged 45 weeks were involved in this model/pilot experiment, divided into 3 groups 6 birds in each. E. faecium EM41 applied was a variant treated with rifampicin (109 cfu/ml, dose 400 μl/animal/day to differentiate it from the other enterococci. Partially-purified enterocin EM41 (Ent EM41, dose 40 μl/animal/day and its producer were applied to water for 21 days. The experiment lasted 35 days. Sampling was performed at days 0 - 1, 21 (3 weeks of additive application, 35 (2 weeks after cessation of additive application from every bird. E. faecium EM41 sufficiently colonized the intestinal tract of laying hens from the initial concentration 109 cfu/g, its count reached 4.30 log cfu/g at day 21. PCR genotypization confirmed the identity of the EM41 strain with the species Enterococcus faecium. E. faecium EM41 and its enterocin EM41 showed antimicrobial effects demonstrated by reduction of coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative staphylococci, coliforms, Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp. and Campylobacter spp. The hens were Salmonella spp. free. After administration of both additives, phagocytic activity was stimulated with a significant increase. The additives did not negatively influence biochemical and haematological parameters or weight gains.

Complete Genome Sequences of Isolates of Enterococcus faecium Sequence Type 117, a Globally Disseminated Multidrug-Resistant Clone

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Tedim, Ana P.; Lanza, Val F.; Manrique, Marina; Pareja, Eduardo; Ruiz-Garbajosa, Patricia; Cantón, Rafael; Baquero, Fernando; Tobes, Raquel

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The emergence of nosocomial infections by multidrug-resistant sequence type 117 (ST117) Enterococcus faecium has been reported in several European countries. ST117 has been detected in Spanish hospitals as one of the main causes of bloodstream infections. We analyzed genome variations of ST117 strains isolated in Madrid and describe the first ST117 closed genome sequences. PMID:28360174

Modulation of virulence and antibiotic susceptibility of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains by Enterococcus faecium probiotic strain culture fractions.

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Ditu, Lia-Mara; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Bezirtzoglou, Eugenia; Voltsi, Chrysa; Bleotu, Coralia; Pelinescu, Diana; Mihaescu, Grigore; Lazar, Veronica

2011-12-01

The increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance drastically reduced the efficiency of conventional antibiotics and led to the reconsideration of the interspecies interactions in influencing bacterial virulence and response to therapy. The aim of the study was the investigation of the influence of the soluble and cellular fractions of Enterococcus (E.) faecium CMGB16 probiotic culture on the virulence and antibiotic resistance markers expression in clinical enteropathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains. The 7 clinical enteropathogenic E. coli strains, one standard E. coli ATCC 25,922 and one Bacillus (B.) cereus strains were cultivated in nutrient broth, aerobically at 37 °C, for 24 h. The E. faecium CMGB16 probiotic strain was cultivated in anaerobic conditions, at 37 °C in MRS (Man Rogosa Sharpe) broth, and co-cultivated with two pathogenic strains (B. cereus and E. coli O28) culture fractions (supernatant, washed sediment and heat-inactivated culture) for 6 h, at 37 °C. After co-cultivation, the soluble and cellular fractions of the probiotic strain cultivated in the presence of two pathogenic strains were separated by centrifugation (6000 rpm, 10 min), heat-inactivated (15 min, 100 °C) and co-cultivated with the clinical enteropathogenic E. coli strains in McConkey broth, for 24 h, at 37 °C, in order to investigate the influence of the probiotic fractions on the adherence capacity and antibiotic susceptibility. All tested probiotic combinations influenced the adherence pattern of E. coli tested strains. The enteropathogenic E. coli strains susceptibility to aminoglycosides, beta-lactams and quinolones was increased by all probiotic combinations and decreased for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. This study demonstrates that the plurifactorial anti-infective action of probiotics is also due to the modulation of virulence factors and antibiotic susceptibility expression in E. coli pathogenic strains. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis Strains isolated from water and clinical samples: antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic relationships.

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Castillo-Rojas, Gonzalo; Mazari-Hiríart, Marisa; Ponce de León, Sergio; Amieva-Fernández, Rosa I; Agis-Juárez, Raúl A; Huebner, Johannes; López-Vidal, Yolanda

2013-01-01

Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora in a large number of mammals, and these microbes are currently used as indicators of fecal contamination in water and food for human consumption. These organisms are considered one of the primary causes of nosocomial and environmental infections due to their ability to survive in the environment and to their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobials. The aims of this study were to determine the biochemical patterns and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium isolates from clinical samples and from water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and treated water from the Mexico City Metropolitan Area) and to determine the genetic relationships among these isolates. A total of 121 enterococcus strains were studied; 31 and 90 strains were isolated from clinical samples and water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and water for agricultural irrigation), respectively. Identification to the species level was performed using a multiplex PCR assay, and antimicrobial profiles were obtained using a commercial kit. Twenty-eight strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). E. faecium strains isolated from water showed an atypical biochemical pattern. The clinical isolates showed higher resistance to antibiotics than those from water. Both the enterococci isolated from humans, and those isolated from water showed high genetic diversity according to the PFGE analysis, although some strains seemed to be closely related. In conclusion, enterococci isolated from humans and water are genetically different. However, water represents a potential route of transmission to the community and a source of antimicrobial resistance genes that may be readily transmitted to other, different bacterial species.

Comparison of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis Strains isolated from water and clinical samples: antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic relationships.

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Gonzalo Castillo-Rojas

Full Text Available Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora in a large number of mammals, and these microbes are currently used as indicators of fecal contamination in water and food for human consumption. These organisms are considered one of the primary causes of nosocomial and environmental infections due to their ability to survive in the environment and to their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobials. The aims of this study were to determine the biochemical patterns and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium isolates from clinical samples and from water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and treated water from the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and to determine the genetic relationships among these isolates. A total of 121 enterococcus strains were studied; 31 and 90 strains were isolated from clinical samples and water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and water for agricultural irrigation, respectively. Identification to the species level was performed using a multiplex PCR assay, and antimicrobial profiles were obtained using a commercial kit. Twenty-eight strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. E. faecium strains isolated from water showed an atypical biochemical pattern. The clinical isolates showed higher resistance to antibiotics than those from water. Both the enterococci isolated from humans, and those isolated from water showed high genetic diversity according to the PFGE analysis, although some strains seemed to be closely related. In conclusion, enterococci isolated from humans and water are genetically different. However, water represents a potential route of transmission to the community and a source of antimicrobial resistance genes that may be readily transmitted to other, different bacterial species.

Identification of a novel clone, ST736, among Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates and its association with daptomycin nonsusceptibility.

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Wang, Guiqing; Kamalakaran, Sitharthan; Dhand, Abhay; Huang, Weihua; Ojaimi, Caroline; Zhuge, Jian; Yee, Leslie Lee; Mayigowda, Pramod; Surendraiah, Pavan Kumar Makam; Dimitrova, Nevenka; Fallon, John T

2014-08-01

Resistance to daptomycin in enterococcal clinical isolates remains rare but is being increasingly reported in the United States and worldwide. There are limited data on the genetic relatedness and microbiological and clinical characteristics of daptomycin-nonsusceptible enterococcal clinical isolates. In this study, we assessed the population genetics of daptomycin-nonsusceptible Enterococcus faecium (DNSE) clinical isolates by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and whole-genome sequencing analysis. Forty-two nonduplicate DNSE isolates and 43 randomly selected daptomycin-susceptible E. faecium isolates were included in the analysis. All E. faecium isolates were recovered from patients at a tertiary care medical center in suburban New York City from May 2009 through December 2013. The daptomycin MICs of the DNSE isolates ranged from 6 to >256 μg/ml. Three major clones of E. faecium (ST18, ST412, and ST736) were identified among these clinical isolates by MLST and whole-genome sequence-based analysis. A newly recognized clone, ST736, was seen in 32 of 42 (76.2%) DNSE isolates and in only 14 of 43 (32.6%) daptomycin-susceptible E. faecium isolates (P clone ST736 and daptomycin nonsusceptibility. The identification and potential spread of this novel E. faecium clone and its association with daptomycin nonsusceptibility constitute a challenge for patient management and infection control at our medical center. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the enterocin P structural gene of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from nonfermented animal foods.

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Arlindo, Samuel; Calo, Pilar; Franco, Carlos; Prado, Marta; Cepeda, Alberto; Barros-Velázquez, Jorge

2006-12-01

The bacteriocins produced by two lactic acid bacteria isolated from nonfermented fresh meat and fish, respectively, and exhibiting a remarkable antilisterial activity, were characterized. Bacteriocinogenic strains were identified as Enterococcus faecium and the maximum bacteriocin production by both strains was detected in the stationary phase of growth. The activity against Listeria monocytogenes was maintained in pH range of 3-7 and was stable in both strains after heating at 100 or 121 degrees C. The genes coding for enterocin P were detected, isolated, and sequenced in both E. faecium strains. They exhibited DNA/DNA homology in the 87.1-97.2% range with respect to the other four enterocin P genes reported so far. Three single nucleotide polymorphism events, silent at the amino acid level, were detected at nucleotide positions 45 (G/A), 75 (A/G), and 90 (T/C) in E. faecium LHICA 28-4 and may explain the differences reported for those loci in other enterocin P-producing E. faecium strains. This work provides the first description of enterocin P-producing E. faecium strains in nonfermented foodstuffs and, in the case of E. faecium LHICA 51, the first report of an enterocin P-producing strain isolated from fish so far.

Aging Eye Microbiota in Dry Eye Syndrome in Patients Treated with Enterococcus faecium and Saccharomyces boulardii.

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Chisari, Giuseppe; Chisari, Eleonora M; Borzi, Antonio M; Chisari, Clara G

2017-01-01

Aging and oxidative stress seem to play a key role in the onset and progression of ocular surface diseases. Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface in which symptoms may interfere with the ability to work and carry out daily functions. This clinical trial was a pilot study to evaluate the effects of supplementation with mixture (Saccharomyces boulardii MUCL 53837 and Enterococcus faecium LMG S-28935) on the tear film. Following the run-in period subjects were randomized in two groups: group A (n.30 subjects) and group B (n.30 subjects). Group A (control) treated only with substitute tear and group B treated with substitute tear + mixture (probiotic). The data obtained in the two study groups A and B were, respectively the following: Schirmer I: 9.2±0.2 vs. 12.8±0.4 (pSaccharomyces boulardii MUCL 53837 and Enterococcus faecium LMG S-28935) activity integration with the action of tear substitutes, along with standardization of clinical parameters of the tear film and microbiological activity in restoring of the microbiota ocular surface subject with DES. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Enterocin HZ produced by a wild Enterococcus faecium strain isolated from a traditional, starter-free pickled cheese.

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Yildirim, Zeliha; Bilgin, Harun; Isleroglu, Hilal; Tokatli, Kader; Sahingil, Didem; Yildirim, Metin

2014-05-01

Bacteriogenic Enterococcus faecium HZ was identified by using biochemical (Strep-API 20, API-50 CHL, fatty acid profile) and 16S rRNA analysis (99·99 %). Ent. faecium HZ was sensitive to clinically important antibiotics such as vancomycin, and did not have gelatinase and haemolysis activities. Enterocin HZ, a bacteriocin from Ent. faecium HZ, was sensitive to papain and tyripsin, but resistant to pepsin, lipase, catalase, α-amylase, organic solvents, detergents, ß-mercaptoethanol, and heat treatment (90 °C/30 min). It was biologically active at pH 2·0-9·0 and synthesised at the highest level in MRS or M17 broth at 32 or 37 °C with an inoculum amount of 0·1-0·5 % and an initial pH of 6·0-7·0. Enterocin HZ production reached maximum level at middle and late logarithmic phase and its molecular weight was ∼4·5 kDa. It was active against some Gram-positive foodborne bacteria. Ent. faecium HZ or its bacteriocin enterocin HZ is a good candidate to be studied as a food biopreservative since enterocin HZ showed strong bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes in UHT milk and also Ent. faecium HZ grew very well in milk and produced enterocin HZ at maximum level.

Enterocin X, a novel two-peptide bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium KU-B5, has an antibacterial spectrum entirely different from those of its component peptides.

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Hu, Chih-Bo; Malaphan, Wanna; Zendo, Takeshi; Nakayama, Jiro; Sonomoto, Kenji

2010-07-01

Enterocin X, composed of two antibacterial peptides (Xalpha and Xbeta), is a novel class IIb bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium KU-B5. When combined, Xalpha and Xbeta display variably enhanced or reduced antibacterial activity toward a panel of indicators compared to each peptide individually. In E. faecium strains that produce enterocins A and B, such as KU-B5, only one additional bacteriocin had previously been known.

Enterocin X, a Novel Two-Peptide Bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium KU-B5, Has an Antibacterial Spectrum Entirely Different from Those of Its Component Peptides▿

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Hu, Chih-Bo; Malaphan, Wanna; Zendo, Takeshi; Nakayama, Jiro; Sonomoto, Kenji

2010-01-01

Enterocin X, composed of two antibacterial peptides (Xα and Xβ), is a novel class IIb bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium KU-B5. When combined, Xα and Xβ display variably enhanced or reduced antibacterial activity toward a panel of indicators compared to each peptide individually. In E. faecium strains that produce enterocins A and B, such as KU-B5, only one additional bacteriocin had previously been known. PMID:20418437

Delayed-Onset Post-Keratoplasty Endophthalmitis Caused by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium

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Julio C. Hernandez-Camarena

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE endophthalmitis after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP is very rare, the management is a challenge due to both the pattern of antibiotic resistance and the aggressive nature of the infectious process. We report the first delayed-onset case of VRE endophthalmitis after PKP. Materials and Methods: Case report of a 51-year-old female with a 7-week history of PKP who arrived at the emergency room with signs and symptoms of endophthalmitis. Initial visual acuity was light perception, and a posterior pole exam was not possible due to the intense vitreous reaction. Mode B ultrasound was used to assess the posterior pole. The patient underwent pars plana vitrectomy and received intravitreous antibiotics. Results: Vitreous stains and cultures were positive for Enterococcus faecium resistant to vancomycin. Donor rim cultures and viral PCR were negative. Treatment was carried out by repeated intravitreal antibiotics and systemic linezolid. Clinical improvement was seen after the second dose of intravitreous antibiotics and systemic linezolid, but visual acuity remained at light perception consistent with the ischemic changes observed in the posterior pole. Conclusion: VRE endophthalmitis might be associated with positive donor rim cultures. Prompt use of systemic linezolid in addition to intravitreous antibiotics is recommendable, but even with prompt treatment, visual prognosis is guarded.

[Spectrum and drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria in children with nephrotic syndrome complicated by urinary tract infection: an analysis of 97 cases].

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Song, Shao-Na; Zhang, Bi-Li; Wang, Wen-Hong; Zhang, Xuan

2012-09-01

To investigate the spectrum and drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) complicated by urinary tract infection (UTI). A retrospective analysis was performed on the spectrum and drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria in 97 children with NS complicated by UTI, who hospitalized from January to December, 2011. The incidence of UTI in children with NS was 36.5%. It was significantly more common in children with recurrent NS than in those with primary NS (44.0% vs 31.9%; Ppathogenic bacteria (50.5%), including Enterococcus faecium (29.4%) and Enterococcus faecalis (21.1%), followed by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (15.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.7%). Enterococcus was highly sensitive to nitrofurantoin, vacomycin and linezolid, but was highly resistant to tetracycline and moxifloxacin. More multi-resistant strains were detected in Enterococcus faecium than in Enterococcus faecalis (72% vs 17%; Pbacteria, 25% produced extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs). ESBLs-producing bacteria had 100% sensitivity to imipenem, amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam but were highly resistant to ampicillin, cefazolin and ceftriaxone. Children with recurrent NS are more susceptible to UTI than those with primary NS. Enterococcus is becoming major pathogenic bacteria for UTI in children with NS and has relatively high drug resistance, and most strains of Enterococcus faecium are multi-resistant.

Development of a fluorescent antibody method for the detection of Enterococcus faecium and its potential for coastal aquatic environment monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Caruso, Gabriella; Monticelli, L S; Caruso, R; Bergamasco, A

2008-02-01

A direct, microscopic fluorescent antibody method was developed to detect the occurrence of Enterococcus faecium in coastal aquatic environments and was compared with the conventional membrane filtering method. The "in situ" application of the antibody-based protocol in the analysis of water samples collected from coastal polyhaline habitats demonstrated good sensitivity and ease of implementation. Data obtained with the microscopic technique were in agreement with those obtained from culture counts. The fluorescent antibody method proved to be a rapid and reliable technique for the detection of E. faecium. The advantages and limitations intrinsic to the method are discussed, highlighting the potential of this new technique for monitoring coastal aquatic environments.

Effect of Enterococcus faecium EF 55 on morphometry and proliferative activity of intestinal mucosa in broilers infected with Salmonella Enteritidis

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Ševčíková Zuzana

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Enterococcus faecium EF55 on chickens, as well as its influence on proliferative activity of epithelial intestinal cells after infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 (SE PT4. Moreover, the length and area of duodenal and jejunal villi of the birds were examined.

Relationship between copper, glycopeptide, and macrolide resistance among Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from pigs in Denmark between 1997 and 2003

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasman, Henrik; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2005-01-01

A significant relationship between copper resistance (tcrB), glycopeptide resistance (Tn1546), and macrolide resistance [erm(B)] in Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigs was found. The tcrB gene was located closely upstream of the Tn1546 element. However, the continued use of copper sulfate has...... not been able to maintain high levels of macrolide and glycopeptide resistance....

High-resolution melting genotyping of Enterococcus faecium based on multilocus sequence typing derived single nucleotide polymorphisms.

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Steven Y C Tong

Full Text Available We have developed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP nucleated high-resolution melting (HRM technique to genotype Enterococcus faecium. Eight SNPs were derived from the E. faecium multilocus sequence typing (MLST database and amplified fragments containing these SNPs were interrogated by HRM. We tested the HRM genotyping scheme on 85 E. faecium bloodstream isolates and compared the results with MLST, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and an allele specific real-time PCR (AS kinetic PCR SNP typing method. In silico analysis based on predicted HRM curves according to the G+C content of each fragment for all 567 sequence types (STs in the MLST database together with empiric data from the 85 isolates demonstrated that HRM analysis resolves E. faecium into 231 "melting types" (MelTs and provides a Simpson's Index of Diversity (D of 0.991 with respect to MLST. This is a significant improvement on the AS kinetic PCR SNP typing scheme that resolves 61 SNP types with D of 0.95. The MelTs were concordant with the known ST of the isolates. For the 85 isolates, there were 13 PFGE patterns, 17 STs, 14 MelTs and eight SNP types. There was excellent concordance between PFGE, MLST and MelTs with Adjusted Rand Indices of PFGE to MelT 0.936 and ST to MelT 0.973. In conclusion, this HRM based method appears rapid and reproducible. The results are concordant with MLST and the MLST based population structure.

Effects of two novel amino acid substitutions on the penicillin binding properties of the PBP5 C‑terminal from Enterococcus faecium.

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Zhou, Chengjiang; Niu, Haiying; Yu, Hui; Zhou, Lishe; Wang, Zhanli

2015-10-01

The low‑affinity penicillin‑binding protein (PBP)5 is responsible for resistance to β‑lactam antibiotics in Enterococcus faecium. (E. faecium). In order to evaluate more fully the potential of this species for the development of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, the present study aimed to examine the extent of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) variations in a collection of clinical E. faecium isolates. In the present study, the C‑terminal domain of PBP5 (PBP5‑CD) of 13 penicillin‑resistant clinical isolates of E. faecium were sequenced and the correlation between penicillin resistance and particular amino acid changes were analyzed. The present study identified for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, two novel substitutions (Tyr460Phe and Ala462Thr or Val462Thr) of E. faecium PBP5‑CD. The covalent interaction between penicillin and PBP5‑CD was also investigated using homology modeling and molecular docking methods. The theoretical calculation revealed that Phe460 and Thr462 were involved in penicillin binding, suggesting that substitutions at these positions exert effects on the affinity for penicillin, and this increased affinity translates into lower resistance in vitro.

Relentless spread and adaptation of non-typeable vanA vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium: a genome-wide investigation.

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van Hal, Sebastiaan J; Beukers, Alicia G; Timms, Verlaine J; Ellem, Justin A; Taylor, Peter; Maley, Michael W; Newton, Peter J; Ferguson, John K; Lee, Andie; Chen, Sharon C-A; Sintchenko, Vitali

2018-03-16

VRE are prevalent among patients in ICUs. Non-typeable vanA VRE, due to loss of one of the genes used for MLST (pstS), have increased in Australia, suggestive of a new, hospital-acquired lineage. To understand the significance of this lineage and its transmission using WGS of strains isolated from patients in ICUs across New South Wales, Australia. A total of 240 Enterococcus faecium isolates collected between February and May 2016, and identified by conventional PCR as vanA positive, were sequenced. Isolates originated from 12 ICUs in New South Wales, grouped according to six local health districts, and represented both rectal screening swab (n = 229) and clinical (n = 11) isolates. ST analysis revealed the absence of the pstS gene in 84.2% (202 of 240) of vanA isolates. Two different non-typeable STs were present based on different allelic backbone patterns. Loss of the pstS gene appeared to be the result of multiple recombination events across this region. Evidence for pstS-negative lineage spread across all six local health districts was observed suggestive of inter-hospital transmission. In addition, multiple outbreaks were detected, some of which were protracted and lasted for the duration of the study. These findings confirmed the evolution, emergence and dissemination of non-typeable vanA E. faecium. This study has highlighted the utility of WGS when attempting to describe accurately the hospital-based pathogen epidemiology, which in turn will continue to inform optimal infection control measures necessary to halt the spread of this important nosocomial organism.

High-level heterologous production and functional expression of the sec-dependent enterocin P from Enterococcus faecium P13 in Lactococcus lactis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gutierrez, Jorge; Larsen, Rasmus; Cintas, Luis M.; Kok, Jan; Hernandez, Pablo E.

Enterocin P (EntP), a sec-dependent bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium P13, was produced by Lactococcus lactis. The EntP structural gene (entP) with or without the EntP immunity gene (entiP) was cloned in (1), plasmid pMG36c under control of the lactococcal constitutive promoter P-32, (2) in

Physical, biochemical and genetic characterization of enterocin CE5-1 produced by Enterococcus faecium CE5-1 isolated from Thai indigenous chicken intestinal tract

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Kraiyot Saelim

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Enterocin CE5-1 produced by Enterococcus faecium CE5-1 isolated from the chicken gastrointestinal tract was active in the wide range of pH 2-10 and temperature 30-100°C and sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and -amylase. It remained active after storage at -20°C for 2 months. Moreover, enterocin CE5-1 showed antibacterial activity against lactobacilli, bacilli, listeria, staphylococci and enterococci, especially antibiotic-resistant enterococci. In vitro study of enterocin CE5-1 decreased the population of Ent. faecalis VanB from 6.03 to 4.03 log CFU/ml. The lethal mode of action of enterocin CE5-1 appeared to be pore and filament formation in the cell wall. PCR sequencing analysis revealed the presence of two open reading frames (ORFs, containing enterocin CE5-1 (entCE5-1 and enterocin immunity (entI gene. Therefore, enterocin CE5-1 from Ent. faecium CE5-1 could possibly be used as an antimicrobial agent to control foodborne pathogen, spoilage bacteria and antibiotic-resistant enterococci in foods, feeds and the environments.

Characterization of vancomycin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium isolates from humans, chickens and pigs by RiboPrinting and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammerum, Anette Marie; Fussing, Vivian; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2000-01-01

Forty-eight vancomycin-resistant and 35 vancomycin-sensitive Danish Enterococcus faecium isolates obtained from pigs, chickens and humans, as well as the human vanA reference isolate BM4147, were characterized by EcoRI RiboPrinting and Smal pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. RiboPrinting of the 84...

Construction of improved temperature-sensitive and mobilizable vectors and their use for constructing mutations in the adhesin-encoding acm gene of poorly transformable clinical Enterococcus faecium strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Singh, Kavindra V; Murray, Barbara E

2006-01-01

Inactivation by allelic exchange in clinical isolates of the emerging nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium has been hindered by lack of efficient tools, and, in this study, transformation of clinical isolates was found to be particularly problematic. For this reason, a vector for allelic replacement (pTEX5500ts) was constructed that includes (i) the pWV01-based gram-positive repAts replication region, which is known to confer a high degree of temperature intolerance, (ii) Escherichia coli oriR from pUC18, (iii) two extended multiple-cloning sites located upstream and downstream of one of the marker genes for efficient cloning of flanking regions for double-crossover mutagenesis, (iv) transcriptional terminator sites to terminate undesired readthrough, and (v) a synthetic extended promoter region containing the cat gene for allelic exchange and a high-level gentamicin resistance gene, aph(2'')-Id, to distinguish double-crossover recombination, both of which are functional in gram-positive and gram-negative backgrounds. To demonstrate the functionality of this vector, the vector was used to construct an acm (encoding an adhesin to collagen from E. faecium) deletion mutant of a poorly transformable multidrug-resistant E. faecium endocarditis isolate, TX0082. The acm-deleted strain, TX6051 (TX0082Deltaacm), was shown to lack Acm on its surface, which resulted in the abolishment of the collagen adherence phenotype observed in TX0082. A mobilizable derivative (pTEX5501ts) that contains oriT of Tn916 to facilitate conjugative transfer from the transformable E. faecalis strain JH2Sm::Tn916 to E. faecium was also constructed. Using this vector, the acm gene of a nonelectroporable E. faecium wound isolate was successfully interrupted. Thus, pTEX5500ts and its mobilizable derivative demonstrated their roles as important tools by helping to create the first reported allelic replacement in E. faecium; the constructed this acm deletion mutant will be useful for assessing the

Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in a multi-species biofilm with Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium and control through sanitation procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva Fernandes, Meg; Kabuki, Dirce Yorika; Kuaye, Arnaldo Yoshiteru

2015-05-04

The formation of mono-species biofilm (Listeria monocytogenes) and multi-species biofilms (Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and L. monocytogenes) was evaluated. In addition, the effectiveness of sanitation procedures for the control of the multi-species biofilm also was evaluated. The biofilms were grown on stainless steel coupons at various incubation temperatures (7, 25 and 39°C) and contact times (0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days). In all tests, at 7°C, the microbial counts were below 0.4 log CFU/cm(2) and not characteristic of biofilms. In mono-species biofilm, the counts of L. monocytogenes after 8 days of contact were 4.1 and 2.8 log CFU/cm(2) at 25 and 39°C, respectively. In the multi-species biofilms, Enterococcus spp. were present at counts of 8 log CFU/cm(2) at 25 and 39°C after 8 days of contact. However, the L. monocytogenes in multi-species biofilms was significantly affected by the presence of Enterococcus spp. and by temperature. At 25°C, the growth of L. monocytogenes biofilms was favored in multi-species cultures, with counts above 6 log CFU/cm(2) after 8 days of contact. In contrast, at 39°C, a negative effect was observed for L. monocytogenes biofilm growth in mixed cultures, with a significant reduction in counts over time and values below 0.4 log CFU/cm(2) starting at day 4. Anionic tensioactive cleaning complemented with another procedure (acid cleaning, disinfection or acid cleaning+disinfection) eliminated the multi-species biofilms under all conditions tested (counts of all micro-organismsbiofilms under all tested conditions (counts of the all microorganisms biofilms under all the test conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enterococcus faecium LKE12 Cell-Free Extract Accelerates Host Plant Growth via Gibberellin and Indole-3-Acetic Acid Secretion.

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Lee, Ko-Eun; Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Kang, Sang-Mo; You, Young-Hyun; Joo, Gil-Jae; Lee, In-Jung; Ko, Jae-Hwan; Kim, Jin-Ho

2015-09-01

The use of microbial extracts containing plant hormones is a promising technique to improve crop growth. Little is known about the effect of bacterial cell-free extracts on plant growth promotion. This study, based on phytohormonal analyses, aimed at exploring the potential mechanisms by which Enterococcus faecium LKE12 enhances plant growth in oriental melon. A bacterial strain, LKE12, was isolated from soil, and further identified as E. faecium by 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The plant growth-promoting ability of an LKE12 bacterial culture was tested in a gibberellin (GA)-deficient rice dwarf mutant (waito-C) and a normal GA biosynthesis rice cultivar (Hwayongbyeo). E. faecium LKE12 significantly improved the length and biomass of rice shoots in both normal and dwarf cultivars through the secretion of an array of gibberellins (GA1, GA3, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA12, GA19, GA20, GA24, and GA53), as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that E. faecium can produce GAs. Increases in shoot and root lengths, plant fresh weight, and chlorophyll content promoted by E. faecium LKE12 and its cell-free extract inoculated in oriental melon plants revealed a favorable interaction of E. faecium LKE12 with plants. Higher plant growth rates and nutrient contents of magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, silicon, zinc, and nitrogen were found in cell-free extract-treated plants than in control plants. The results of the current study suggest that E. faecium LKE12 promotes plant growth by producing GAs and IAA; interestingly, the exogenous application of its cell-free culture extract can be a potential strategy to accelerate plant growth.

Identification of VanN-type vancomycin resistance in an Enterococcus faecium isolate from chicken meat in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Nomura, Takahiro; Tanimoto, Koichi; Shibayama, Keigo; Arakawa, Yoshichika; Fujimoto, Shuhei; Ike, Yasuyoshi; Tomita, Haruyoshi

2012-12-01

Five VanN-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains were isolated from a sample of domestic chicken meat in Japan. All isolates showed low-level resistance to vancomycin (MIC, 12 mg/liter) and had the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile. The vancomycin resistance was encoded on a large plasmid (160 kbp) and was expressed constitutively. The VanN-type resistance operon was identical to the first resistance operon to be reported, with the exception of a 1-bp deletion in vanT(N) and a 1-bp substitution in vanS(N).

Development of a Chemically Defined Medium for Better Yield and Purification of Enterocin Y31 from Enterococcus faecium Y31

OpenAIRE

Liu, Wenli; Zhang, Lanwei; Yi, Huaxi

2017-01-01

The macro- and micronutrients in traditional medium, such as MRS, used for cultivating lactic acid bacteria, especially for bacteriocin production, have not been defined, preventing the quantitative monitoring of metabolic flux during bacteriocin biosynthesis. To enhance Enterocin Y31 production and simplify steps of separation and purification, we developed a simplified chemically defined medium (SDM) for the growth of Enterococcus faecium Y31 and production of its bacteriocin, Enterocin Y31...

EL USO DE Enterococcus faecium MEJORA PARÁMETROS PRODUCTIVOS EN POLLOS DE ENGORDE

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L. A. Chavez

2016-01-01

Full Text Available El consumo de probióticos se ha asociado con mejoras en algunos parámetros productivos como la conversión alimenticia y la ganancia de peso vivo, lo que se ve reflejado en el desarrollo y salud de las aves. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la influencia de la inclusión de cepas probióticas en la alimentación de pollos de engorde sobre parámetros productivos de importancia económica. Se utilizaron 180 pollos machos (Cobb de un día de edad, alimentados con cinco dietas: dieta comercial con y sin la adición de antibióticos, y a esta última se le adicionó una de tres diferentes cepas probióticas (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus o Enterococcus faecium en el agua de bebida (108 UFC/ml durante 42 días. Se evaluaron parámetros zootécnicos: consumo de alimento, peso corporal, conversón alimenticia (CA y ganancia de peso (GDP; e indicadores productivos: supervivencia, factor de eficiencia americana (FEA, índice productivo (IP, eficiencia europea (EE y eficiencia alimenticia (EA. El diseño estadístico utilizado fue de bloques al azar. La inclusión de probióticos, específicamente E. faecium, mejoró parámetros productivos (P < 0,05 como peso (2.730 g, conversión (1,55, GDP (53,59 g/día, FEA (172, IP (393, EE (400 y EA (63,11%. Por todo lo anterior, la utilización de probióticos, especialmente E. faecium, puede ser considerada como factor promotor de crecimiento durante todo el ciclo de producción del ave debido a que demostró tener efectos positivos, tanto en el desempeño productivo, como en el rendimiento económico del lote.

Linezolid-resistant clinical isolates of meticillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci and Enterococcus faecium from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Jia Chang; Hu, Yan Yan; Zhang, Rong; Zhou, Hong Wei; Chen, Gong-Xiang

2012-11-01

Seventeen meticillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS), including ten Staphylococcus capitis, four Staphylococcus cohnii, two Staphylococcus haemolyticus and one Staphylococcus sciuri, and an Enterococcus faecium isolate with various levels of linezolid resistance were isolated from intensive care units in a Chinese hospital. PFGE indicated that the four S. cohnii isolates belonged to a clonal strain, and that nine of the S. capitis isolates were indistinguishable (clone A1) and the other one was closely related (clone A2). A G2576T mutation was identified in domain V of the 23S rRNA gene in the E. faecium isolate. Besides the G2576T mutation, a novel C2104T mutation was detected in the nine clone A1 S. capitis isolates. The cfr gene was detected in all the staphylococci except an S. sciuri isolate, whose 23S rRNA gene contained the G2576T mutation. There was a clonal dissemination of linezolid-resistant MRCoNS in intensive care units of our hospital, and this is the first report, to our knowledge, of linezolid-resistant staphylococci and enterococci in China.

Cloning, production, and functional expression of the bacteriocin enterocin A, produced by Enterococcus faecium T136, by the yeasts Pichia pastoris, Kluyveromyces lactis, Hansenula polymorpha, and Arxula adeninivorans.

Science.gov (United States)

Borrero, Juan; Kunze, Gotthard; Jiménez, Juan J; Böer, Erik; Gútiez, Loreto; Herranz, Carmen; Cintas, Luis M; Hernández, Pablo E

2012-08-01

The bacteriocin enterocin A (EntA) produced by Enterococcus faecium T136 has been successfully cloned and produced by the yeasts Pichia pastoris X-33EA, Kluyveromyces lactis GG799EA, Hansenula polymorpha KL8-1EA, and Arxula adeninivorans G1212EA. Moreover, P. pastoris X-33EA and K. lactis GG799EA produced EntA in larger amounts and with higher antimicrobial and specific antimicrobial activities than the EntA produced by E. faecium T136.

Human and Swine Hosts Share Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium CC17 and CC5 and Enterococcus faecalis CC2 Clonal Clusters Harboring Tn1546 on Indistinguishable Plasmids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Freitas, Ana R.; Coque, Teresa M.; Novais, Carla

2011-01-01

clonally related Enterococcus faecium clonal complex 5 (CC5) isolates (17 sequence type 6 [ST6], 6 ST5, 5 ST185, 1 ST147, and 1 ST493) were obtained from feces of swine and healthy humans. This collection included isolates widespread among pigs of European Union (EU) countries since the mid-1990s. Each ST...... comprised isolates showing similar pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns (≤6 bands difference; >82% similarity). Some CC5 PFGE subtype strains from swine were indistinguishable from hospital vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) causing infections. A truncated variant of Tn1546 (encoding...... resistance to vancomycin) and tcrB (coding for resistance to copper) were consistently located on 150- to 190-kb plasmids (rep(pLG1)). E. faecium CC17 (ST132) isolates from pig manure and two clinical samples showed identical PFGE profiles and contained a 60-kb mosaic plasmid (rep(Inc18) plus rep...

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates from two hospitals in Mexico: First detection of VanB phenotype-vanA genotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocanegra-Ibarias, Paola; Flores-Treviño, Samantha; Camacho-Ortiz, Adrián; Morfin-Otero, Rayo; Villarreal-Treviño, Licet; Llaca-Díaz, Jorge; Martínez-Landeros, Erik Alan; Rodríguez-Noriega, Eduardo; Calzada-Güereca, Andrés; Maldonado-Garza, Héctor Jesús; Garza-González, Elvira

2016-01-01

Enterococcus faecium has emerged as a multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen involved in outbreaks worldwide. Our aim was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm production, and clonal relatedness of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) clinical isolates from two hospitals in Mexico. Consecutive clinical isolates (n=56) were collected in two tertiary care hospitals in Mexico from 2011 to 2014. VREF isolates were characterized by phenotypic and molecular methods including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). VREF isolates were highly resistant to vancomycin, erythromycin, norfloxacin, high-level streptomycin, and teicoplanin, and showed lower resistance to tetracycline, nitrofurantoin and quinupristin-dalfopristin. None of the isolates were resistant to linezolid. The vanA gene was detected in all isolates. Two VanB phenotype-vanA genotype isolates, highly resistant to vancomycin and susceptible to teicoplanin, were detected. Furthermore, 17.9% of the isolates were classified as biofilm producers, and the espfm gene was found in 98.2% of the isolates. A total of 37 distinct PFGE patterns and 6 clones (25% of the isolates as clone A, 5.4% as clone B, and 3.6% each as clone C, D, E, and F) were detected. Clone A was detected in 5 different wards of the same hospital during 14 months of surveillance. The high resistance to most antimicrobial agents and the moderate cross-transmission of VREF detected accentuates the need for continuous surveillance of E. faecium in the hospital setting. This is also the first reported incidence of the E. faecium VanB phenotype-vanA genotype in the Americas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Isolation and purification of two bacteriocins 3D produced by Enterococcus faecium with inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayoub, Kaoutar; Mardad, Ilham; Ammar, Emna; Serrano, Aurelio; Soukri, Abdelaziz

2011-02-01

Strain 3D, isolated from fermented traditional Moroccan dairy product, and identified as Enterococcus faecium, was studied for its capability to produce two bacteriocins acting against Listeria monocytogenes. Bacteriocins 3 Da and 3Db were heat stable inactivated by proteinase K, pepsin, and trypsin but not when treated with catalase. The evidenced bacteriocins were stable in a wide pH range from 2 to 11 and bactericidal activity was kept during storage at 4°C. However, the combination of temperature and pH exhibited a stability of the bacteriocins. RP-HPLC purification of the anti-microbial compounds shows two active fractions eluted at 16 and 30.5 min, respectively. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that E. faecium 3D produce two bacteriocins Enterocin 3 Da (3893.080 Da) and Enterocin 3Db (4203.350 Da). This strain is food-grade organism and its bacteriocins were heat-stable peptides at basic, neutral, and acid pH: such bacteriocins may be of interest as food preservatives.

Efficacy of Tigecycline Alone and in Combination with Gentamicin in the Treatment of Experimental Endocarditis Due to Linezolid-Resistant Enterococcus faecium

OpenAIRE

Pontikis, Konstantinos; Pefanis, Angelos; Tsaganos, Thomas; Tzepi, Ira-Maria; Carrer, Dionyssia-Pinelopi; Giamarellou, Helen

2013-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of tigecycline in a rabbit model of experimental endocarditis caused by a linezolid-resistant clinical strain of Enterococcus faecium. Tigecycline-treated animals had a 2.8-log10-CFU/g reduction in microbial counts in excised vegetations compared with controls. Addition of gentamicin caused a further arithmetical reduction in colony counts. The therapeutic effect was sustained 5 days after completion of treatment, as shown by relapse studies performed in treatment gr...

Efficacy of tigecycline alone and in combination with gentamicin in the treatment of experimental endocarditis due to linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecium.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontikis, Konstantinos; Pefanis, Angelos; Tsaganos, Thomas; Tzepi, Ira-Maria; Carrer, Dionyssia-Pinelopi; Giamarellou, Helen

2013-07-01

We evaluated the efficacy of tigecycline in a rabbit model of experimental endocarditis caused by a linezolid-resistant clinical strain of Enterococcus faecium. Tigecycline-treated animals had a 2.8-log10-CFU/g reduction in microbial counts in excised vegetations compared with controls. Addition of gentamicin caused a further arithmetical reduction in colony counts. The therapeutic effect was sustained 5 days after completion of treatment, as shown by relapse studies performed in treatment groups.

A Novel High-Molecular-Mass Bacteriocin Produced by Enterococcus faecium: Biochemical Features and Mode of Action.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilchenko, A S; Vasilchenko, A V; Valyshev, A V; Rogozhin, E A

2018-02-08

Discovery of a novel bacteriocin is always an event in sciences, since cultivation of most bacterial species is a general problem in microbiology. This statement is reflected by the fact that number of bacteriocins is smaller for tenfold comparing to known antimicrobial peptides. We cultivated Enterococcus faecium on simplified medium to reduce amount of purification steps. This approach allows to purify the novel heavy weight bacteriocin produced by E. faecium ICIS 7. The novelty of this bacteriocin, named enterocin-7, was confirmed by N-terminal sequencing and by comparing the structural-functional properties with available data. Purified enterocin-7 is characterized by a sequence of amino acid residues having no homology in UniProt/SwissProt/TrEMBL databases: NH2 - Asp - Ala - His - Leu - Ser - Glu - Val - Ala - Glu - Arg - Phe - Glu - Asp - Leu - Gly. Isolated thermostable protein has a molecular mass of 65 kDa, which allows it to be classified into class III in bacteriocin classification schemes. Enterocin-7 displayed a broad spectrum of activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Fluorescent microscopy and spectroscopy showed the permeabilizing mechanism of the action of enterocin-7, which is realized within a few minutes.

Análisis de elementos genéticos móviles en "Enterococcus faecium": coste biológico e impacto en la diversificación clonal

OpenAIRE

Santos Tedim Sousa Pedrosa, Ana Sofía

2016-01-01

La prevalencia de infecciones hospitalarias causadas por especies del género Enterococcus ha sido baja desde su descripción como patógenos oportunistas al inicio del siglo XX, hasta finales de los años 70s, coincidiendo con la aparición de las primeras cepas resistentes a antibióticos. La especie Enterococcus faecium es actualmente uno de los principales patógenos nosocomiales debido en parte a la alta prevalencia de cepas resistentes a ampicilina y vancomicina. La estructura poblacional de E...

Approaches for enhancing in situ detection of enterocin genes in thermized milk, and selective isolation of enterocin-producing Enterococcus faecium from Baird-Parker agar.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandera, Elpiniki; Tsirka, Georgia; Kakouri, Athanasia; Koukkou, Anna-Irini; Samelis, John

2018-05-21

Enterococci are naturally selected for growth in thermized ewes'/goats' milk mixtures used for traditional cooked hard cheese processing in Greece. A culture-independent PCR-based approach was applied to detect the presence of enterocin-encoding genes in naturally culture-enriched thermized milk (TM). Portions of TM (63 °C, 30 s) collected from a commercial cheese plant before addition of starters were fermented at 37 °C for 48 h to facilitate growth of indigenous enterococci. The multiple enterocin-producing (m-Ent+) Enterococcus faecium KE82 and the nisin A-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris M104 served as bacteriocin-positive inocula in separate TM treatments. The PCR results revealed a constant presence of the enterocin A, B and P genes in TM fermented naturally at 37 °C. Eleven out of 42 (26.2%) lactic isolates from the enriched TM cultures without inoculation were Ent+ E. faecium assigned to three biotypes. Biotype I (4 isolates) included single entA possessors, whereas biotype II (5 isolates) and biotype III (2 isolates) were m-Ent+ variants profiling entA-entB-entP and entA-entB genes, respectively. Biotype II displayed the strongest antilisterial activity in vitro. Surprisingly, 85.7% (6/7) of the m-Ent+ E. faecium were selectively isolated from Baird-Parker agar, reflecting their natural resistance to 0.01% tellurite contained in the egg yolk supplement. No cytolysin-positive E. faecalis or other Ent+ Enterococcus spp. were isolated. In conclusion, commercially thermized Greek milk is a natural pool or 'reservoir' of antagonistic Ent+ or m-Ent+ E. faecium strains that can be easily detected and recovered by applying this PCR-based approach to naturally fermented milks or cheese products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association between the use of avilamycin for growth promotion and the occurrence of resistance among Enterococcus faecium from broilers: Epidemiological study and changes over time

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Bager, Flemming; Andersen, J. S.

2000-01-01

This study describes the changes in the occurrence of resistance to avilamycin among Enterococcus faecium from broilers in Denmark and the epidemiological association between usage of avilamycin for growth promotion and the occurrence of avilamycin-resistant E, faecium on broiler farms....... The consumption of avilamycin for growth promotion increased from 10 kg in 1990 to 2,740 kg 1996 and decreased in the following years to only 7 kg in 1998, Most of this has been used for broilers. As part of the nationwide monitoring program for antimicrobial resistance, a total of 473 E, faecium isolates from...... broilers and 290 isolates from pigs have been tested for their susceptibility to avilamycin from 1995 to 1998, A very limited number of isolates from pigs were resistant to avilamycin, whereas the occurrence of resistance among isolates from broilers increased from 63.6% at the end of 1995 to a maximum...

Purification of a Novel Bacteriocin-Like Inhibitory Substance Produced by Enterococcus faecium ICIS 8 and Characterization of Its Mode of Action.

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Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Rogozhin, Eugene A; Valyshev, Alexander V

2017-06-01

The aim of this work was to purify and characterize a bacteriocin-like antimicrobial substance produced by an antagonistic active strain of Enterococcus faecium. A novel bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) produced by the E. faecium ICIS 8 strain was purified and characterized using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed the following partial sequence: NH 2 -APKEKCFPKYCV. The proteinaceous nature of purified BLIS was assessed by treatment with proteolytic enzyme. Studies of the action of BLIS using bacteriological and bioluminescence assays revealed a dose-dependent inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes 88BK and Escherichia coli K12 TG1 lac::lux viability. The interaction of the BLIS with the bacterial surface led to the compensation of a negative charge value, as shown by zeta-potential measurements. Assessments of membrane integrity using fluorescent probes and atomic force microscopy revealed the permeabilization of the cellular barrier structures in both L. monocytogenes and E. coli. The novel BLIS from E. faecium ICIS 8 was characterized by a unique primary peptide sequence and exerted bactericidal activity against L. monocytogenes and E. coli by disrupting membrane integrity.

Comparative Characterization Of Endemic Lactic Acid Bacteria Of Enterococcus Genus

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Kristina Karapetyan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The diversity of multidrug-resistance MDR of pathogenic strains to antibiotics most widely used for treatment of human diseases in the Republics of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh were examined. It was shown that difference of resistance of pathogens to antibiotics depends on their isolation sources. It was shown that bacteriocin containing partially purified preparations obtained from different strains of Enterococcus faecium and durans species isolated from various samples of matsun salted cheese and other acid milk products from milk of different domestic animals from rural households inhibited the growth of multidrug-resistant bacteria belonging to different taxonomic groups with different efficiency.

Raising the Alarmone: Within-Host Evolution of Antibiotic-Tolerant Enterococcus faecium

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2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Enterococci are ancient commensal bacteria that recently emerged as leading causes of antibiotic-resistant, hospital-acquired infection. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) epitomize why drug-resistant enterococcal infections are a problem: VRE readily colonize the antibiotic-perturbed gastrointestinal (GI) tract where they amplify to large numbers, and from there, they infect other body sites, including the bloodstream, urinary tract, and surgical wounds. VRE are resistant to many antimicrobials and host defenses, which facilitates establishment at the site of infection and confounds therapeutic clearance. Having evolved to colonize the GI tract, VRE are comparatively ill adapted to the human bloodstream. A recent study by Honsa and colleagues (E. S. Honsa et al., mBio 8:e02124-16, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02124-16) found that a strain of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium evolved antibiotic tolerance within the bloodstream of an immunocompromised host by activating the stringent response through mutation of relA. Precisely how VRE colonize and infect and the selective pressures that led to the outgrowth of relA mutants are the subjects of ongoing research. PMID:28223450

Ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium : ecology, transmission dynamics and intervention strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Regt, M.J.A.

2010-01-01

For years, E. faecium only sporadically caused opportunistic infections in humans and was considered a relatively harmless commensal. In the last two decades, however, a specific polyclonal E. faecium subpopulation has rapidly become a prominent cause of nosocomial infections, which are often

Enterococcus faecium as a Salmonella surrogate in the thermal processing of wheat flour: Influence of water activity at high temperatures.

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Liu, Shuxiang; Rojas, Rossana V; Gray, Peter; Zhu, Mei-Jun; Tang, Juming

2018-09-01

This study investigated the influence of temperature-dependent water activity (a w ) on thermal resistances of Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 (E. faecium) and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 (S. Enteritidis) in wheat flour. The a w for wheat flour samples at 20, 40, and 60 °C was determined by a vapor sorption analyzer and at 75, 80 and 85 °C using custom-built thermal cells with high temperature humidity sensors. Full-factorial isothermal inactivation studies of both strains in sealed aluminum-test-cells included three temperatures (75, 80, and 85 °C) and three a w,25°C levels (0.30, 0.45 and 0.60 within ±0.02 range, prior to the thermal treatments). Isotherm results of wheat flour demonstrate a significant increase (P processing of wheat flour for control of Salmonella over a moisture content of 10-14% and treatment temperatures between 75 and 85 °C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benefits of combinative application of probiotic, enterocin M-producing strain Enterococcus faecium AL41 and Eleutherococcus senticosus in rabbits.

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Lauková, Andrea; Simonová, Monika Pogány; Chrastinová, Ľubica; Plachá, Iveta; Čobanová, Klaudia; Formelová, Zuzana; Chrenková, Mária; Ondruška, Ľubomír; Strompfová, Viola

2016-03-01

This study presents the effects of the probiotic and enterocin M-producing strain Enterococcus faecium AL41 on microbiota, phagocytic activity (PA), oxidative stress, performance and biochemical parameters when applied individually or in combination with Eleutherococcus senticosus in rabbits. The novelty of the study lies in the use of our non-rabbit-derived strain (AL41 = CCM8558) which produces new enterocin M. Ninety-six post-weaned rabbits (Hyplus breed) aged 5 weeks were divided into three experimental groups, 24 in each: E. senticosus (ES, 30 g/100 kg) in feed, E. faecium AL41 (10(9) CFU/mL marked by rifampicin to differentiate it from other enterococci) in water, and ES + AL. AL41 colonized sufficiently in rabbits to reduce coliforms, staphylococci, pseudomonads and clostridia. Slight decrease in bacteria was also found in the caecum and appendix. Phagocytic activity was significantly increased in the experimental groups compared to the control group (CG) (p < 0.001; p < 0.05). Applications did not evoke oxidative stress. Biochemical parameters in blood and caecal organic acids were slightly influenced. Average daily weight gain was slightly higher in ES and AL + ES. Combinative application of E. faecium with E. senticosus can be beneficial in rabbits. AL41 strain alone and in combination with ES produced reduction in spoilage bacteria; the highest stimulation of PA was in the AL41 + ES group.

Inhibition of Bacillus cereus Strains by Antimicrobial Metabolites from Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647 and Enterococcus faecium SM21.

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Soria, M Cecilia; Audisio, M Carina

2014-12-01

Bacillus cereus is an endospore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium able to cause foodborne diseases. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known for their ability to synthesize organic acids and bacteriocins, but the potential of these compounds against B. cereus has been scarcely documented in food models. The present study has examined the effect of the metabolites produced by Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647 and Enterococcus faecium SM21 on the viability of select B. cereus strains. Furthermore, the effect of E. faecium SM21 metabolites against B. cereus strains has also been investigated on a rice food model. L. johnsonii CRL1647 produced 128 mmol/L of lactic acid, 38 mmol/L of acetic acid and 0.3 mmol/L of phenyl-lactic acid. These organic acids reduced the number of vegetative cells and spores of the B. cereus strains tested. However, the antagonistic effect disappeared at pH 6.5. On the other hand, E. faecium SM21 produced only lactic and acetic acid (24.5 and 12.2 mmol/L, respectively) and was able to inhibit both vegetative cells and spores of the B. cereus strains, at a final fermentation pH of 5.0 and at pH 6.5. This would indicate the action of other metabolites, different from organic acids, present in the cell-free supernatant. On cooked rice grains, the E. faecium SM21 bacteriocin(s) were tested against two B. cereus strains. Both of them were significantly affected within the first 4 h of contact; whereas B. cereus BAC1 cells recovered after 24 h, the effect on B. cereus 1 remained up to the end of the assay. The LAB studied may thus be considered to define future strategies for biological control of B. cereus.

Antimicrobial resistance profile of Enterococcus spp isolated from food in Southern Brazil

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Riboldi, Gustavo Pelicioli; Frazzon, Jeverson; d’Azevedo, Pedro Alves; Frazzon, Ana Paula Guedes

2009-01-01

Fifty-six Enterococcus spp. strains were isolated from foods in Southern Brazil, confirmed by PCR and classified as Enterococcus faecalis (27), Enterococcus faecium (23) and Enterococcus spp (6). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed resistance phenotypes to a range of antibiotics widely administrated in humans such as gentamycin, streptomycin, ampicillin and vancomycin. PMID:24031330

Bacteriocinogenic potential and virulence traits of Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis isolated from human milk

Science.gov (United States)

Khalkhali, Soodabeh; Mojgani, Naheed

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Human milk is a continuous supply of Lactic Acid bacteria (LAB), including enterococci with probiotic potentials. The aim of this study was to analyze two Enterococcus species, isolated from human milk for their probiotic potential, bacteriocin producing ability and virulence traits. Materials and Methods: Enterococcus faecium TA0033 and E. faecalis TA102 were tested for acid and bile tolerance, survival in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. The antibacterial spectrum of the isolates was tested by agar well diffusion assay. The antagonistic agent was characterized by physico-chemical methods. The enterocin structural genes, virulence determinants, vancomycin resistance and biogenic amine genes, such as hdc1, hdc2, tdc, ldc and odc were also determined. Results: The tested isolates survived acidic conditions, high bile salt (1%), simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. The culture supernatant fluids of the two isolates inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae and Streptococcus agalactiae. The antagonistic activity was lost in the presence of proteolytic enzymes but tolerated the action of catalase, lysozyme and lipase. In contrast to enterocin TA102, enterocin TA0033 possessed bactericidal mode of action. Bacteriocin structural genes, entA and entB were present in the genome of the two isolates, while E. faecalis TA102 additionally harboured entP and bac31 genes. The phenotypic and genotypic virulence assessment studies indicated hyaluronidase (hyl) production and vancomycin resistance in E. faecalis TA102 while, none of the isolates harboured the biogenic amine genes. Conclusion: The presence of virulence genes in E. faecalis TA102 calls for careful monitoring of Enterococcus isolates for their safety parameters. PMID:29238458

Identification of Structural and Immunity Genes of a Class IIb Bacteriocin Encoded in the Enterocin A Operon of Enterococcus faecium Strain MXVK29.

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Escamilla-Martínez, E E; Cisneros, Y M Álvarez; Fernández, F J; Quirasco-Baruch, M; Ponce-Alquicira, E

2017-10-09

The Enterococcus faecium strain MXVK29, isolated from fermented sausages, produces a bacteriocin with a molecular mass of 3.5 kDa that belongs to the class of enterocins II.1, according to the terminal amino acid sequence, and has been identified as enterocin A. This bacteriocin is active against selected strains of Listeria, Staphylococcus, Pediococcus, and Enterococcus. In this study, we identified the genes adjacent to the structural gene for this bacteriocin, such as the immunity gene (entI) and the inducer gene (entF). Accessory genes for this bacteriocin, such as entK, entR, and entT, were identified as well, in addition to the orf2 and orf3, showing a high identity with class IIb peptides bacteriocins. The orf2 shows the consensus motif GxxxG, similar to those shown by bacteriocins such as PlnNC8α, EntCα, and Ent1071A, whereas orf3 shows a consensus motif SxxxS similar to that present in PlnNC8β (AxxxA). PlnNC8 is expressed only in bacterial cocultures, so there is the possibility that the expression of this two-peptide bacteriocin can be induced by a similar mechanism. So far, only the expression of enterocin A has been found in this strain; however, the presence of the genes ent29α and ent29β opens the possibility for further research on its induction, functionality, and origin. Although there are reports on this type of bacteriocin (EntX, EntC, and Ent1071) in other strains of E. faecium, no report exists yet on an Enterococcus strain producing two different classes of bacteriocin.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus spp. isolated from retail cheese, ready-to-eat salads, ham, and raw meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesavento, G; Calonico, C; Ducci, B; Magnanini, A; Lo Nostro, A

2014-08-01

Food specimens were analyzed in order to research Enterococcus spp.: 636 samples of raw meat (227 beef, 238 poultry, and 171 pork), 278 samples of cheese (110 fresh soft cheese and 168 mozzarella cheese), 214 samples of ready-to-eat salads, and 187 samples of ham. 312 strains of Enterococcus spp samples were isolated, then identified and submitted to susceptibility tests against 11 antimicrobial agents. The predominant species were Enterococcus faecalis in raw meat and Enterococcus faecium in retail products. Low percentages of microorganisms were resistant to vancomycin (3.53%), teicoplanin (2.24%), linezolid (0.32%), and amoxicillin in combination with clavulanic acid (0.32%). A high percentage of resistance was noted in E. faecalis at high level gentamicin (21.9%) and tetracycline (60.6%). In general, strains of E. faecalis were more resistant than E. faecium. Enterococci should be considered not only potential pathogens, but also a reservoir of genes encoding antibiotic resistance which can be transferred to other microorganisms. Continuous monitoring of their incidence and emerging resistance is important in order to identify foods which potentially represent a real risk to the population, and to ensure effective treatment of human enterococcal infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Características de α−acetolactato sintetasa y producción de diacetilo por Enterococcus faecium ETw7 y Enterococcus faecalis ETw23

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Marisol Vallejo

2013-03-01

Full Text Available El diacetilo es un compuesto aromático esencial en productos lácteos fermentados como el queso. En este trabajo se estudiaron características cinéticas y bioquímicas de la α-acetolactato sintetasa (α-ALS y su influencia en la producción de diacetilo en Enterococcus faecium ETw7 y Enteroccoccus faecalis ETw23. En ambos casos, los parámetros cinéticos revelaron una baja afinidad por el piruvato, como ha sido descrito en otras bacterias ácido lácticas. E. faecium ETw7 desarrolló la máxima actividad enzimática a pH 5,8—6,2 y 40 ºC, sin embargo bajo las condiciones de maduración de quesos (pH 5,0 y 15 oC la actividad remanente fue baja. La α-ALS de E. faecalis ETw23 mostró la máxima actividad al pH de maduración, la temperatura óptima fue determinada a 40 ºC y la actividad remanente a 15 ºC fue aproximadamente el 30% de la máxima. El crecimiento y la producción de diacetilo fue estudiada en el medio De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS y MRS suplementado con citrato (MRScit. La tasa de crecimiento de E. faecium ETw7 fue comparable en ambos medios, pero se observó un aumento de la biomasa en MRScit. En el caso de E. faecalis ETw23 se logró una mayor tasa de crecimiento entre las 6 y 10 h, y una mayor biomasa en MRScit. Después de 24 h de crecimiento E. faecium ETw7 alcanzó un nivel de 20,4 μM de diacetilo en MRS y 26,1 μM en MRScit, mientras que E. faecalis ETw23 logró niveles de 41,8 μM y 61,7 μM, respectivamente. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que E. faecalis ETw23 puede contribuir en el desarrollo de aromas en quesos a través de su rol en la producción de diacetilo.

Microencapsulation increases survival of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum IS-10506, but not Enterococcus faecium IS-27526 in a dynamic, computer-controlled in vitro model of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

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Surono, I; Verhoeven, J; Verbruggen, S; Venema, K

2018-02-23

To test the effect of microencapsulation on the survival of two probiotic strains isolated from Dadih, Indonesian fermented buffalo milk, in a dynamic, computer-controlled in vitro model of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract (TIM-1), simulating human adults. Free or microencapsulated probiotics, Lactobacillus plantarum IS-10506 or Enterococcus faecium IS-27526, resuspended in milk were studied for survival in the complete TIM-1 system (stomach + small intestine) or in the gastric compartment of TIM-1 only. Hourly samples collected after the ileal-caecal valve or after the pylorus were plated on MRS agar (for Lactobacillus) or S&B agar (for Enterococcus). Survival of the free cells after transit through the complete TIM-1 system was on average for the E. faecium and L. plantarum 15·0 and 18·5% respectively. Survival of the microencapsulated E. faecium and L. plantarum was 15·7 and 84·5% respectively. The free cells were further assessed in only the gastric compartment of TIM-1. E. faecium and L. plantarum showed an average survival of 39 and 32%, respectively, after gastric passage. There is similar sensitivity to gastric acid as well as survival after complete upper GI tract transit of free cells, but microencapsulation only protected L. plantarum. Survival of microencapsulated L. plantarum IS-10506 is increased compared to free cells in a validated in vitro model of the upper GI tract. It increases its use as an ingredient of functional foods. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterococcus Species: A Hospital-Based Study in China

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Wei Jia

2014-03-01

exhibited various resistances to the same antimicrobial agent, while reserpine treatment reduced the resistance of Enterococcus species to ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and levofloxacin. The β-lactamase gene TEM, aminoglycoside-modifying-enzyme genes aac(6'-aph(2", aph(3'-III, ant(6-I and ant(2"-I, tetracycline resistance gene tetM, erythromycin resistance gene ermB, vancomycin resistance gene vanA and the enterococcal multidrug resistance efflux emeA gene were detected in 77%, 62%, 26%, 13%, 36%, 31%, 66%, 5% and 55% of the 100 multiple-drug resistant enterococcal isolates. Conclusions: similar to previous findings, E. faecium and E. faecalis are predominant conditionally pathogenic bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections that can cause urinary and respiratory system infections. Multiple and high-level antimicrobial resistance is highly prevalent in the hospital isolates of Enterococcus species. Reserpine treatment inhibits the active efflux of Enterococcus species to ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and levofloxacin in vitro and reduces the MIC of Enterococcus species to these three fluoroquinolones. The presence of the enterococcal multidrug resistance efflux emeA gene is associated with the resistance to antibiotics in Enterococcus species. The monitoring of the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus species is of great significance to guide the control and prevention of enterococcal infections.

Dietary Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 and Zinc Oxide Stimulate Immune Reactions to Trivalent Influenza Vaccination in Pigs but Do Not Affect Virological Response upon Challenge Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenya; Burwinkel, Michael; Chai, Weidong; Lange, Elke; Blohm, Ulrike; Breithaupt, Angele; Hoffmann, Bernd; Twardziok, Sven; Rieger, Juliane; Janczyk, Pawel; Pieper, Robert; Osterrieder, Nikolaus

2014-01-01

Swine influenza viruses (SIV) regularly cause significant disease in pigs worldwide. Since there is no causative treatment of SIV, we tested if probiotic Enterococcus (E.) faecium NCIMB 10415 or zinc (Zn) oxide as feed supplements provide beneficial effects upon SIV infection in piglets. Seventy-two weaned piglets were fed three different diets containing either E. faecium or different levels of Zn (2500 ppm, Znhigh; 50 ppm, Znlow). Half of the piglets were vaccinated intramuscularly (VAC) twice with an inactivated trivalent SIV vaccine, while all piglets were then infected intranasally with H3N2 SIV. Significantly higher weekly weight gains were observed in the E. faecium group before virus infection, and piglets in Znhigh and E. faecium groups gained weight after infection while those in the control group (Znlow) lost weight. Using ELISA, we found significantly higher H3N2-specific antibody levels in the E. faecium+VAC group 2 days before and at the day of challenge infection as well as at 4 and 6 days after challenge infection. Higher hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers were also observed in the Znhigh+VAC and E. faecium+VAC groups at 0, 1 and 4 days after infection. However, there were no significant differences in virus shedding and lung lesions between the dietary groups. Using flow cytometry analysis significantly higher activated T helper cells and cytotoxic T lymphocyte percentages in the PBMCs were detected in the Znhigh and E. faecium groups at single time points after infection compared to the Znlow control group, but no prolonged effect was found. In the BAL cells no influence of dietary supplementation on immune cell percentages could be detected. Our results suggest that feeding high doses of zinc oxide and particularly E. faecium could beneficially influence humoral immune responses after vaccination and recovery from SIV infection, but not affect virus shedding and lung pathology. PMID:24489827

Screening of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Iranian sourdoughs for Antifungal Activity: Enterococcus faecium showed the Most Potent Antifungal Activity in Bread

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Alam Taghi-Zadeh

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: The use of antifungal lactic acid bacteria as starter for bread making could be a good alternative to improve the stability of bread shelf life.Material and Methods: In this study, a total of 57 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from spontaneously fermented wheat sourdoughs collected in Chahar-Mahalo Bakhryari province of Iran. The isolates were screened for in vitro antifungal activity (towards Aspergilus niger or Penicillium roqueforti; and the selected isolates (six isolates were applied in flat bread making. The freshly baked breads were nebulized with a suspension of either molds, containing 104 spores ml-1, and the fungal growth on breads was monitored over a 7-day storage period.Results and Conclusion: Bread produced with either isolates AN3 and MB1 (both were identified as Enterococcus faecium restrained the growth of Aspergillus niger for up to 5 days. Even though none of the isolates were strong enough to inhibit the growth of Penicillium roquforti on bread, the surface area of breads contaminated by this fungus was significantly lower than the control samples. To our knowledge, it was the first report indicating the anti-mold activity of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from sourdough. These isolates seem to be promising for further analysis and their application in bread industry for prolonging the shelf life.Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Bacteriocidal activity of sanitizers against Enterococcus faecium attached to stainless steel as determined by plate count and impedance methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, N J; Bridgeman, T A; Zottola, E A

1998-07-01

Enterococcus faecium attached to stainless steel chips (100 mm2) was treated with the following sanitizers: sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid (PA), peracetic acid plus an organic acid (PAS), quaternary ammonium, organic acid, and anionic acid. The effectiveness of sanitizer solutions on planktonic cells (not attached) was evaluated by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) suspension test. The number of attached cells was determined by impedance measurement and plate count method after vortexing. The decimal reduction (DR) in numbers of the E. faecium population was determined for the three methods and was analyzed by analysis of variance (P plate count method after vortexing, and impedance measurement, respectively. Plate count and impedance methods showed a difference (P measurement was the best method to measure adherent cells. Impedance measurement required the development of a quadratic regression. The equation developed from 82 samples is as follows: log CFU/chip = 0.2385T2-0.96T + 9.35, r2 = 0.92, P plate count method after vortexing. These data suggest that impedance measurement is the method of choice when evaluating the number of bacterial cells adhered to a surface.

Tedizolid susceptibility in linezolid- and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Klupp, E-M; Both, A; Belmar Campos, C; Büttner, H; König, C; Christopeit, M; Christner, M; Aepfelbacher, M; Rohde, H

2016-12-01

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are of ever-increasing importance, most notably in high-risk patient populations. Therapy options are often limited for these isolates, and apart from tigecycline and daptomycin, oxazolidinone linezolid is frequently administered. The broad usage of linezolid, however, has driven the emergence of linezolid-resistant VRE strains (LR-VRE), further shortening therapeutic options. Second-generation oxazolidinone tedizolid has the advantage of being active against a specific subset of LR-VRE, i.e. isolates expressing the plasmid-encoded chloramphenicol-florfenicol resistance (cfr) gene. Here we tested tedizolid activity in a collection of 30 LR Enterococcus faecium VRE (MIC range 32-256 mg/l) isolated between 2012 and 2015 from clinical and screening specimens. By pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) isolates were assigned to 16 clonal lineages. In three cases, linezolid-susceptible progenitor isolates of LR-VRE were isolated, thus demonstrating the de-novo emergence of the linezolid-resistant phenotype. PCR did not detect cfr, cfr(B) or novel oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA in LR-VRE. All isolates, however, carried mutations within the 23S rDNA. Compared to linezolid, tedizolid MICs were lower in all isolates (MIC range 2-32 mg/l), but remained above the FDA tedizolid breakpoint for E. faecalis at 0.5 mg/l. Thus, related to the predominant resistance mechanism, tedizolid is of limited value for treatment of most LR-VRE and represents a therapeutic option only for a limited subset of isolates.

The current MLVA typing scheme for Enterococcus faecium is less discriminatory than MLST and PFGE for epidemic-virulent, hospital-adapted clonal types

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Klare Ingo

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background MLVA (multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis is a reliable typing technique introduced recently to differentiate also isolates of Enterococcus faecium. We used the established VNTR (variable number of tandem repeats scheme to test its suitability to differentiate 58 E. faecium isolates representing mainly outbreaks and clusters of infections and colonizations among patients from 31 German hospitals. All isolates were vancomycin-resistant (vanA type. Typing results for MLVA are compared with results of macrorestriction analysis in PFGE (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and MLST (multi-locus sequence typing. Results All 51 but one hospital isolates from 1996–2006 were assigned to the clonal complex (CC of epidemic-virulent, hospital-adapted lineages (MLST CC-17; MLVA CC-1 and differed from isolates of sporadic infections and colonizations (n = 7; 1991–1995 and other non-hospital origins (n = 27. Typing of all 58 hospital VRE revealed MLVA as the least discriminatory method (Simpson's diversity index 0.847 when compared to MLST (0.911 and PFGE (0.976. The two most common MLVA types MT-1 (n = 16 and MT-159 (n = 14 combined isolates of several MLST types including also major epidemic, hospital-adapted, clonal types (MT-1: ST-17, ST-18, ST-280, ST-282; MT-159: ST-78, ST-192, ST-203. These data clearly indicate that non-related E. faecium could possess an identical MLVA type being especially critical when MLVA is used to elucidate supposed outbreaks with E. faecium within a single or among different hospitals. Stability of a given MLVA profile MT-12 (ST-117 during an outbreak over a period of five years was also shown. Conclusion MLVA is a suitable method to assign isolates of E. faecium into distinct clonal complexes. To investigate outbreaks the current MLVA typing scheme for E. faecium does not discriminate enough and cannot be recommended as a standard superior to PFGE.

Physical, biochemical and genetic characterization of enterocin CE5-1 produced by Enterococcus faecium CE5-1 isolated from Thai indigenous chicken intestinal tract

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Kraiyot Saelim; Sireewan Kaewsuwan; Akio Tani; Suppasil Maneerat

2015-01-01

Enterocin CE5-1 produced by Enterococcus faecium CE5-1 isolated from the chicken gastrointestinal tract was active in the wide range of pH 2-10 and temperature 30-100°C and sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and -amylase. It remained active after storage at -20°C for 2 months. Moreover, enterocin CE5-1 showed antibacterial activity against lactobacilli, bacilli, listeria, staphylococci and enterococci, especially antibiotic-resistant enterococci. In vitro study of enterocin CE5-1 decr...

Purification and characterization of multiple bacteriocins and an inducing peptide produced by Enterococcus faecium NKR-5-3 from Thai fermented fish.

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Ishibashi, Naoki; Himeno, Kohei; Fujita, Koji; Masuda, Yoshimitsu; Perez, Rodney Honrada; Zendo, Takeshi; Wilaipun, Pongtep; Leelawatcharamas, Vichien; Nakayama, Jiro; Sonomoto, Kenji

2012-01-01

Enterocins NKR-5-3A, B, C, and D were purified from the culture supernatant of Enterococcus faecium NKR-5-3 and characterized. Among the four purified peptides, enterocin NKR-5-3A (5242.3 Da) was identical to brochocin A, produced by Brochothrix campestris ATCC 43754, in mature peptides, and its putative synergistic peptide, enterocin NKR-5-3Z, was found to be encoded in ent53Z downstream of ent53A, encoding enterocin NKR-5-3A. Enterocin NKR-5-3B (6316.4 Da) showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum, and enterocin NKR-5-3C (4512.8 Da) showed high activity against Listeria. Enterocin NKR-5-3D (2843.5 Da), showing high homology to an inducing peptide produced by Lactobacillus sakei 5, induced the production of the enterocins. The enterocins showed different antimicrobial spectra and intensities. E. faecium NKR-5-3 concomitantly produced enterocins NKR-5-3A, B, C, and D which probably belong to different classes of bacteriocins. Furthermore, NKR-5-3 production was induced by enterocin NKR-5-3D.

Shape-dependent antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles on Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium bacterium

Science.gov (United States)

Alshareef, A.; Laird, K.; Cross, R. B. M.

2017-12-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to exhibit strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria including antibiotic resistant strains. This study aims to compare the bactericidal effect of different shaped AgNPs (spherical and truncated octahedral) against Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium. The antimicrobial activity of a range of concentrations (50, 100, 1000 μg/ml) was determined over 24 h using both optical density and viable counts. Truncated octahedral AgNPs (AgNOct) were found to be more active when compared with spherical AgNPs (AgNS). The difference in shape resulted in differences in efficacy which may be due to the higher surface area of AgNOct compared to AgNS, and differences in active facets and surface energies, with AgNPs having a bacteriostatic effect and AgNOct being bactericidal after 4 h. The results suggest that AgNPs can be used as effective growth inhibitors in different microorganisms, rendering them applicable to various medical devices and antimicrobial control systems.

Engineering the l-Arabinose Isomerase from Enterococcus Faecium for d-Tagatose Synthesis.

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de Sousa, Marylane; Manzo, Ricardo M; García, José L; Mammarella, Enrique J; Gonçalves, Luciana R B; Pessela, Benevides C

2017-12-06

l-Arabinose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.4) (l-AI) from Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ E36 was overproduced in Escherichia coli by designing a codon-optimized synthetic araA gene. Using this optimized gene, two N- and C-terminal His-tagged-l-AI proteins were produced. The cloning of the two chimeric genes into regulated expression vectors resulted in the production of high amounts of recombinant N -His-l-AI and C -His-l-AI in soluble and active forms. Both His-tagged enzymes were purified in a single step through metal-affinity chromatography and showed different kinetic and structural characteristics. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that C -His-l-AI was preferentially hexameric in solution, whereas N -His-l-AI was mainly monomeric. The specific activity of the N -His-l-AI at acidic pH was higher than that of C -His-l-AI and showed a maximum bioconversion yield of 26% at 50 °C for d-tagatose biosynthesis, with Km and Vmax parameters of 252 mM and 0.092 U mg -1 , respectively. However, C -His-l-AI was more active and stable at alkaline pH than N -His-l-AI. N -His-l-AI follows a Michaelis-Menten kinetic, whereas C -His-l-AI fitted to a sigmoidal saturation curve.

Dietary Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 and zinc oxide stimulate immune reactions to trivalent influenza vaccination in pigs but do not affect virological response upon challenge infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenya; Burwinkel, Michael; Chai, Weidong; Lange, Elke; Blohm, Ulrike; Breithaupt, Angele; Hoffmann, Bernd; Twardziok, Sven; Rieger, Juliane; Janczyk, Pawel; Pieper, Robert; Osterrieder, Nikolaus

2014-01-01

Swine influenza viruses (SIV) regularly cause significant disease in pigs worldwide. Since there is no causative treatment of SIV, we tested if probiotic Enterococcus (E.) faecium NCIMB 10415 or zinc (Zn) oxide as feed supplements provide beneficial effects upon SIV infection in piglets. Seventy-two weaned piglets were fed three different diets containing either E. faecium or different levels of Zn (2500 ppm, Zn(high); 50 ppm, Zn(low)). Half of the piglets were vaccinated intramuscularly (VAC) twice with an inactivated trivalent SIV vaccine, while all piglets were then infected intranasally with H3N2 SIV. Significantly higher weekly weight gains were observed in the E. faecium group before virus infection, and piglets in Zn(high) and E. faecium groups gained weight after infection while those in the control group (Zn(low)) lost weight. Using ELISA, we found significantly higher H3N2-specific antibody levels in the E. faecium+VAC group 2 days before and at the day of challenge infection as well as at 4 and 6 days after challenge infection. Higher hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers were also observed in the Zn(high)+VAC and E. faecium+VAC groups at 0, 1 and 4 days after infection. However, there were no significant differences in virus shedding and lung lesions between the dietary groups. Using flow cytometry analysis significantly higher activated T helper cells and cytotoxic T lymphocyte percentages in the PBMCs were detected in the Zn(high) and E. faecium groups at single time points after infection compared to the Zn(low) control group, but no prolonged effect was found. In the BAL cells no influence of dietary supplementation on immune cell percentages could be detected. Our results suggest that feeding high doses of zinc oxide and particularly E. faecium could beneficially influence humoral immune responses after vaccination and recovery from SIV infection, but not affect virus shedding and lung pathology.

Dietary Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 and zinc oxide stimulate immune reactions to trivalent influenza vaccination in pigs but do not affect virological response upon challenge infection.

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Zhenya Wang

Full Text Available Swine influenza viruses (SIV regularly cause significant disease in pigs worldwide. Since there is no causative treatment of SIV, we tested if probiotic Enterococcus (E. faecium NCIMB 10415 or zinc (Zn oxide as feed supplements provide beneficial effects upon SIV infection in piglets. Seventy-two weaned piglets were fed three different diets containing either E. faecium or different levels of Zn (2500 ppm, Zn(high; 50 ppm, Zn(low. Half of the piglets were vaccinated intramuscularly (VAC twice with an inactivated trivalent SIV vaccine, while all piglets were then infected intranasally with H3N2 SIV. Significantly higher weekly weight gains were observed in the E. faecium group before virus infection, and piglets in Zn(high and E. faecium groups gained weight after infection while those in the control group (Zn(low lost weight. Using ELISA, we found significantly higher H3N2-specific antibody levels in the E. faecium+VAC group 2 days before and at the day of challenge infection as well as at 4 and 6 days after challenge infection. Higher hemagglutination inhibition (HI titers were also observed in the Zn(high+VAC and E. faecium+VAC groups at 0, 1 and 4 days after infection. However, there were no significant differences in virus shedding and lung lesions between the dietary groups. Using flow cytometry analysis significantly higher activated T helper cells and cytotoxic T lymphocyte percentages in the PBMCs were detected in the Zn(high and E. faecium groups at single time points after infection compared to the Zn(low control group, but no prolonged effect was found. In the BAL cells no influence of dietary supplementation on immune cell percentages could be detected. Our results suggest that feeding high doses of zinc oxide and particularly E. faecium could beneficially influence humoral immune responses after vaccination and recovery from SIV infection, but not affect virus shedding and lung pathology.

Associations between the use of antimicrobial agents for growth promotion and the occurrence of resistance among Enterococcus faecium from broilers and pigs in Denmark, Finland, and Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Kruse, H.; Tast, E.

2000-01-01

This study compares the susceptibility of Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigs and poultry in Denmark, Finland, and Norway to antimicrobial agents used for growth promotion. E. faecium was isolated from 211 broilers and 55 pigs in Denmark in 1997, from Norwegian 55 poultry farms (turkey and br......%) of the virginiamycin-resistant isolates from pigs in Denmark. This study indicates that the use of antimicrobial agents for growth promotion in Denmark, Finland, and Norway have selected for resistance to most of these drugs among E. faecium in food animals....... as resistant to monensin or salinomycin. In general, an association between the usage of antimicrobial agents in the respective countries and the occurrence of associated resistance was observed. Resistance to avilamycin was frequently observed among isolates from broilers in Denmark, where avilamycin has been...... used, whereas all isolates from Finland and Norway, where these drugs have not been used, were susceptible. The same phenomenon could be observed for avoparcin, bacitracin, tylosin, and virginiamycin; resistance was frequently observed among isolates from where these antimicrobials have been widely...

Use of antimicrobial growth promoters in food animals and Enterococcus faecium resistance to therapeutic antimicrobial drugs in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wegener, Henrik Caspar; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Jensen, Lars Bogø

1999-01-01

on the Tn1546 transposon. Furthermore, glycopeptide-resistant strains, as well as resistance determinants, can be transmitted from animals to humans. Two antimicrobial classes expected to provide the future therapeutic options for treatment of infections with vancomycin-resistant enterococci have analogues......Supplementing animal feed with antimicrobial agents to enhance growth has been common practice for more than 30 years and is estimated to constitute more than half the total antimicrobial use worldwide. The potential public health consequences of this use have been debated; however, until recently......, clear evidence of a health risk was not available. Accumulating evidence now indicates that the use of the glycopeptide avoparcin as a growth promoter has created in food animals a major reservoir of Enterococcus faecium, which contains the high level glycopeptide resistance determinant vanA, located...

Solution Structure of Enterocin HF, an Antilisterial Bacteriocin Produced by Enterococcus faecium M3K31.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbulu, Sara; Lohans, Christopher T; van Belkum, Marco J; Cintas, Luis M; Herranz, Carmen; Vederas, John C; Hernández, Pablo E

2015-12-16

The solution structure of enterocin HF (EntHF), a class IIa bacteriocin of 43 amino acids produced by Enterococcus faecium M3K31, was evaluated by CD and NMR spectroscopy. Purified EntHF was unstructured in water, but CD analysis supports that EntHF adopts an α-helical conformation when exposed to increasing concentrations of trifluoroethanol. Furthermore, NMR spectroscopy indicates that this bacteriocin adopts an antiparallel β-sheet structure in the N-terminal region (residues 1-17), followed by a well-defined central α-helix (residues 19-30) and a more disordered C-terminal end (residues 31-43). EntHF could be structurally organized into three flexible regions that might act in a coordinated manner. This is in agreement with the absence of long-range nuclear Overhauser effect signals between the β-sheet domain and the C-terminal end of the bacteriocin. The 3D structure recorded for EntHF fits emerging facts regarding target recognition and mode of action of class IIa bacteriocins.

Partial purification and characterization of a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium 130 isolated from mozzarella cheese

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Fabrício Luiz Tulini

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria are important in foods as potential probiotics and also due to the ability to produce antimicrobial compounds that can contribute for biopreservation. In this work, the bacteriocin produced by the food isolate Enterococcus faecium 130 was partially purified and characterized. The compound was active against Gram-positive bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. It was produced after 4 days of storage at a broad temperature range (4 to 37 °C; it was stable at pH ranging from 2 to 10 with no loss of activity after heating at 100 °C for 15 minutes. Bacteriocin was partially purified by the adsorption-desorption technique, and the analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE showed a molecular mass of 3.5 to 6.5 kDa. These data encourage studies on application of this bacteriocin in food systems as an additional hurdle to microbial growth.

Evaluación in vitro de las cepas de Enterococcus faecalis y Enterococcus faecium, como potenciales probióticos

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Diana Alejandra Pico Veslin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introducción: Los probióticos son conocidos como microrganismos vivos, que favorecen el equilibrio microbiano en el tracto gastrointestinal, sus metabolitos (ácidos orgánicos, ácido láctico, entre otros inhiben el crecimiento de patógenos, a nivel de sistema inmune activan la respuesta humoral (IL 2 y activan la fagocitosis. Diferentes estudios han demostrado que la utilización de probióticos en el sector avícola como suplemento, relegaría el uso de antibióticos, puesto que la utilización de los mismos, ha generado casos de resistencia bacteriana, afectando al consumidor final y  convirtiéndose en un problema de salud pública. El uso de probióticos según la FAO, encaminaría en estrategias de mejoramiento global del rendimiento y bienestar animal en  países en desarrollo. Objetivo: Identificar fenotípicamente el comportamiento de las cepas Enterorococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis aisladas del intestino de pollo de engorde y gallina comercial (Gallus gallus frente a  antibacterianos. Metodología: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se tomaron muestras del mucus intestinal de las aves (íleon, yeyuno y duodeno  aisladas en medio MRS el cual permite evidenciar el crecimiento de bacterias ácido lácticas, se  realizaron pruebas microbiológicas y bioquímicas utilizando el sistema  semiautomatizado Crystal para Gram positivos  (BBLTM CrystalTM Gram-PositiveID Kit  posteriormente estas cepas fueron evaluadas en algunas características como potenciales probióticos: resistencia a pH bajo, concentraciones biliares de 0.1% a 0.3%, producción de hemolisinas, prueba de antagonismo;  posteriormente se evaluó un factor de virulencia,  la presencia de genes de resistencia a ciertos antibióticos; se realizó la caracterización fenotípica mediante difusión en disco Kirby Bauer , para evaluar la resistencia y/o sensibilidad, se  seleccionaron  los  antibióticos de las  familias Glicopetidos (Vancomicina, Inh

Characterization and susceptibility patterns of clinically important Enterococcus species in eastern Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, A; Khanal, A; Kanungo, R; Mohapatra, T

2007-12-01

Life threatening infections caused by enterococcus species with multidrug resistance has emerged as a threat to medical care in the present era. This study was conducted to characterize enterococcus species isolated from different clinical samples and to detect the pattern of susceptibility to some of the commonly used antibiotics in B.P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), a tertiary care hospital in eastern Nepal. Clinical samples submitted to the microbiology unit of Central Laboratory Service (CLS) for culture and sensitivity during March 2002 - February 2003 was analyzed. Enterococcus species were identified by colony characteristics, gram staining and relevant biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility test was done by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Of 50 Enterococcus species isolated, E. faecalis was the predominant isolate (48.0%) followed by E. faecium (32.0%) and E. avium (20.0%). Eighty-eight percent of E. faecalis showed sensitivity to cephotaxime and 87.0% to vancomycin. Multiple drug resistance was observed most commonly in E. faecium. Seventeen percent of E. faecium were resistant to vancomycin and 63.0% to ciprofloxacin and 44.0% to ampicillin. On the contrary E. avium rarely showed resistance to the antimicrobials tested including vancomycin. Enterococcal infections are common nowadays specially in hospitalized patients. Inappropriate use of antibiotics in clinical practice and poultry should be discouraged to prevent the emergence of multidrug resistant species.

Engineering the l-Arabinose Isomerase from Enterococcus Faecium for d-Tagatose Synthesis

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Marylane de Sousa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available l-Arabinose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.4 (l-AI from Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ E36 was overproduced in Escherichia coli by designing a codon-optimized synthetic araA gene. Using this optimized gene, two N- and C-terminal His-tagged-l-AI proteins were produced. The cloning of the two chimeric genes into regulated expression vectors resulted in the production of high amounts of recombinant N-His-l-AI and C-His-l-AI in soluble and active forms. Both His-tagged enzymes were purified in a single step through metal-affinity chromatography and showed different kinetic and structural characteristics. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that C-His-l-AI was preferentially hexameric in solution, whereas N-His-l-AI was mainly monomeric. The specific activity of the N-His-l-AI at acidic pH was higher than that of C-His-l-AI and showed a maximum bioconversion yield of 26% at 50 °C for d-tagatose biosynthesis, with Km and Vmax parameters of 252 mM and 0.092 U mg−1, respectively. However, C-His-l-AI was more active and stable at alkaline pH than N-His-l-AI. N-His-l-AI follows a Michaelis-Menten kinetic, whereas C-His-l-AI fitted to a sigmoidal saturation curve.

Effect of calcium and magnesium on the antimicrobial action of enterocin LR/6 produced by Enterococcus faecium LR/6.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manoj; Srivastava, Sheela

2011-06-01

Enterococci are well-known producers of antimicrobial peptides (enterocins) that possess potential as biopreservatives in food. In this study, divalent cations and release of intracellular potassium were used to assess the mechanism of interaction and killing of enterocin LR/6 produced by Enterococcus faecium LR/6 on three target Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, namely Micrococcus luteus, Enterococcus sp. strain LR/3 and Escherichia coli K-12. Whilst treatment with enterocin LR/6 in all cases led to a significant loss of viability, suggesting a bactericidal mode of action, E. coli K-12 showed better tolerance than the other two strains. Bacteriocins have generally been reported to create pores in the membrane of sensitive cells and this function is diminished by divalent cations. In this study it was shown that Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) markedly improved the viability of enterocin LR/6-treated cells in a concentration-dependent manner. K(+) release as a sign of membrane leakiness was higher in M. luteus compared with the other two test strains. In agreement with the viability response, pre-exposure to Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) substantially reduced the amount of K(+) leakage by M. luteus and Enterococcus sp.; in the case of E. coli K-12, no leakage of K(+) was recorded. These results suggest that enterocin LR/6, which possesses good antibacterial potential, may not be very effective as a preservative in foods containing high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

The fosfomycin resistance gene fosB3 is located on a transferable, extrachromosomal circular intermediate in clinical Enterococcus faecium isolates.

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Xiaogang Xu

Full Text Available Some VanM-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from China are also resistant to fosfomycin. To investigate the mechanism of fosfomycin resistance in these clinical isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, filter-mating, Illumina/Solexa sequencing, inverse PCR and fosfomycin resistance gene cloning were performed. Three E. faecium clinical isolates were highly resistant to fosfomycin and vancomycin with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs >1024 µg/ml and >256 µg/ml, respectively. The fosfomycin and vancomycin resistance of these strains could be co-transferred by conjugation. They carried a fosfomycin resistance gene fosB encoding a protein differing by one or two amino acids from FosB, which is encoded on staphylococcal plasmids. Accordingly, the gene was designated fosB3. The fosB3 gene was cloned into pMD19-T, and transformed into E. coli DH5α. The fosfomycin MIC for transformants with fosB3 was 750-fold higher than transformants without fosB3. The fosB3 gene could be transferred by an extrachromosomal circular intermediate. The results indicate that the fosB3 gene is transferable, can mediate high level fosfomycin resistance in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and can be located on a circular intermediate.

Identification, Characterization, and Three-Dimensional Structure of the Novel Circular Bacteriocin, Enterocin NKR-5-3B, from Enterococcus faecium.

Science.gov (United States)

Himeno, Kohei; Rosengren, K Johan; Inoue, Tomoko; Perez, Rodney H; Colgrave, Michelle L; Lee, Han Siean; Chan, Lai Y; Henriques, Sónia Troeira; Fujita, Koji; Ishibashi, Naoki; Zendo, Takeshi; Wilaipun, Pongtep; Nakayama, Jiro; Leelawatcharamas, Vichien; Jikuya, Hiroyuki; Craik, David J; Sonomoto, Kenji

2015-08-11

Enterocin NKR-5-3B, one of the multiple bacteriocins produced by Enterococcus faecium NKR-5-3, is a 64-amino acid novel circular bacteriocin that displays broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Here we report the identification, characterization, and three-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure determination of enterocin NKR-5-3B. Enterocin NKR-5-3B is characterized by four helical segments that enclose a compact hydrophobic core, which together with its circular backbone impart high stability and structural integrity. We also report the corresponding structural gene, enkB, that encodes an 87-amino acid precursor peptide that undergoes a yet to be described enzymatic processing that involves adjacent cleavage and ligation of Leu(24) and Trp(87) to yield the mature (circular) enterocin NKR-5-3B.

Identification of Multiple Bacteriocins in Enterococcus spp. Using an Enterococcus-Specific Bacteriocin PCR Array

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Chris Henning

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Twenty-two bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus isolates obtained from food and animal sources, and demonstrating activity against Listeria monocytogenes, were screened for bacteriocin-related genes using a bacteriocin PCR array based on known enterococcal bacteriocin gene sequences in the NCBI GenBank database. The 22 bacteriocin-positive (Bac+ enterococci included En. durans (1, En. faecalis (4, En. faecium (12, En. hirae (3, and En. thailandicus (2. Enterocin A (entA, enterocins mr10A and mr10B (mr10AB, and bacteriocin T8 (bacA were the most commonly found structural genes in order of decreasing prevalence. Forty-five bacteriocin genes were identified within the 22 Bac+ isolates, each containing at least one of the screened structural genes. Of the 22 Bac+ isolates, 15 possessed two bacteriocin genes, seven isolates contained three different bacteriocins, and three isolates contained as many as four different bacteriocin genes. These results may explain the high degree of bactericidal activity observed with various Bac+ Enterococcus spp. Antimicrobial activity against wild-type L. monocytogenes and a bacteriocin-resistant variant demonstrated bacteriocins having different modes-of-action. Mixtures of bacteriocins, especially those with different modes-of-action and having activity against foodborne pathogens, such as L. monocytogenes, may play a promising role in the preservation of food.

Validation of Baking To Control Salmonella Serovars in Hamburger Bun Manufacturing, and Evaluation of Enterococcus faecium ATCC 8459 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as Nonpathogenic Surrogate Indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Channaiah, Lakshmikantha H; Holmgren, Elizabeth S; Michael, Minto; Sevart, Nicholas J; Milke, Donka; Schwan, Carla L; Krug, Matthew; Wilder, Amanda; Phebus, Randall K; Thippareddi, Harshavardhan; Milliken, George

2016-04-01

This study was conducted to validate a simulated commercial baking process for hamburger buns to destroy Salmonella serovars and to determine the appropriateness of using nonpathogenic surrogates (Enterococcus faecium ATCC 8459 or Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for in-plant process validation studies. Wheat flour was inoculated (∼6 log CFU/g) with three Salmonella serovars (Typhimurium, Newport, or Senftenberg 775W) or with E. faecium. Dough was formed, proofed, and baked to mimic commercial manufacturing conditions. Buns were baked for up to 13 min in a conventional oven (218.3°C), with internal crumb temperature increasing to ∼100°C during the first 8 min of baking and remaining at this temperature until removal from the oven. Salmonella and E. faecium populations were undetectable by enrichment (>6-log CFU/g reductions) after 9.0 and 11.5 min of baking, respectively, and ≥5-log-cycle reductions were achieved by 6.0 and 7.75 min, respectively. D-values of Salmonella (three-serovar cocktail) and E. faecium 8459 in dough were 28.64 and 133.33, 7.61 and 55.67, and 3.14 and 14.72 min at 55, 58, and 61°C, respectively, whereas D-values of S. cerevisiae were 18.73, 5.67, and 1.03 min at 52, 55, and 58°C, respectivly. The z-values of Salmonella, E. faecium, and S. cerevisiae were 6.58, 6.25, and 4.74°C, respectively. A high level of thermal lethality was observed for baking of typical hamburger bun dough, resulting in rapid elimination of high levels of the three-strain Salmonella cocktail; however, the lethality and microbial destruction kinetics should not be extrapolated to other bakery products without further research. E. faecium demonstrated greater thermal resistance compared with Salmonella during bun baking and could serve as a conservative surrogate to validate thermal process lethality in commercial bun baking operations. Low thermal tolerance of S. cerevisiae relative to Salmonella serovars limits its usefulness as a surrogate for process validations.

Growth of Enterococcus durans E204 producing bacteriocin-like ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

El Ouardy

2012-01-10

Jan 10, 2012 ... inhibition of Enterococcus faecium 410 CECT in 6 h of incubation. The highest ... as natural food additives for the elimination of spoilage and pathogeinic ..... autohydrolysed fish viscera for nisin and pediocin production. J.

Purification and Genetic Characterization of Enterocin I from Enterococcus faecium 6T1a, a Novel Antilisterial Plasmid-Encoded Bacteriocin Which Does Not Belong to the Pediocin Family of Bacteriocins

Science.gov (United States)

Floriano, Belén; Ruiz-Barba, José L.; Jiménez-Díaz, Rufino

1998-01-01

Enterocin I (ENTI) is a novel bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium 6T1a, a strain originally isolated from a Spanish-style green olive fermentation. The bacteriocin is active against many olive spoilage and food-borne gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, including clostridia, propionibacteria, and Listeria monocytogenes. ENTI was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, binding to an SP-Sepharose fast-flow column, and phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B and C2/C18 reverse-phase chromatography. The purification procedure resulted in a final yield of 954% and a 170,000-fold increase in specific activity. The primary structure of ENTI was determined by amino acid and nucleotide sequencing. ENTI consists of 44 amino acids and does not show significant sequence similarity with any other previously described bacteriocin. Sequencing of the entI structural gene, which is located on the 23-kb plasmid pEF1 of E. faecium 6T1a, revealed the absence of a leader peptide at the N-terminal region of the gene product. A second open reading frame, ORF2, located downstream of entI, encodes a putative protein that is 72.7% identical to ENTI. entI and ORF2 appear to be cotranscribed, yielding an mRNA of ca. 0.35 kb. A gene encoding immunity to ENTI was not identified. However, curing experiments demonstrated that both enterocin production and immunity are conferred by pEF1. PMID:9835578

Isolation and characterization of a new bacteriocin, termed enterocin M, produced by environmental isolate Enterococcus faecium AL41.

Science.gov (United States)

Mareková, Mária; Lauková, Andrea; Skaugen, Morten; Nes, Ingolf

2007-08-01

The new bacteriocin, termed enterocin M, produced by Enterococcus faecium AL 41 showed a wide spectrum of inhibitory activity against the indicator organisms from different sources. It was purified by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, cation-exchange chromatography and reverse phase chromatography (FPLC). The purified peptide was sequenced by N-terminal amino acid Edman degradation and a mass spectrometry analysis was performed. By combining the data obtained from amino acid sequence (39 N-terminal amino acid residues was determined) and the molecular weight (determined to be 4628 Da) it was concluded that the purified enterocin M is a new bacteriocin, which is very similar to enterocin P. However, its molecular weight is different from enterocin P (4701.25). Of the first 39 N-terminal residues of enterocin M, valine was found in position 20 and a lysine in position 35, while enterocin P has tryptophane residues in these positions.

Genetic identification of the bacteriocins produced by Enterococcus faecium IT62 and evidence that bacteriocin 32 is identical to enterocin IT.

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo, Esther; Cai, Yimin; Marchioni, Eric; Ennahar, Saïd

2009-05-01

Enterococcus faecium IT62, a strain isolated from ryegrass in Japan, produces three bacteriocins (enterocins L50A, L50B, and IT) that have been previously purified and the primary structures of which have been determined by amino acid sequencing (E. Izquierdo, A. Bednarczyk, C. Schaeffer, Y. Cai, E. Marchioni, A. Van Dorsselaer, and S. Ennahar, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 52:1917-1923, 2008). Genetic analysis showed that the bacteriocins of E. faecium IT62 are plasmid encoded, but with the structural genes specifying enterocin L50A and enterocin L50B being carried by a plasmid (pTAB1) that is separate from the one (pTIT1) carrying the structural gene of enterocin IT. Sequencing analysis of a 1,475-bp region from pTAB1 identified two consecutive open reading frames corresponding, with the exception of 2 bp, to the genes entL50A and entL50B, encoding EntL50A and EntL50B, respectively. Both bacteriocins are synthesized without N-terminal leader sequences. Genetic analysis of a sequenced 1,380-bp pTIT1 fragment showed that the genes entIT and entIM, encoding enterocin IT and its immunity protein, respectively, were both found in E. faecium VRE200 for bacteriocin 32. Enterocin IT, a 6,390-Da peptide made up of 54 amino acids, has been previously shown to be identical to the C-terminal part of bacteriocin 32, a 7,998-Da bacteriocin produced by E. faecium VRE200 whose structure was deduced from its structural gene (T. Inoue, H. Tomita, and Y. Ike, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 50:1202-1212, 2006). By combining the biochemical and genetic data on enterocin IT, it was concluded that bacteriocin 32 is in fact identical to enterocin IT, both being encoded by the same plasmid-borne gene, and that the N-terminal leader peptide for this bacteriocin is 35 amino acids long and not 19 amino acids long as previously reported.

Colonisation of poultry by Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 is reduced by combined administration of Lactobacillus salivarius 59 and Enterococcus faecium PXN-33.

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Carter, Alun; Adams, Martin; La Ragione, Roberto M; Woodward, Martin J

2017-02-01

Salmonella Enteritidis remains a significant issue within the poultry industry and one potential solution is to use probiotic bacteria to prevent Salmonella colonisation through competitive exclusion (CE). We demonstrate that combined administration of Lactobacillus salivarius 59 and Enterococcus faecium PXN33 were effective competitive excluders of Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 in poultry. Two models were developed to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic where birds received Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 by a) oral gavage and b) sentinel bird to bird transmission. A statistically significant (p<0.001) 2 log reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 colonisation was observed in the ileum, caecum and colon at day 43 using combined administration of the two probiotic bacteria. However, no Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 colonisation reduction was observed when either probiotic was administered individually. In the sentinel bird model the combined probiotic administered at days 12 and 20 was more effective than one-off or double administrations at age 1 and 12days. In vitro cell free culture supernatant studies suggest the mechanism of Salmonella Enteritidis S1400 inhibition was due to a reduction in pH by the probiotic bacteria. Our current study provides further evidence that probiotics can significantly reduce pathogenic bacterial colonisation in poultry and that mixed preparation of probiotics provide superior performance when compared to individual bacterial preparations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PCR-based plasmid typing in Enterococcus faecium strains reveals widely distributed pRE25-, pRUM-, pIP501-and pHT beta-related replicons associated with glycopeptide resistance and stabilizing toxin-antitoxin systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosvoll, T.C.S.; Pedersen, T.; Sletvold, H.

2010-01-01

A PCR-based typing scheme was applied to identify plasmids in an epidemiologically and geographically diverse strain collection of Enterococcus faecium (n=93). Replicon types of pRE25 (n=56), pRUM (n=41), pIP501 (n=17) and pHT beta (n=14) were observed in 83% of the strains, while pS86, pCF10, pA...

Isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus from apparently healthy human animal attendants, cattle and cattle wastes in Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madoshi, B. P.; Mtambo, M. M.A.; Muhairwa, A. P.

2018-01-01

faecalis was the most prevalent species from all sources of isolation (43·5%), followed by Enterococcus faecium (38·4%). Isolates of E. faecium showed a higher number of phenotypic antimicrobial resistance than isolates of E. faecalis. Fifty-eight isolates, which showed resistance or intermediate...

Efficacy of Daptomycin Monotherapy and In Combination with β-lactams for Daptomycin-Susceptible Enterococcus faecium Harboring LiaSR Substitutions: Influence of The Inoculum Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kebriaei, Razieh; Rice, Seth A; Singh, Kavindra V; Stamper, Kyle C; Dinh, An Q; Rios, Rafael; Diaz, Lorena; Murray, Barbara E; Munita, Jose M; Tran, Truc T; Arias, Cesar A; Rybak, Michael J

2018-05-14

Enterococcus faecium that harbor LiaFSR substitutions but are phenotypically susceptible to daptomycin (DAP) by current breakpoints are problematic since predisposition to resistance may lead to therapeutic failure. Using a simulated endocardial vegetation (SEV) PK/PD model, we investigated DAP regimens (6, 8 and 10 mg/kg/day) as monotherapy and in combination with ampicillin (AMP), ceftaroline (CPT) or ertapenem (ERT) against E. faecium HOU503, a DAP-susceptible strain that harbors common LiaS and LiaR substitutions found in clinical isolates (T120S and W73C, respectively). Of interest, the efficacy of DAP monotherapy, at any dose regimen, was dependent on the size of the inoculum. At an inoculum of ∼10 9 CFU/g, DAP doses of 6-8 mg/kg/d were not effective and led to significant regrowth with emergence of resistant derivatives. In contrast, at an inoculum of ∼10 7 , marked reductions in bacterial counts were observed with DAP 6 mg/kg/d with no resistance. The inoculum effect was confirmed in a rat model using humanized DAP exposures. Combinations of DAP with AMP, CPT or ERT demonstrated enhanced eradication and reduced potential for resistance allowing for de-escalation of the DAP dose. Persistence of the LiaRS substitutions were identified in DAP-resistant isolates recovered from the SEV model and in DAP-resistant derivatives of an initially DAP-susceptible clinical isolate of E. faecium (HOU668) harboring LiaSR substitutions and recovered from a patient with a recurrent bloodstream infection. Our results provide novel data for the use of DAP monotherapy and combinations for recalcitrant E. faecium infections and paves the way for testing these approaches in humans. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Fermented sausage production using E. faecium as starter culture: Physicochemical and microbiological profile, sensorial acceptance and cellular viability

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Catharina Calochi Pires de Carvalho

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Fermented sausages are defined as a mixture of lean meat and fat, curing salts, sucrose and spices, stuffed in a natural or artificial casing and submitted to fermentation and air-drying process. Starter culture and ripening process may affect the quality and acceptability of the final product. Current research evaluates the use of Enterococcus faecium as starter culture in fermented sausage production and its physicochemical and microbiological profile during maturation process, coupled to sausage sensory acceptance after ripening. Enterococcus faecium showed 10.9 log CFU g-1 and remained viable after the ripening period with 8.32 log CFU g-1. Fermented sausage was monitored during the ripening period by physicochemical (pH control, water activity and weight loss and microbiological (analysis of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, coliforms and Salmonella spp. analyses. All tests complied with standards established by Brazilian legislation and did not interfere in final product quality. Results showed that E. faecium was resistant to curing salt and sodium chloride, maintaining its viability during ripening and conferring beneficial effects on fermented sausage technological characteristics. E. faecium also proved to be in vitro resistant to simulate passage through the human digestive tract. Fermented sausage containing E. faecium had better sensory acceptance than commercial sausage evaluated.

Characterization of Hospital-Associated Lineages of Ampicillin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium from Clinical Cases in Dogs and Humans

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Cindy-Love eTremblay

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ARE has rapidly emerged worldwide and is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens. However, very few reports are available on ARE isolates from canine clinical cases. The objective of this study was to characterize ARE strains of canine clinical origin from a veterinary teaching hospital in Canada and to compare them with human strains. Ten ARE strains from dogs and humans were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm activities, presence of rep-families, CRISPR-cas and putative virulence genes. All ARE strains (n = 10 were resistant to ciprofloxacin and lincomycin. Resistances to tetracycline (n = 6, macrolides (n = 6, and to high concentrations of gentamicin, kanamycin and streptomycin (n = 5 were also observed. Canine ARE isolates were found to be susceptible to vancomycin whereas resistance to this antibiotic was observed in human strains. Ampicillin resistance was linked to PBP5 showing mutations at 25 amino acid positions. Fluoroquinolone resistance was attributable to ParC, GyrA, and GyrB mutations. Data demonstrated that all canine ARE were acm (collagen binding protein-positive and that most harbored the efaAfm gene, encoding for a cell wall adhesin. Biofilm formation was observed in two human strains but not in canine strains. Two to five rep-families were observed per strain but no CRISPR sequences were found. A total of six STs (1, 18, 65, 202, 205, and 803 were found with one belonging to a new ST (ST803. These STs were identical or closely related to human hospital-associated lineages. This report describes for the first time the characterization of canine ARE hospital-associated strains in Canada and also supports the importance of prudent antibiotic use in veterinary medicine to avoid zoonotic spread of canine ARE.

Comparison of antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and resistance genes in Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from humans in the community, broilers and pigs in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Agersø, Yvonne; Gerner-Smidt, P.

2000-01-01

. faecium isolates of human and animal origin, examined. tet(K) was not observed, whereas tet(L) was detected in 17% of tetracycline resistant E. faecalis isolates and in 16% of the E. faecium isolates. tet(O) was not detected in any of the isolates from pigs, but was observed in 38% of E. faecalis isolates...... from broilers, in two E. faecalis isolates from humans and in three E. faecium isolates from broilers. tet(S) was not detected among isolates from animals, but was observed in 31% of E. faecalis and one E. faecium isolate from humans. This study showed a frequent occurrence of antimicrobial resistance...

THE PROBIOTIC Enterococcus faecium MODIFIES THE INTESTINAL MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS IN WEANING PIGLETS

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Johana Andrea Ciro Galeano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Global trends for animal production have seen a decrease in the use of antimicrobial compounds in feed, generating the need to implement new nutritional strategies that stimulate growth and promote intestinal health. This study aimed to determine whether the addition of E. faecium in drinking water improves intestinal morphometric parameters in post- weaning pigs compared with the probiotics strains L. acidophilus and L. casei on days 1 (21 days of age, 15 and 30 postweaning. The small intestine was completely removed to evaluate the morphometric parameters (length and width of villi and crypts in the different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. They were fed for 30 days with two diets: commercial diet with or without antibiotics. The different probiotics, L. acidophillus, L. casei and E. faecium, were administered in the drinking water of the animals that consumed the commercial diet without antibiotics. A randomized block design in split-plot arrangement was used. There was a significant increase (P<0.01 in the width and length of villi, and a decrease (P<0.01 in the values obtained for the width and depth of crypts in the animals that consumed E .faecium, as compared to those that consumed the diet with addition of antibiotics. The use of probiotics, especially E. faecium, is a nutritional treatment strategy when antimicrobial compound are used, improving the intestinal morphometric parameters and, at the same time, the digestive and productive parameters of the animals. Work is in progress to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on the mofication of gut microbiota of post-weaning piglets

A novel enterocin T1 with anti-Pseudomonas activity produced by Enterococcus faecium T1 from Chinese Tibet cheese.

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Liu, Hui; Zhang, Lanwei; Yi, Huaxi; Han, Xue; Gao, Wei; Chi, Chunliang; Song, Wei; Li, Haiying; Liu, Chunguang

2016-02-01

An enterocin-producing Enterococcus faecium T1 was isolated from Chinese Tibet cheese. The enterocin was purified by SP-Sepharose and reversed phase HPLC. It was identified as unique from other reported bacteriocins based on molecular weight (4629 Da) and amino acid compositions; therefore it was subsequently named enterocin T1. Enterocin T1 was stable at 80-100 °C and over a wide pH range, pH 3.0-10.0. Protease sensitivity was observed to trypsin, pepsin, papain, proteinase K, and pronase E. Importantly, enterocin T1 was observed to inhibit the growth of numerous Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes. Take together, these results suggest that enterocin T1 is a novel bacteriocin with the potential to be used as a bio-preservative to control Pseudomonas spp. in food.

Antibacterial efficacy of nisin, pediocin 34 and enterocin FH99 against L. monocytogenes, E. faecium and E. faecalis and bacteriocin cross resistance and antibiotic susceptibility of their bacteriocin resistant variants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Tejinder Pal; Malik, Ravinder Kumar; Bhardwaj, Arun; De, Sachinandan

2014-02-01

The bacteriocin susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes MTCC 657, Enterococcus faecium DSMZ 20477, E. faecium VRE, and E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and their corresponding bacteriocin resistant variants was assessed. The single and combined effect of nisin and pediocin 34 and enterocin FH99 bacteriocins produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus 34, and E. faecium FH99, respectively, was determined. Pediocin34 proved to be more effective in inhibiting L. monocytogenes MTCC 657. A greater antibacterial effect was observed against E. faecium DSMZ 20477 and E. faecium (VRE) when the a combination of nisin, pediocin 34 and enterocin FH99 were used whereas in case of L. monocytogenes MTCC 657 a combination of pediocin 34 and enterocin FH99 was more effective in reducing the survival of pathogen. Bacteriocin cross-resistance and the antibiotic susceptibility of wild type and their corresponding resistant variants were assessed and results showed that resistance to a bacteriocin may extend to other bacteriocins within the same class and also the acquired resistance to bacteriocins can modify the antibiotic susceptibility/resistance profile of the bacterial species used in the study. According to the hydrophobicity nisin resistant variant of L. monocytogenes was more hydrophobic (p enterocin FH99 resistant variants were less hydrophobic than the wild type strain. Nisin, pediocin 34 and enterocin FH99 resistant variants of E. faecium DSMZ 20477 and E. faecium VRE were less hydrophobic than their wild type counterparts. Nisin resistant E. faecalis ATCC 29212 was less hydrophobic than its wild type counterpart.

Characterization of veterinary hospital-associated isolates of Enterococcus species in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Yeon Soo; Kwon, Ka Hee; Shin, Sook; Kim, Jae Hong; Park, Yong Ho; Yoon, Jang Won

2014-03-28

Possible cross-transmission of hospital-associated enterococci between human patients, medical staff, and hospital environments has been extensively studied. However, limited information is available for veterinary hospital-associated Enterococcus isolates. This study investigated the possibility of cross-transmission of antibiotic-resistant enterococci between dog patients, their owners, veterinary staff, and hospital environments. Swab samples (n =46 5) were obtained from five veterinary hospitals in Seoul, Korea, during 2011. Forty-three Enterococcus strains were isolated, representing seven enterococcal species. E. faecalis and E. faecium were the most dominant species (16 isolates each, 37.2%). Although slight differences in the antibiotic resistance profiles were observed between the phenotypic and the genotypic data, our antibiogram analysis demonstrated high prevalence of the multiple drug-resistant (MDR) isolates of E. faecalis (10/16 isolates, 62.5%) and E. faecium (12/16 isolates, 75.0%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic comparison of the MDR isolates revealed three different clonal sets of E. faecalis and a single set of E. faecium, which were isolated from different sample groups or dog patients at the same or two separate veterinary hospitals. These results imply a strong possibility of cross-transmission of the antibiotic-resistant enterococcal species between animal patients, owners, veterinary staff, and hospital environments.

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility in clinical isolates of Enterococcus species Susceptibilidad antimicrobiana in vitro en aislamientos clínicos de Enterococcus species

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Ernesto Calderón-Jaimes

2003-04-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To describe the antimicrobial activity of several antimicrobial agents against 97 clinical significant isolates of Enterococcus spp. MATHERIAL AND METHODS: During a 2-year prospective study at Instituto Nacional de Pediatria (National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City. Ninety seven strains of Enterococcus spp. (60 E. faecalis and 37 E. faecium were tested against 11 antibiotics. Susceptibility tests were performed with agar, according to the standards of the sNational Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS. Isolates were screened for high-level resistance (HLR to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, glycopeptides and other antibiotics, as well as for vancomycin-phenotypes. Differences between proportions were evaluated with chi2 of Fisher exact fest. RESULTS: Overall resistance rates to the antibiotics tested were: 17/97 (17.5% to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate and imipenem. There was neither HLR nor beta-lactamase production; 74/97 (48.4% were resistant to erythromycin; 60% to ciprofloxacin; 31/97 (32% to gentamicin, and 55/97 (56.7% to streptomycin. Seven strains were vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE, all of them identified as E. faecium; 5/7 with Van A and 2/7 with Van B phenotypes. All the isolates were susceptible to linezolid. The difference in susceptibility among species was significant. CONCLUSIONS: Mutidrug-resistant enterococci is a real problem and continuous surveillance is necessary. The microbiology laboratory is the first line of defense against the spread of multiantibiotic-resistan enterococci in the hospital environment . All the strains recovered should be tested for susceptibility to ampicillin, streptomycin, gentamicin and glycopeptides.OBJECTIVO: Describir la actividad antimicrobiana de varios antibióticos, contra 97 cepas de Enterococcus spp., consideradas como aislamientos clínicamente significativos. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: En un estudio prospectivo de dos años, (enero de 1998

Utilization of tannery fleshings: Optimization of conditions for fermenting delimed tannery fleshings using Enterococcus faecium HAB01 by response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar Rai, Amit; General, Thiyam; Bhaskar, N; Suresh, P V; Sakhare, P Z; Halami, P M; Gowda, Lalitha R; Mahendrakar, N S

2010-03-01

Conditions for fermentation of delimed tannery fleshings--to obtain higher degree of protein hydrolysis and reasonably better antioxidant activity--using Enterococcus faecium HAB01 (GenBank #FJ418568) were optimized. Three independent variables--viz., inoculum level (X1), glucose level (X2) and fermentation time (X3)--were optimized using response surface method considering degree of hydrolysis (DH; %) and total titrable acidity (TTA) as response variables. The optimized conditions were found to be 12.5% (v/w) inoculum, 17.5% (w/w) glucose and 96h of fermentation at 37+/-1 degrees C to obtain a maximum DH%. The usefulness of the predicted model was further validated by considering random combinations of the independent factors. The chemical score of the hydrolysate revealed an excess amount of essential amino acids, viz., arginine and leucine compared to reference protein. The liquor portion had relatively high antioxidant activities, indicating its potential for use as a high value feed ingredient. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcal Infections : New Compounds, Novel Antimicrobial Therapies?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Harten, Roel M; Willems, Rob J L; Martin, Nathaniel I; Hendrickx, Antoni P A

Over the past two decades infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria have escalated world-wide, affecting patient morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Among these bacteria, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis represent opportunistic nosocomial pathogens that cause

Intestinal Structure and Function of Broiler Chickens on Diets Supplemented with a Synbiotic Containing Enterococcus faecium and Oligosaccharides

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Wageha Awad

2008-11-01

Full Text Available A feeding trial was conducted on broiler chickens to study the effects of the synbiotic BIOMIN IMBO [a combination of Enterococcus faecium, a prebiotic (derived from chicory and immune modulating substances (derived from sea algae], with a dose of 1 kg/ton of the starter diets and 0.5 kg/ton of the grower diets on the intestinal morphometry and nutrient absorption. The general performance was improved (P < 0.05 by the dietary inclusion of synbiotic compared with the controls. Furthermore, the addition of synbiotic increased (P < 0.001 the villus height/crypt depth ratio and villus height in ileum. However, the ileal crypt depth was decreased by dietary supplementation of synbiotic compared with control. The addition of glucose in Ussing chamber produced a significant increase (P ≤ 0.001 in short-circuit current (Isc in jejunum and colon relative to the basal values in both synbiotic and control groups. However, in jejunum the percentage of Isc increase after glucose addition was higher for synbiotic group (333 % than control group (45 %. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of synbiotic BIOMIN IMBO increased the growth performance and improved intestinal morphology and nutrient absorption.

Pathogens Present in Acute Mangled Extremities From Afghanistan and Subsequent Pathogen Recovery

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

0/pre-), Kloeckera spp (PID 0/post-) 4 Aspergillus niger (PID 5) 3 LLE 3 P. stutzeri (PID 0/pre-), P. fluorescens (PID 0/pre-), CNS (PID 0/pre...Streptococcus viridans group (PID 0/post-) 4 Penicillium spp (PID 5), Aspergillus spp (PID 5), Enterococcus hirae (PID 5), Bacillus spp (PID 5) 5 P...Penicillium spp (PID 1), Aspergillus spp (PID 1), Enterococcus faecium (PID 1) 5 E. coli (PID 7) LLE, left lower extremity; RLE, right lower extremity

New antimicrobial contact catalyst killing antibiotic resistant clinical and waterborne pathogens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guridi, A. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Diederich, A.-K. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Aguila-Arcos, S.; Garcia-Moreno, M. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Blasi, R.; Broszat, M. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Schmieder, W.; Clauss-Lendzian, E. [Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Sakinc-Gueler, T. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Andrade, R. [Advanced Research Facilities (SGIker), University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Alkorta, I. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Meyer, C.; Landau, U. [Largentec GmbH, Am Waldhaus 32, 14129 Berlin (Germany); Grohmann, E., E-mail: elisabeth.grohmann@googlemail.com [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany)

2015-05-01

Microbial growth on medical and technical devices is a big health issue, particularly when microorganisms aggregate to form biofilms. Moreover, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the clinical environment is dramatically growing, making treatment of bacterial infections very challenging. In search of an alternative, we studied a novel antimicrobial surface coating based on micro galvanic elements formed by silver and ruthenium with surface catalytic properties. The antimicrobial coating efficiently inhibited the growth of the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as demonstrated by the growth inhibition on agar surface and in biofilms of antibiotic resistant clinical E. faecalis, E. faecium, and S. aureus isolates. It also strongly reduced the growth of Legionella in a drinking water pipeline and of Escherichia coli in urine. We postulate a mode of action of the antimicrobial material, which is independent of the release of silver ions. Thus, the novel antimicrobial coating could represent an alternative to combat microbial growth avoiding the toxic side effects of high levels of silver ions on eukaryotic cells. - Highlights: • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of clinical staphylococci and enterococci. • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of Legionella in drinking water. • A putative mode of action of the antimicrobial coating is presented.

New antimicrobial contact catalyst killing antibiotic resistant clinical and waterborne pathogens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guridi, A.; Diederich, A.-K.; Aguila-Arcos, S.; Garcia-Moreno, M.; Blasi, R.; Broszat, M.; Schmieder, W.; Clauss-Lendzian, E.; Sakinc-Gueler, T.; Andrade, R.; Alkorta, I.; Meyer, C.; Landau, U.; Grohmann, E.

2015-01-01

Microbial growth on medical and technical devices is a big health issue, particularly when microorganisms aggregate to form biofilms. Moreover, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the clinical environment is dramatically growing, making treatment of bacterial infections very challenging. In search of an alternative, we studied a novel antimicrobial surface coating based on micro galvanic elements formed by silver and ruthenium with surface catalytic properties. The antimicrobial coating efficiently inhibited the growth of the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as demonstrated by the growth inhibition on agar surface and in biofilms of antibiotic resistant clinical E. faecalis, E. faecium, and S. aureus isolates. It also strongly reduced the growth of Legionella in a drinking water pipeline and of Escherichia coli in urine. We postulate a mode of action of the antimicrobial material, which is independent of the release of silver ions. Thus, the novel antimicrobial coating could represent an alternative to combat microbial growth avoiding the toxic side effects of high levels of silver ions on eukaryotic cells. - Highlights: • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of clinical staphylococci and enterococci. • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of Legionella in drinking water. • A putative mode of action of the antimicrobial coating is presented

PCR-based identification of selected pathogens associated with endodontic infections in deciduous and permanent teeth.

Science.gov (United States)

Cogulu, Dilsah; Uzel, Atac; Oncag, Ozant; Eronat, Cemal

2008-09-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of the selected pathogens in samples from deciduous and permanent tooth root canals by using PCR method and to determine the association of these organisms with clinical symptoms. A total of 145 children, 5 to 13 years old, were involved in this study. The presence of selected pathogens (Actinomyces israelii, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus intermedius, Treponema denticola, Parvimonas micra, Tannerella forsythensis, Enterococcus faecium, Prevotella melaninogenica) in infected root canals was studied using PCR. T. denticola (P = .012, .02) and E. faecalis (P = .012, .04) were highly associated with periapical radiolucency and previous pain, while P. gingivalis was associated with tenderness to percussion in both deciduous and permanent teeth (P = .01, .015). The results of the present study confirm that certain species of microorganisms are associated with clinical signs and symptoms of endodontic disease in both deciduous and permanent teeth.

Efficacy of vacuum steam pasteurization for inactivation of Salmonella PT 30, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Enterococcus faecium on low moisture foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Manoj K; Asa, Gladys; Sherwood, Julie; Graber, Kari; Bergholz, Teresa M

2017-03-06

Low moisture foods such as nuts, spices, and seeds have been implicated in several outbreaks due to Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Such foods may be consumed raw, and can be used as ingredients in other food products. While numerous thermal inactivation studies have been conducted for Salmonella on nuts, studies on other seeds and grains are minimal. Product water activity can influence the thermal resistance of pathogens, where thermal resistance increases as water activity decreases, leading to a requirement for higher temperatures and longer exposure times to achieve significant reduction of pathogen numbers. Vacuum steam pasteurization uses steam under vacuum, which can be operated at temperatures above and below 100°C. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of vacuum steam pasteurization for inactivation of pathogens on whole flaxseed, quinoa, sunflower kernels, milled flaxseed and whole black peppercorns. The use of E. faecium as a potential surrogate for Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in vacuum steam pasteurization was also evaluated. Pasteurization for 1min at 75°C yielded average log reductions of 5.48±1.22, 5.71±0.40 and 5.23±0.61 on flaxseed, 4.29±0.92, 5.89±0.26 and 2.39±0.83 on quinoa, and 4.01±0.74, 5.40±0.83 and 2.99±0.92 on sunflower kernels for Salmonella PT 30, E. coli O157:H7 and E. faecium, respectively. Similarly, on milled flaxseed and black peppercorns average log reductions of 3.02±0.79 and 6.10±0.64CFU/g were observed for Salmonella PT 30 after 1min of treatment at 75°C but, on average, >6.0 log reductions were observed after pasteurization at 85°C. Our data demonstrate that vacuum steam pasteurization can be effectively used to reduce pathogens on these low moisture foods at temperature as low as 75 and 85°C, and that E. faecium may be used as a potential surrogate for Salmonella PT 30 and E. coli O157:H7. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relations between the occurrence of resistance to antimicrobial growth promoters among Enterococcus faecium isolated from broilers and broiler meat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emborg, Hanne-Dorthe; Andersen, J. S.; Seyfarth, Anne Mette

2003-01-01

and streptogramin. By February 1998, all antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) were withdrawn from the Danish broiler production. The present study investigates, by logistic regression analyses, the (1) changes in the occurrence of AGP resistance among E. faecium from broilers and broiler meat from the fourth...... quarter of 1995 to the fourth quarter of 2001 and (2) relations between the occurrence of AGP resistance among E. faecium isolates from Danish broilers and AGP resistance among E. faecium isolates from the broiler meat of Danish and unknown origin collected in the same quarter within the year....... In the present study, we showed that after the AGP withdrawal, a significant decline in resistance to avilamycin, erythromycin, vancomycin and virginiamycin was observed among E. faecium from broilers and broiler meat. In addition, a decline in the occurrence of AGP resistance among E. faecium from Danish...

Involvement of the Eukaryote-Like Kinase-Phosphatase System and a Protein That Interacts with Penicillin-Binding Protein 5 in Emergence of Cephalosporin Resistance in Cephalosporin-Sensitive Class A Penicillin-Binding Protein Mutants in Enterococcus faecium

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Charlene Desbonnet

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The intrinsic resistance of Enterococcus faecium to ceftriaxone and cefepime (here referred to as “cephalosporins” is reliant on the presence of class A penicillin-binding proteins (Pbps PbpF and PonA. Mutants lacking these Pbps exhibit cephalosporin susceptibility that is reversible by exposure to penicillin and by selection on cephalosporin-containing medium. We selected two cephalosporin-resistant mutants (Cro1 and Cro2 of class A Pbp-deficient E. faecium CV598. Genome analysis revealed changes in the serine-threonine kinase Stk in Cro1 and a truncation in the associated phosphatase StpA in Cro2 whose respective involvements in resistance were confirmed in separate complementation experiments. In an additional effort to identify proteins linked to cephalosporin resistance, we performed tandem affinity purification using Pbp5 as bait in penicillin-exposed E. faecium; these experiments yielded a protein designated Pbp5-associated protein (P5AP. Transcription of the P5AP gene was increased after exposure to penicillin in wild-type strains and in Cro2 and suppressed in Cro2 complemented with the wild-type stpA. Transformation of class A Pbp-deficient strains with the plasmid-carried P5AP gene conferred cephalosporin resistance. These data suggest that Pbp5-associated cephalosporin resistance in E. faecium devoid of typical class A Pbps is related to the presence of P5AP, whose expression is influenced by the activity of the serine-threonine phosphatase/kinase system.

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of hospital Enterococcus faecium isolates in eastern France. Members of Réseau Franc-Comtois de Lutte contr les Infections Nosocomiales.

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Bertrand, X; Thouverez, M; Bailly, P; Cornette, C; Talon, D

2000-06-01

We carried out a surveillance study of Enterococcus faecium isolates in the Franche-Comtéregion of France over three years. Clinical and epidemiological strains were characterized by antibiotype and genotype (pulsed field gel electrophoresis, PFGE). Three case-control studies were performed to identify risk factors for colonization/infection with three defined resistant phenotypes (amoxycillin, high-level gentamicin and high-level kanamycin). The crude incidence of colonization/infection was 0.156%, and 68.8% of cases were classified as hospital-acquired. Incidence did not differ according to the type of hospitalization (middle term or acute care). The urinary tract was the major site of infection. Resistance rates were: 45.8% (amoxycillin), 18.7% (high-level gentamicin), 61.4% (high-level kanamycin) and 3.1% (vancomycin). No isolate produced b-lactamase and one isolate carried the vanA gene. PFGE revealed two major epidemic patterns each including resistant strains isolated in different hospitals and during different periods in the study. Previous antimicrobial treatment was not identified as a risk factor for colonization/infection with any resistant phenotype. Despite the low frequency of vancomycin-resistant isolates in this study, resistant strains were widely disseminated and had characteristics enabling them to persist and spread. If these strains acquired the vanA gene, the risk of an outbreak would be large. So, the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium in hospitals should be carefully monitored in the future. Copyright 2000 The Hospital Infection Society.

Comparison of two methods for purification of enterocin B, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium W3.

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Dündar, Halil; Atakay, Mehmet; Çelikbıçak, Ömür; Salih, Bekir; Bozoğlu, Faruk

2015-01-01

This study aimed to compare two different approaches for the purification of enterocin B from Enterococcus faecium strain W3 based on the observation that the bacteriocin was found both in cell associated form and in culture supernatant. The first approach employed ammonium sulfate precipitation, cation-exchange chromatography, and sequential reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The latter approach exploited a pH-mediated cell adsorption-desorption method to extract cell-bound bacteriocin, and one run of reverse-phase chromatography. The first method resulted in purification of enterocin B with a recovery of 4% of the initial bacteriocin activity found in culture supernatant. MALDI-TOF MS analysis and de novo peptide sequencing of the purified bacteriocin confirmed that the active peptide was enterocin B. The second method achieved the purification of enterocin B with a higher recovery (16%) and enabled us to achieve pure bacteriocin within a shorter period of time by avoiding time consuming purification protocols. The purity and identity of the active peptide were confirmed again by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Although both approaches were satisfactory to obtain a sufficient amount of enterocin B for use in MS and amino acid sequence analysis, the latter was proved to be applicable in large-scale and rapid purification of enterocin B.

[Influence of staphylococcin T on Enterococcus sp. growth].

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Białucha, Agata; Kozuszko, Sylwia; Gospodarek, Eugenia; Bugalski, Roman Marian; Gierlotka, Krzysztof

2007-01-01

Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesised, extracellular bacterial products. Generally, spectrum of inhibition is limited to the same or closely related species to bacteriocin producer. Staphylococcin T is produced by Staphylococcus cohnii strain. The present study concerns influence of StT to 267 Enterococcus sp. strains growth isolated between 2003 and 2006 in Department of Microbiology University Hospital of dr. A. Jurasz in Bydgoszcz. S. cohnii T antagonistic ability evaluated towards bacteries on Mueller-Hinton Agar (bio Mérieux) in aerobic conditions. After 24 and 48 hours tested enterococci suspensions were plated perpendiculary. Susceptibility to antibiotics was assessed by disc diffusion method according to the guideless of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and National Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Susceptibility. Among Enterococcus sp. strains tested 7.1% were sensitive to StT. The highest percentage of sensitive enterococci isolated from wound swabs, urine, blood and pus. Enterococcus faecium strains dominated (63.2%) among enterococci sensitive to StT. Moderate inhibition degree on S. cohnii T bacteriocin action was observed in majority sensitive enterococci strains. Enterococcus sp. sensitive to StT strains were frequently multidrug resistant (68.4%). According to the study results and increasing resistance to antibiotics, StT could be an alternative agent used to treat infections caused by Enterococcus sp.

Safety Evaluation of Enterocin Producer Enterococcus sp. Strains Isolated from Traditional Turkish Cheeses.

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Avcı, Mine; Özden Tuncer, Banu

2017-07-06

The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity and occurrence of bacteriocin structural genes in Enterococcus spp. isolated from different cheeses and also investigate some of their virulence factors. Enterococcus strains were isolated from 33 different cheeses. Enterococcus faecium (6 strains) and Enterococcus faecalis (5 strains) enterocin-producing strains were identified by 16S rDNA analyses. Structural genes entA, entB, entP and entX were detected in some isolates. Multiple enterocin structural genes were found in 7 strains. None of the tested enterococci demonstrated anyβ-haemolytic activity and only one strain had gelatinase activity. Six strains showed multiple antibiotic resistance patterns and in addition, vanA and several virulence genes were detected in many strains. Only E. faecalis MBE1-9 showed tyrosine decarboxylase activity and tdc gene was detected only in this strain.

Reduced susceptibility of Enterococcus spp. isolates from Cairo University Hospital to tigecycline: Highlight on the influence of proton pump inhibitors.

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Hassan, Reem Mostafa; Ghaith, Doaa Mohammad; Ismail, Dalia Kadry; Zafer, Mai Mahmoud

2018-03-01

The incidence of reduced susceptibility to tigecycline (TIG) is increasing. This study aimed to analyse the in vitro activity of TIG against Enterococcus spp. isolates recovered from hospitalised patients and to evaluate the effect of omeprazole on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of TIG against several enterococcal species. A total of 67 Enterococcus clinical isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF/MS and multiplex PCR. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of TIG alone and in combination with omeprazole (10, 30 and 60mg/L) were determined by broth microdilution. Antibiotic susceptibility to other antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion. The presence of van, tet(X) and tet(X1) genes was tested by multiplex PCR. Of the 67 Enterococcus isolates, 2 (3.0%) were resistant to TIG and 13 (19.4%) were intermediate-resistant according to EUCAST. The frequencies of resistance to norfloxacin (80.6%), doxycycline (80.6%), levofloxacin (74.6%) and ciprofloxacin (71.6%) were highest, whilst that of vancomycin (25.4%) was lowest. The vanA gene was detected in 11 Enterococcus isolates (8 Enterococcus faecalis, 3 Enterococcus faecium), vanB in 3 Enterococcus isolates (2 E. faecium, 1 E. faecalis) and vanC-2/3 in 3 Enterococcus casseliflavus. Nine isolates (13.4%) were positive for tet(X1). TIG resistance occurred both in patients receiving or not TIG and/or omeprazole. Omeprazole increased TIG MICs by 4-128-fold. The possibility of selection of TIG-non-susceptible Enterococcus in the gut may occur with long-term use of omeprazole. Omeprazole influenced TIG activity in a concentration-dependent manner. To our knowledge; this is the first report of TIG-non-susceptible Enterococcus spp. in Egypt. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of a probiotic beverage consumption (Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 in rats with chemically induced colitis.

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Larissa Sbaglia Celiberto

Full Text Available Some probiotic strains have the potential to assist in relieving the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. The impact of daily ingestion of a soy-based product fermented by Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416 with the addition of Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 on chemically induced colitis has been investigated thereof within a period of 30 days.Colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium. The animals were randomly assigned into five groups: Group C: negative control; Group CL: positive control; Group CLF: DSS with the fermented product; Group CLP: DSS with the non-fermented product (placebo; Group CLS: DSS with sulfasalazine. The following parameters were monitored: disease activity index, fecal microbial analyses, gastrointestinal survival of probiotic microorganisms and short-chain fatty acids concentration in the feces. At the end of the protocol the animals' colons were removed so as to conduct a macroscopical and histopathological analysis, cytokines and nitrite quantification.Animals belonging to the CLF group showed fewer symptoms of colitis during the induction period and a lower degree of inflammation and ulceration in their colon compared to the CL, CLS and CLP groups (p<0.05. The colon of the animals in groups CL and CLS presented severe crypt damage, which was absent in CLF and CLP groups. A significant increase in the population of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. at the end of the protocol was verified only in the CLF animals (p<0.05. This group also showed an increase in short-chain fatty acids (propionate and acetate. Furthermore, the intestinal survival of E. faecium CRL 183 and B. longum ATCC 15707 in the CLF group has been confirmed by biochemical and molecular analyzes.The obtained results suggest that a regular intake of the probiotic product, and placebo to a lesser extent, can reduce the severity of DSS-induced colitis on rats.

The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of ESKAPE pathogens from urinary tract infections in a referral laboratory, Northeast Iran

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Mohammad Salehi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To assess the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of ESKAPE pathogens from Neyshabur, Iran during 2013–2015. Methods: A total of 345 isolates including 62 Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, 38 Enterobacter spp. (including 14 Enterobacter agglomerans, 6 Enterobacter aerogenes and other 18 Enterobacter spp., 123 Enterococcus faecium, 78 Klebsiella pneumonia, 10 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 34 Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolates was conducted with Kirby Bauer method. Data were analyzed with SPSS 20.0 software using F- and t-tests. Results: Among S. aureus isolates, the highest resistance was observed against nalidixic acid (81.35% and cefixime (74.50%. Thirty-three (53.22% S. aureus isolates were cefoxitin resistant (methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The majority of Enterobacter species was resistant to amikacin (100.00% and cephalotin (66.60%. Most Enterococcus faecium isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid (89.43% and amikacin (83.33%, but vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolates were not detected. Moreover, among Klebsiella pneumonia, the highest resistance was observed to nalidixic acid (20.98% and cotrimoxazole (28.39%. Furthermore, all Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were resistant to cefotaxime (100.00% and majority to nitroforantoin (88.80%. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates showed the highest and the lowest resistance to cefotaxime (100.00% and cefixime (88.71%, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of ESKAPE pathogens from northeast region was low, but majority of them exhibited high rate of antibiotic resistance to common used antimicrobial agents.

Human Salivary Protein Histatin 5 Has Potent Bactericidal Activity against ESKAPE Pathogens.

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Du, Han; Puri, Sumant; McCall, Andrew; Norris, Hannah L; Russo, Thomas; Edgerton, Mira

2017-01-01

ESKAPE ( Enterococcus faecium , Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Acinetobacter baumanni , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Enterobacter species) pathogens have characteristic multiple-drug resistance and cause an increasing number of nosocomial infections worldwide. Peptide-based therapeutics to treat ESKAPE infections might be an alternative to conventional antibiotics. Histatin 5 (Hst 5) is a salivary cationic histidine-rich peptide produced only in humans and higher primates. It has high antifungal activity against Candida albicans through an energy-dependent, non-lytic process; but its bactericidal effects are less known. We found Hst 5 has bactericidal activity against S. aureus (60-70% killing) and A. baumannii (85-90% killing) in 10 and 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (NaPB), while killing of >99% of P. aeruginosa , 60-80% E. cloacae and 20-60% of E. faecium was found in 10 mM NaPB. Hst 5 killed 60% of biofilm cells of P. aeruginosa , but had reduced activity against biofilms of S. aureus and A. baumannii . Hst 5 killed 20% of K. pneumonia biofilm cells but not planktonic cells. Binding and uptake studies using FITC-labeled Hst 5 showed E. faecium and E. cloacae killing required Hst 5 internalization and was energy dependent, while bactericidal activity was rapid against P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii suggesting membrane disruption. Hst 5-mediated killing of S. aureus was both non-lytic and energy independent. Additionally, we found that spermidine conjugated Hst 5 (Hst5-Spd) had improved killing activity against E. faecium, E. cloacae , and A. baumannii . Hst 5 or its derivative has antibacterial activity against five out of six ESKAPE pathogens and may be an alternative treatment for these infections.

Enterococcus phages as potential tool for identifying sewage inputs in the Great Lakes region

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Vijayavel, K.; Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara N.; Whitman, Richard L.; Ebdon, J.; Taylor, H.; Kashian, D.R.

2014-01-01

Bacteriophages are viruses living in bacteria that can be used as a tool to detect fecal contamination in surface waters around the world. However, the lack of a universal host strain makes them unsuitable for tracking fecal sources. We evaluated the suitability of two newly isolated Enterococcus host strains (ENT-49 and ENT-55) capable for identifying sewage contamination in impacted waters by targeting phages specific to these hosts. Both host strains were isolated from wastewater samples and identified as E. faecium by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Occurrence of Enterococcus phages was evaluated in sewage samples (n = 15) from five wastewater treatment plants and in fecal samples from twenty-two species of wild and domesticated animals (individual samples; n = 22). Levels of Enterococcus phages, F + coliphages, Escherichia coli and enterococci were examined from four rivers, four beaches, and three harbors. Enterococcus phages enumeration was at similar levels (Mean = 6.72 Log PFU/100 mL) to F + coliphages in all wastewater samples, but were absent from all non-human fecal sources tested. The phages infecting Enterococcus spp. and F + coliphages were not detected in the river samples (detection threshold < 10 PFU/100 mL), but were present in the beach and harbor samples (range = 1.83 to 2.86 Log PFU/100 mL). Slightly higher concentrations (range = 3.22 to 3.69 Log MPN/100 mL) of E. coli and enterococci when compared to F + coliphages and Enterococcus phages, were observed in the river, beach and harbor samples. Our findings suggest that the bacteriophages associated with these particular Enterococcus host strains offer potentially sensitive and human-source specific indicators of enteric pathogen risk.

Production of Enterocins L50A, L50B, and IT, a New Enterocin, by Enterococcus faecium IT62, a Strain Isolated from Italian Ryegrass in Japan▿

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Izquierdo, Esther; Bednarczyk, Audrey; Schaeffer, Christine; Cai, Yimin; Marchioni, Eric; Van Dorsselaer, Alain; Ennahar, Saïd

2008-01-01

Enterococcus faecium IT62, isolated from ryegrass in Japan, was shown to produce three different bacteriocins, two of which had molecular masses and amino acid sequences that corresponded to those of enterocin L50A and enterocin L50B. These peptides existed, however, as chemically modified forms that were either N formylated or N formylated and oxidized at Met24. The third bacteriocin, named enterocin IT, had a molecular mass of 6,390 Da, was made up of 54 amino acids, and did not correspond to any known bacteriocin. However, enterocin IT was identical to the C-terminal part of the 16-amino-acid-longer bacteriocin 32 (T. Inoue, H. Tomita, and Y. Ike, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 50:1202-1212, 2006). For the first time, the antimicrobial activity spectra for enterocins L50A and L50B were determined separately and included a wide range of gram-positive bacteria but also a few gram-negative strains that were weakly sensitive. Slight differences in the activities of enterocins L50A and L50B were observed, as gram-positive bacteria showed an overall higher level of sensitivity to L50A than to L50B, as opposed to gram-negative ones. Conversely, enterocin IT showed a very narrow antimicrobial spectrum that was limited to E. faecium strains, one strain of Bacillus subtilis, and one strain of Lactococcus lactis. This study showed that E. faecium IT62, a grass-borne strain, produces bacteriocins with very different activity features and structures that may be found in strains associated with food or those of clinical origin, which demonstrates that a particular enterocin structure may be widespread and not related to the producer's origin. PMID:18391036

Production of enterocins L50A, L50B, and IT, a new enterocin, by Enterococcus faecium IT62, a strain isolated from Italian ryegrass in Japan.

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Izquierdo, Esther; Bednarczyk, Audrey; Schaeffer, Christine; Cai, Yimin; Marchioni, Eric; Van Dorsselaer, Alain; Ennahar, Saïd

2008-06-01

Enterococcus faecium IT62, isolated from ryegrass in Japan, was shown to produce three different bacteriocins, two of which had molecular masses and amino acid sequences that corresponded to those of enterocin L50A and enterocin L50B. These peptides existed, however, as chemically modified forms that were either N formylated or N formylated and oxidized at Met(24). The third bacteriocin, named enterocin IT, had a molecular mass of 6,390 Da, was made up of 54 amino acids, and did not correspond to any known bacteriocin. However, enterocin IT was identical to the C-terminal part of the 16-amino-acid-longer bacteriocin 32 (T. Inoue, H. Tomita, and Y. Ike, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 50:1202-1212, 2006). For the first time, the antimicrobial activity spectra for enterocins L50A and L50B were determined separately and included a wide range of gram-positive bacteria but also a few gram-negative strains that were weakly sensitive. Slight differences in the activities of enterocins L50A and L50B were observed, as gram-positive bacteria showed an overall higher level of sensitivity to L50A than to L50B, as opposed to gram-negative ones. Conversely, enterocin IT showed a very narrow antimicrobial spectrum that was limited to E. faecium strains, one strain of Bacillus subtilis, and one strain of Lactococcus lactis. This study showed that E. faecium IT62, a grass-borne strain, produces bacteriocins with very different activity features and structures that may be found in strains associated with food or those of clinical origin, which demonstrates that a particular enterocin structure may be widespread and not related to the producer's origin.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus strains isolated from poultry.

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Stępień-Pyśniak, Dagmara; Marek, Agnieszka; Banach, Tomasz; Adaszek, Łukasz; Pyzik, Ewelina; Wilczyński, Jarosław; Winiarczyk, Stanisław

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of occurrence of bacteria of the genus Enterococcus in poultry, to identify them by means of matrixassisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDITOF MS), and to analyse the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated strains to the drugs most frequently used in poultry. The material for the bacteriological tests was obtained mainly from the heart (97%) of the birds investigated. Of a total of 2,970 samples tested, 911 (30.7%) tested positive for Enterococcus spp. Enterococci were detected in broilers (88.1%), laying hens (5.3%), turkeys (3.9%), breeding hens (2.2%), and geese (0.4%). The most commonly identified species were Enterococcus (E.) faecalis (74.7%), E. faecium (10.1%), E. gallinarum (5.5%), E. hirae (4.6%), and E. cecorum (4.1%). The most frequent resistance properties were resistance to sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (88%), tylosin (71.4%), enrofloxacin (69.4%), doxycycline (67.3%), and lincomycin/spectinomycin (56.1%). Only one vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, E. cecorum from a broiler, was found.

High-level fluorescence labeling of gram-positive pathogens.

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Simone Aymanns

Full Text Available Fluorescence labeling of bacterial pathogens has a broad range of interesting applications including the observation of living bacteria within host cells. We constructed a novel vector based on the E. coli streptococcal shuttle plasmid pAT28 that can propagate in numerous bacterial species from different genera. The plasmid harbors a promoterless copy of the green fluorescent variant gene egfp under the control of the CAMP-factor gene (cfb promoter of Streptococcus agalactiae and was designated pBSU101. Upon transfer of the plasmid into streptococci, the bacteria show a distinct and easily detectable fluorescence using a standard fluorescence microscope and quantification by FACS-analysis demonstrated values that were 10-50 times increased over the respective controls. To assess the suitability of the construct for high efficiency fluorescence labeling in different gram-positive pathogens, numerous species were transformed. We successfully labeled Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus anginosus and Staphylococcus aureus strains utilizing the EGFP reporter plasmid pBSU101. In all of these species the presence of the cfb promoter construct resulted in high-level EGFP expression that could be further increased by growing the streptococcal and enterococcal cultures under high oxygen conditions through continuous aeration.

Identification, antimicrobial resistance and genotypic characterization of Enterococcus spp. isolated in Porto Alegre, Brazil

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Bender, Eduardo André; de Freitas, Ana Lúcia Peixoto; Reiter, Keli Cristine; Lutz, Larissa; Barth, Afonso Luís

2009-01-01

In the past two decades the members of the genus Enterococcus have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens worldwide. In the present study, we evaluated the antimicrobial resistance and genotypic characteristics of 203 Enterococcus spp. recovered from different clinical sources from two hospitals in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The species were identified by conventional biochemical tests and by an automated system. The genetic diversity of E. faecalis presenting high-level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR) was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of chromosomal DNA after SmaI digestion. The E. faecalis was the most frequent specie (93.6%), followed by E. faecium (4.4%). The antimicrobial resistance profile was: 2.5% to ampicillin, 0.5% to vancomycin, 0.5% teicoplanin, 33% to chloramphenicol, 2% to nitrofurantoin, 66.1% to erythromycin, 66.5% to tetracycline, 24.6% to rifampicin, 30% to ciprofloxacin and 87.2% to quinupristin-dalfopristin. A total of 10.3% of the isolates proved to be HLAR to both gentamicin and streptomycin (HLR-ST/GE), with 23.6% resistant only to gentamicin (HLR-GE) and 37.4% only to streptomycin (HLR-ST). One predominant clonal group was found among E. faecalis HLR-GE/ST. The prevalence of resistance among beta-lactam antibiotics and glycopeptides was very low. However, in this study there was an increased number of HLR Enterococcus which may be spreading intra and inter-hospital. PMID:24031416

Rapid disc diffusion antibiotic susceptibility testing for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterococcus spp.

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Hombach, Michael; Jetter, Marion; Blöchliger, Nicolas; Kolesnik-Goldmann, Natalia; Keller, Peter M; Böttger, Erik C

2018-01-01

Abstract Background We investigated the feasibility of rapid disc diffusion antibiotic susceptibility testing (rAST) with reading of inhibition zones after 6 and/or 8 h of incubation for Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. In addition, we evaluated discrimination of resistant populations from the WT populations at early timepoints and the requirement for clinical breakpoint adaptations for proper interpretation of rAST data. Methods In total, 815 clinical strains [E. faecalis (n = 135), E. faecium (n = 227), P. aeruginosa (n = 295) and A. baumannii (n = 158)] were included in this study. Disc diffusion plates were streaked, incubated and imaged using the WASPLabTM automation system. WT populations and non-WT populations were defined using epidemiological cut-offs. Results and conclusions rAST at 6 and 8 h was possible for A. baumannii and enterococci with readability of inhibition zones >90%. Overall categorical agreement of rAST at 6 h with AST at 18 h was 97.2%, 97.4% and 95.3% for E. faecalis, E. faecium and A. baumannii, respectively. With few exceptions, major categorization error rates were <1% for A. baumannii, and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium were clearly separated from the WT at 6 h. For P. aeruginosa the average readability of inhibition zones was 68.9% at 8 h and we found an overall categorical agreement of 94.8%. Adaptations of clinical breakpoints and/or introduction of technical buffer zones, preferably based on aggregated population data from various epidemiological settings, are required for proper interpretation of rAST. PMID:29186434

Susceptibility of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigs and broiler chickens to tetracycline degradation products and distribution of tetracycline resistance determinants in E-coli from food animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sengeløv, G.; Halling-Sørensen, B.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2003-01-01

of tet(A) and tet(B) applied to all three animal species, and there was no difference between the distribution of tet(A) and tet(B) genes among non-pathogenic and pathogenic E. coli in any of the animal species. The susceptibility of 20 of these isolates together with 10 tetracycline sensitive E. coli......-anhydrochlortetracycline. In general both the tetracycline resistant and susceptible E. faecium were more susceptible to the compounds tested than E. coli. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved....

Both live and dead Enterococci activate Caenorhabditis elegans host defense via immune and stress pathways.

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Yuen, Grace J; Ausubel, Frederick M

2018-12-31

The innate immune response of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been extensively studied and a variety of Toll-independent immune response pathways have been identified. Surprisingly little, however, is known about how pathogens activate the C. elegans immune response. Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are closely related enterococcal species that exhibit significantly different levels of virulence in C. elegans infection models. Previous work has shown that activation of the C. elegans immune response by Pseudomonas aeruginosa involves P. aeruginosa-mediated host damage. Through ultrastructural imaging, we report that infection with either E. faecalis or E. faecium causes the worm intestine to become distended with proliferating bacteria in the absence of extensive morphological changes and apparent physical damage. Genetic analysis, whole-genome transcriptional profiling, and multiplexed gene expression analysis demonstrate that both enterococcal species, whether live or dead, induce a rapid and similar transcriptional defense response dependent upon previously described immune signaling pathways. The host response to E. faecium shows a stricter dependence upon stress response signaling pathways than the response to E. faecalis. Unexpectedly, we find that E. faecium is a C. elegans pathogen and that an active wild-type host defense response is required to keep an E. faecium infection at bay. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the C. elegans immune response to pathogen infection.

Identification and tracing of Enterococcus spp. by RAPD-PCR in traditional fermented sausages and meat environment.

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Martín, B; Corominas, L; Garriga, M; Aymerich, T

2009-01-01

Four local small-scale factories were studied to determine the sources of enterococci in traditional fermented sausages. Different points during the production of a traditional fermented sausage type (fuet) were evaluated. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR was used to type 596 Enterococcus isolates from the final products, the initial meat batter, the casing, the workers' hands and the equipment. Species-specific PCR-multiplex and the partial sequencing of atpA gene and 16S rRNA gene sequencing allowed the identification of the isolates: Enterococcus faecalis (31.4%), Enterococcus faecium (30.7%), Enterococcus sanguinicola (14.9%), Enterococcus devriesei (9.7%), Enterococcus malodoratus (7.2%), Enterococcus gilvus (1.0%), Enterococcus gallinarum (1.3%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (3.4%), Enterococcus hermanniensis (0.2%), and Enterococcus durans (0.2%). A total of 92 different RAPD-PCR profiles were distributed among the different factories and samples evaluated. Most of the genotypes found in fuet samples were traced back to their source. The major sources of enterococci in the traditional fermented sausages studied were mainly the equipment followed by the raw ingredients, although a low proportion was traced back to human origin. This work contributes to determine the source of enterococcal contamination in fermented sausages and also to the knowledge of the meat environment.

Purification and characterization of enterocin 62-6, a two-peptide bacteriocin produced by a vaginal strain of Enterococcus faecium: Potential significance in bacterial vaginosis

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Dezwaan, Diane C.; Mequio, Michael J.; Littell, Julia S.; Allen, Jonathan P.; Rossbach, Silvia; Pybus, Vivien

2009-01-01

A bacteriocin produced by a vaginal isolate of Enterococcus faecium strain 62-6, designated enterocin 62-6, was characterized following purification and DNA sequence analysis and compared to previously described bacteriocins. Enterocin 62-6 was isolated from brain heart infusion (BHI) culture supernatants using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by elution from a Sepharose cation exchange column using a continuous salt gradient (0.1–0.7 M NaCl). SDS-PAGE of an active column fraction resulted in an electrophoretically pure protein, which corresponded to the growth inhibition of the sensitive Lactobacillus indicator strain in the gel overlay assay. Purified enterocin 62-6 was shown to be heat- and pH-stable, and sensitive to the proteolytic enzymes α-chymotrypsin and pepsin. Results from mass spectrometry suggested that it comprised two peptides of 5206 and 5219±1 Da, which was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. The characteristics of enterocin 62-6 as a small, heat- and pH-stable, cationic, hydrophobic, two-peptide, plasmid-borne bacteriocin, with an inhibitory spectrum against a broad range of Gram-positive but not Gram-negative bacteria, were consistent with its classification as a class IIc bacteriocin. Furthermore, its wide spectrum of growth inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria of vaginal origin including lactobacilli, and stability under the acidic conditions of the vagina, are consistent with our hypothesis that it could have potential significance in disrupting the ecology of the vaginal tract and pave the way for the establishment of the abnormal microbiota associated with the vaginal syndrome bacterial vaginosis. This is the first class IIc bacteriocin produced by a strain of E. faecium of vaginal origin to be characterized. PMID:19578555

Avaliação do simbiótico fermentado com Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 e Lactobacillus helveticus ssp jugurti 416, à base de extratos aquosos de soja e de yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) no controle do desenvolvimento do Diabetes Mellitus

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Roselino, Mariana Nougalli [UNESP

2012-01-01

O presente trabalho avaliou os efeitos do simbiótico fermentado com Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 e Lactobacillus helveticus ssp jugurti 416, à base de extratos de soja e de yacon produzidos em ratos com Diabetes mellitus, cuja indução foi feita quimicamente pela administração intraperitoneal de estreptozotocina (50mg/kg de peso corporal). Os animais foram divididos em quatro grupos experimentais (n=10): I - animais não diabéticos que receberam somente ração (controle negativo); II - animais d...

Molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from Bermuda.

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Patrick Eberechi Akpaka

Full Text Available Molecular characteristics of vancomycin resistant enterococci isolates from Bermuda Island is currently unknown. This study was conducted to investigate phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of VRE isolates from Bermuda Island using the chromogenic agar, E-tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST. Eighteen E. faecium isolates were completely analyzed and were all resistant to vancomycin, susceptible to linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin, positive for vanA and esp genes. The MLST analysis confirmed most isolates were of the sequence types linked to clonal complex 17 (CC17 that is widely associated with outbreaks in hospitals. Infection control measures, antibiotic stewardship, and surveillance activities will continue to be a priority in hospital on the Island.

Antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus isolates in Turkey: A meta-analysis of current studies.

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Kilbas, Imdat; Ciftci, Ihsan Hakki

2018-03-01

In this study, a meta-analysis of Enterococcus isolates collected in 2000-2015 in Turkey and their susceptibility/resistance to antibiotics, clinical indications for initial drug treatment, and identification of alternative treatments was conducted. The meta-analysis examined antibiotic susceptibility/resistance in Enterococcus spp. isolates. The study was planned and conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Statements on antimicrobial resistance were grouped according to the antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP). The mean resistance rates of Enterococcus faecalis to vancomycin (VAN) and linezolid (LNZ) were 1.0±2.2% and 1.9±2.6%, respectively, whereas the mean resistance rates of Enterococcus faecium to VAN and LNZ were 10.3±11.3% and 2.4±0%, respectively. This study is the first meta-analysis of the resistance of clinical Enterococcus isolates in Turkey to antimicrobial agents, which is a major problem stemming from the excessive usage of antibiotics. The development of antibiotic resistance in Turkey has changed over time. To support the practice of evidence-based medicine, more notifications about Enterococcus resistance status are needed, especially notifications following ASP rules. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multidrug resistance in Enterococcus species of faecal origin from commercial dairy lactating cattle: Public health concern

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Godfred Ngu Tanih

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of Enterococcus species in cattle faeces, their corresponding drug resistant patterns as well as the genes coding for resistance in the isolates. Methods: Two hundred and ninety rectal swabs were cultured for the isolation of Enterococcus. Presumptive isolates were confirmed by PCR, targeting the tuf gene, and confirmed isolates were identified to species level, using species-specific primers aimed at targeting six different species. Additionally, antibiogram was performed by disc diffusion and genes implicated in resistance were evaluated using molecular methods. Results: All presumptive isolates were confirmed as Enterococcus and speciated as: Enterococcus hirae (82%, Enterococcus faecium (5%, Enterococcus durans (5%, Enterococcus faecalis (2% and 6% of unidentified species. Resistance to various antimicrobials ranged from 16.4% for penicillin to 69.6% for erythromycin. Among the tetracycline and erythromycin-resistant isolates, tet M (100% and erm B (29% were the only amplified genes known to mediate resistance respectively. Other detected genes included van B (25%, van C1 (21% and bla Z (11%. Conclusions: A high prevalence of multidrug resistant Enterococcus species was observed in this study, accentuating the need to improve on animal farming practices to prevent the dissemination of this microorganism to the environment.

Development of a Chemically Defined Medium for Better Yield and Purification of Enterocin Y31 from Enterococcus faecium Y31

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Wenli Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The macro- and micronutrients in traditional medium, such as MRS, used for cultivating lactic acid bacteria, especially for bacteriocin production, have not been defined, preventing the quantitative monitoring of metabolic flux during bacteriocin biosynthesis. To enhance Enterocin Y31 production and simplify steps of separation and purification, we developed a simplified chemically defined medium (SDM for the growth of Enterococcus faecium Y31 and production of its bacteriocin, Enterocin Y31. We found that the bacterial growth was unrelated to Enterocin Y31 production in MRS; therefore, both the growth rate and the Enterocin Y31 production were set as the index for investigation. Single omission experiments revealed that 5 g/L NaCl, five vitamins, two nucleic acid bases, MgSO4·7H2O, MnSO4·4H2O, KH2PO4, K2HPO4, CH3COONa, fourteen amino acids, and glucose were essential for the strain’s growth and Enterocin Y31 production. Thus, a novel simplified and defined medium (SDM was formulated with 30 components in total. Consequently, Enterocin Y31 production yield was higher in SDM as compared to either MRS or CDM. SDM improved the Enterocin Y31 production and simplified the steps of purification (only two steps, which has broad potential applications.

Characterization and Heterologous Expression of the Genes Encoding Enterocin A Production, Immunity, and Regulation in Enterococcus faecium DPC1146

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O’Keeffe, Triona; Hill, Colin; Ross, R. Paul

1999-01-01

Enterocin A is a small, heat-stable, antilisterial bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium DPC1146. The sequence of a 10,879-bp chromosomal region containing at least 12 open reading frames (ORFs), 7 of which are predicted to play a role in enterocin biosynthesis, is presented. The genes entA, entI, and entF encode the enterocin A prepeptide, the putative immunity protein, and the induction factor prepeptide, respectively. The deduced proteins EntK and EntR resemble the histidine kinase and response regulator proteins of two-component signal transducing systems of the AgrC-AgrA type. The predicted proteins EntT and EntD are homologous to ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters and accessory factors, respectively, of several other bacteriocin systems and to proteins implicated in the signal-sequence-independent export of Escherichia coli hemolysin A. Immediately downstream of the entT and entD genes are two ORFs, the product of one of which, ORF4, is very similar to the product of the yteI gene of Bacillus subtilis and to E. coli protease IV, a signal peptide peptidase known to be involved in outer membrane lipoprotein export. Another potential bacteriocin is encoded in the opposite direction to the other genes in the enterocin cluster. This putative bacteriocin-like peptide is similar to LafX, one of the components of the lactacin F complex. A deletion which included one of two direct repeats upstream of the entA gene abolished enterocin A activity, immunity, and ability to induce bacteriocin production. Transposon insertion upstream of the entF gene also had the same effect, but this mutant could be complemented by exogenously supplied induction factor. The putative EntI peptide was shown to be involved in the immunity to enterocin A. Cloning of a 10.5-kb amplicon comprising all predicted ORFs and regulatory regions resulted in heterologous production of enterocin A and induction factor in Enterococcus faecalis, while a four-gene construct (entAITD) under the

Integrated Detection of Pathogens and Host Biomarkers for Wounds

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2012-04-01

None None TN631B Enterococcus faecium None ZB191B Enterobacter cloacae Acinetobacter baumannii Enterobacter cloacae plasmid pEC01 These initial...Streptomyces roseosporus HERV K113 ZB191B Enterobacter cloacae Enterobacter cloacae plasmid pEC01 Escherichia coli plasmid pIGRW12 Plasmid

Proteomic characterization of vanA-containing Enterococcus recovered from Seagulls at the Berlengas Natural Reserve, W Portugal.

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Radhouani, Hajer; Poeta, Patrícia; Pinto, Luís; Miranda, Júlio; Coelho, Céline; Carvalho, Carlos; Rodrigues, Jorge; López, María; Torres, Carmen; Vitorino, Rui; Domingues, Pedro; Igrejas, Gilberto

2010-09-21

Enterococci have emerged as the third most common cause of nosocomial infections, requiring bactericidal antimicrobial therapy. Although vancomycin resistance is a major problem in clinics and has emerged in an important extend in farm animals, few studies have examined it in wild animals. To determine the prevalence of vanA-containing Enterococcus strains among faecal samples of Seagulls (Larus cachinnans) of Berlengas Natural Reserve of Portugal, we developed a proteomic approach integrated with genomic data. The purpose was to detect the maximum number of proteins that vary in different enterococci species which are thought to be connected in some, as yet unknown, way to antibiotic resistance. From the 57 seagull samples, 54 faecal samples showed the presence of Enterococcus isolates (94.7%). For the enterococci, E. faecium was the most prevalent species in seagulls (50%), followed by E. faecalis and E. durans (10.4%), and E. hirae (6.3%). VanA-containing enterococcal strains were detected in 10.5% of the 57 seagull faecal samples studied. Four of the vanA-containing enterococci were identified as E. faecium and two as E. durans. The tet(M) gene was found in all five tetracycline-resistant vanA strains. The erm(B) gene was demonstrated in all six erythromycin-resistant vanA strains. The hyl virulence gene was detected in all four vanA-containing E. faecium isolates in this study, and two of them harboured the purK1 allele. In addition these strains also showed ampicillin and ciprofoxacin resistance. The whole-cell proteomic profile of vanA-containing Enterococcus strains was applied to evaluate the discriminatory power of this technique for their identification. The major differences among species-specific profiles were found in the positions corresponding to 97-45 kDa. Sixty individualized protein spots for each vanA isolate was identified and suitable for peptide mass fingerprinting measures by spectrometry measuring (MALDI/TOF MS) and their identification

Proteomic characterization of vanA-containing Enterococcus recovered from Seagulls at the Berlengas Natural Reserve, W Portugal

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Coelho Céline

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Enterococci have emerged as the third most common cause of nosocomial infections, requiring bactericidal antimicrobial therapy. Although vancomycin resistance is a major problem in clinics and has emerged in an important extend in farm animals, few studies have examined it in wild animals. To determine the prevalence of vanA-containing Enterococcus strains among faecal samples of Seagulls (Larus cachinnans of Berlengas Natural Reserve of Portugal, we developed a proteomic approach integrated with genomic data. The purpose was to detect the maximum number of proteins that vary in different enterococci species which are thought to be connected in some, as yet unknown, way to antibiotic resistance. Results From the 57 seagull samples, 54 faecal samples showed the presence of Enterococcus isolates (94.7%. For the enterococci, E. faecium was the most prevalent species in seagulls (50%, followed by E. faecalis and E. durans (10.4%, and E. hirae (6.3%. VanA-containing enterococcal strains were detected in 10.5% of the 57 seagull faecal samples studied. Four of the vanA-containing enterococci were identified as E. faecium and two as E. durans. The tet(M gene was found in all five tetracycline-resistant vanA strains. The erm(B gene was demonstrated in all six erythromycin-resistant vanA strains. The hyl virulence gene was detected in all four vanA-containing E. faecium isolates in this study, and two of them harboured the purK1 allele. In addition these strains also showed ampicillin and ciprofoxacin resistance. The whole-cell proteomic profile of vanA-containing Enterococcus strains was applied to evaluate the discriminatory power of this technique for their identification. The major differences among species-specific profiles were found in the positions corresponding to 97-45 kDa. Sixty individualized protein spots for each vanA isolate was identified and suitable for peptide mass fingerprinting measures by spectrometry measuring

Biochemical and genetic characterization of enterocin A from Enterococcus faecium, a new antilisterial bacteriocin in the pediocin family of bacteriocins.

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Aymerich, T; Holo, H; Håvarstein, L S; Hugas, M; Garriga, M; Nes, I F

1996-01-01

A new bacteriocin has been isolated from an Enterococcus faecium strain. The bacteriocin, termed enterocin A, was purified to homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, N-terminal amino acid sequencing, and mass spectrometry analysis. By combining the data obtained from amino acid and DNA sequencing, the primary structure of enterocin A was determined. It consists of 47 amino acid residues, and the molecular weight was calculated to be 4,829, assuming that the four cysteine residues form intramolecular disulfide bridges. This molecular weight was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis. The amino acid sequence of enterocin A shared significant homology with a group of bacteriocins (now termed pediocin-like bacteriocins) isolated from a variety of lactic acid-producing bacteria, which include members of the genera Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, and Carnobacterium. Sequencing of the structural gene of enterocin A, which is located on the bacterial chromosome, revealed an N-terminal leader sequence of 18 amino acid residues, which was removed during the maturation process. The enterocin A leader belongs to the double-glycine leaders which are found among most other small nonlantibiotic bacteriocins, some lantibiotics, and colicin V. Downstream of the enterocin A gene was located a second open reading frame, encoding a putative protein of 103 amino acid residues. This gene may encode the immunity factor of enterocin A, and it shares 40% identity with a similar open reading frame in the operon of leucocin AUL 187, another pediocin-like bacteriocin. PMID:8633865

Enterococcus genus identification isolated from gastrointestinal tract of chickens after bees products application using MALDI TOF MS Biotyper

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Miroslava Kačániová

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The general objective of this study was to examine the effect of bee product on the Enterococci colonization of chickens. Bee products were administered to both feed mixtures in various amounts in addition to the control group. First experimental group was with propolis in feed mixture with the addition of 200 mg propolis per 1 kg of compound and second group was with pollen with the addition of 250 mg pollen per 1 kg of compound. In this experiment, quantitative counts of Enterococci in ceca of 49-day-old chicken (Ross 308 using classical and MALDI TOF MS Biotyper method were investigated. Counts of Enterococci on Slanetz-Bartley agar were monitored. Enterococcus cells, isolated from gastrointestinal tract, were detected using MALDI TOF MS Biotyper. Counts of CFU of Enterococci were compared in experimental and control treatments, respectively. The lowest count was detected in the control experimental group. The highest count was detected in the first experimental group where was 200 mg of propolis added to 1 kg of feed mixture. Using MALDI TOF MS Biotyper, we identified the species range of the genera Enterococcus in the intestinal tract of broiler. Detected species from the genus Enterococcus were:      E. avium, E. casseliflavus, E cecorum, E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. gallinarum, E. hirae and E. malodoratus. In the experimental groups (caecal samples were most frequent species of E. avium E. faecium and E. gallinarum.

SENSORY AND CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF FROZEN SOY YOGURT FERMENTED WITH Enterococcus faecium AND Lactobacillus jugurti

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D. P. MIGUEL

2008-09-01

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As recent studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects to health of soy yogurt fermented with E. faecium and L. jugurti, aim to offer new options of consumption or this product, the goal of this work was to present the processing of frozen soy yogurt and the evaluation of its sensory characteristics. Then compare it with the other ice creams regularly processed with cow and soymilk fermented with a mixed culture of L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus and also with the non-fermented ice creams acidified with the addition of lactic acid. The effect of the lactic acid bacteria in the oxidation of the product was also evaluated. The results demonstrated that it is possible to have a frozen soy yogurt fermented with E. faecium and L. jugurti with good sensory characteristics up to a period of 180 days. The lactic bacteria were not able to stop the development of the oxidation process for a long period of storage but it did not alter the sensory characteristics of the product.

Antimicrobial-Resistance Genetic Markers in Potentially Pathogenic Gram Positive Cocci Isolated from Brazilian Soft Cheese.

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Resende, Juliana Alves; Fontes, Cláudia Oliveira; Ferreira-Machado, Alessandra Barbosa; Nascimento, Thiago César; Silva, Vânia Lúcia; Diniz, Cláudio Galuppo

2018-02-01

Although most Brazilian dairy products meet high technological standards, there are quality issues regarding milk production, which may reduce the final product quality. Several microbial species may contaminate milk during manufacture and handling. If antimicrobial usage remains uncontrolled in dairy cattle, the horizontal transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes in foodstuffs may be of particular concern for both food producers and dairy industry. This study focused on the evaluation of putative Gram positive cocci in Minas cheese and of antimicrobial and biocide resistance genes among the isolated bacteria. Representative samples of 7 different industrially trademarked Minas cheeses (n = 35) were processed for selective culture and isolation of Gram positive cocci. All isolated bacteria were identified by DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Antimicrobial resistance genes were screened by PCR. Overall, 208 strains were isolated and identified as follows: Enterococcus faecalis (47.6%), Macrococcus caseolyticus (18.3%), Enterococcus faecium (11.5%), Enterococcus caseliflavus (7.7%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (7.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (4.3%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.9%), and Enterococcus hirae (0.5%). The genetic markers mecA (78.0%) and smr (71.4%) were the most prevalent, but others were also detected, such as blaZ (65.2%), msrA (60.9%), msrB (46.6%), linA (54.7%), and aacA-aphD (47.6%). The occurrence of opportunist pathogenic bacteria harboring antimicrobial resistance markers in the cheese samples are of special concern, since these bacteria are not considered harmful contaminating agents according to the Brazilian sanitary regulations. However, they are potentially pathogenic bacteria and the cheese may be considered a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes available for horizontal transfer through the food chain, manufacturing personnel and consumers. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Biochemical and Genetic Evidence that Enterococcus faecium L50 Produces Enterocins L50A and L50B, the sec-Dependent Enterocin P, and a Novel Bacteriocin Secreted without an N-Terminal Extension Termed Enterocin Q

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Cintas, Luis M.; Casaus, Pilar; Herranz, Carmen; Håvarstein, Leiv Sigve; Holo, Helge; Hernández, Pablo E.; Nes, Ingolf F.

2000-01-01

Enterococcus faecium L50 grown at 16 to 32°C produces enterocin L50 (EntL50), consisting of EntL50A and EntL50B, two unmodified non-pediocin-like peptides synthesized without an N-terminal leader sequence or signal peptide. However, the bacteriocin activity found in the cell-free culture supernatants following growth at higher temperatures (37 to 47°C) is not due to EntL50. A purification procedure including cation-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and reverse-phase liquid chromatography has shown that the antimicrobial activity is due to two different bacteriocins. Amino acid sequences obtained by Edman degradation and DNA sequencing analyses revealed that one is identical to the sec-dependent pediocin-like enterocin P produced by E. faecium P13 (L. M. Cintas, P. Casaus, L. S. Håvarstein, P. E. Hernández, and I. F. Nes, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:4321–4330, 1997) and the other is a novel unmodified non-pediocin-like bacteriocin termed enterocin Q (EntQ), with a molecular mass of 3,980. DNA sequencing analysis of a 963-bp region of E. faecium L50 containing the enterocin P structural gene (entP) and the putative immunity protein gene (entiP) reveals a genetic organization identical to that previously found in E. faecium P13. DNA sequencing analysis of a 1,448-bp region identified two consecutive but diverging open reading frames (ORFs) of which one, termed entQ, encodes a 34-amino-acid protein whose deduced amino acid sequence was identical to that obtained for EntQ by amino acid sequencing, showing that EntQ, similarly to EntL50A and EntL50B, is synthesized without an N-terminal leader sequence or signal peptide. The second ORF, termed orf2, was located immediately upstream of and in opposite orientation to entQ and encodes a putative immunity protein composed of 221 amino acids. Bacteriocin production by E. faecium L50 showed that EntP and EntQ are produced in the temperature range from 16 to 47°C and maximally detected at 47 and 37 to 47�

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci with vanA gene in treated municipal wastewater and their association with human hospital strains.

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Oravcova, Veronika; Mihalcin, Matus; Zakova, Jana; Pospisilova, Lucie; Masarikova, Martina; Literak, Ivan

2017-12-31

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are pathogens of increasing medical importance. In Brno, Czech Republic, we collected 37 samples from the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), 21 surface swabs from hospital settings, and 59 fecal samples from hospitalized patients and staff. Moreover, we collected 284 gull cloacal swabs from the colony situated 35km downstream the WWTP. Samples were cultured selectively. Enterococci were identified using MALDI-TOF MS, phenotypically tested for susceptibility to antibiotics, and by PCR for occurrence of resistance and virulence genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) were used to examine genotypic diversity. VRE carrying the vanA gene were found in 32 (86%, n=37) wastewater samples, from which we obtained 49 isolates: Enterococcus faecium (44) and Enterococcus gallinarum (2), Enterococcus casseliflavus (2), and Enterococcus raffinosus (1). From 33 (69%) of 48 inpatient stool samples, we obtained 39 vanA-carrying VRE, which belonged to E. faecium (33 isolates), Enterococcus faecalis (4), and Enterococcus raffinosus (2). Nearly one-third of the samples from hospital surfaces contained VRE with the vanA gene. VRE were not detected among gulls. Sixty-seven (84%, n=80) E. faecium isolates carried virulence genes hyl and/or esp. Virulence of E. faecalis was encoded by gelE, asa1, and cylA genes. A majority of the E. faecium isolates belonged to the clinically important sequence types ST17 (WWTP: 10 isolates; hospital: 4 isolates), ST18 (9;8), and ST78 (5;0). The remaining isolates belonged to ST555 (2;0), ST262 (1;6), ST273 (3;0), ST275 (1;0), ST549 (2;0), ST19 (0;1), ST323 (3;0), and ST884 (7;17). Clinically important enterococci carrying the vanA gene were almost continually detectable in the effluent of the WWTP, indicating insufficient removal of VRE during wastewater treatment and permanent shedding of these antibiotic resistant pathogens into the environment from this

Growth interactions and antilisterial effects of the bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris M104 and Enterococcus faecium KE82 strains in thermized milk in the presence or absence of a commercial starter culture.

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Lianou, Alexandra; Kakouri, Athanasia; Pappa, Eleni C; Samelis, John

2017-06-01

Traditional Greek cheeses are often produced from thermized milk (TM) with the use of commercial starter cultures (CSCs), which may not inhibit growth of Listeria monocytogenes completely. Therefore, this study evaluated the behavior of an artificial L. monocytogenes contamination in commercially TM (63 °C; 30 s) inoculated with a CSC plus Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis M104 and/or Enterococcus faecium KE82, two indigenous strains producing nisin A and enterocin A and B, respectively. Inoculation treatments included TM with the CSC only, and TM without the CSC but with strain M104 alone, or combined with strain KE82. All treatments were incubated at 37 °C for 6 h followed by 66 h at 18 °C. L. monocytogenes grew by 0.66-1.24 log cfu/ml at 37 °C, whereas its further growth at 18 °C was retarded, suppressed, or accompanied by different inactivation rates, depending on each TM treatment. Strain M104 caused the greatest inactivation, whereas the CSC per se was the least effective treatment. Strain KE82 assisted the CSC in controlling pathogen growth at 37 °C, whereas both reduced the nisin A-mediated antilisterial activity of strain M104. Overall, the most 'balanced' treatment against L. monocytogenes was CSC+M104+KE82. Hence, this starter/co-starter combination may be utilized in traditional Greek cheese technologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dietary Supplementation with a Combination of Lactoferrin, Fish Oil, and Enterococcus faecium WB2000 for Treating Dry Eye: A Rat Model and Human Clinical Study.

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Kawashima, Motoko; Nakamura, Shigeru; Izuta, Yusuke; Inoue, Sachiko; Tsubota, Kazuo

2016-04-01

To examine the effect of a combined dietary supplement containing fish oil, lactoferrin, zinc, vitamin C, lutein, vitamin E, γ-aminobutanoic acid, and Enterococcus faecium WB2000 on dry eye. A preliminary study in a rat model and a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in humans were conducted. Forty Japanese volunteers aged 22 to 59 years were randomized into combined dietary supplement (2 capsules/day; 20 participants) and placebo (vehicle; 19 participants) groups and treated once daily for 8 weeks. Rats received the combined dietary supplement components (10 or 50 mg/kg orally) or vehicle (2% DMSO), and dry eye was mechanically induced for 2 days. Tear production was measured in rats after dry eye was induced. Humans were assessed at baseline and weeks 4 and 8 post-supplementation based on keratoconjunctival epithelial damage; fluorescein tear film breakup time; tear production; biochemical data; information regarding subjective dry eye symptoms by answering a questionnaire; and information regarding adverse events via medical interviews. Supplementation dose-dependently mitigated the decrease in tear production in rats. Among subjects with confirmed dry eye, clinical symptoms improved at weeks 4 and 8 more significantly in the supplementation group than in the placebo group (Peye symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of the probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 on presence of diarrhea in cats and dogs housed in an animal shelter.

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Bybee, S N; Scorza, A V; Lappin, M R

2011-01-01

Beneficial effects of probiotics have never been analyzed in an animal shelter. Dogs and cats housed in an animal shelter and administered a probiotic are less likely to have diarrhea of ≥2 days duration than untreated controls. Two hundred and seventeen cats and 182 dogs. Double blinded and placebo controlled. Shelter dogs and cats were housed in 2 separate rooms for each species. For 4 weeks, animals in 1 room for each species was fed Enterococcus faecium SF68 while animals in the other room were fed a placebo. After a 1-week washout period, the treatments by room were switched and the study continued an additional 4 weeks. A standardized fecal score system was applied to feces from each animal every day by a blinded individual. Feces of animals with and without diarrhea were evaluated for enteric parasites. Data were analyzed by a generalized linear mixed model using a binomial distribution with treatment being a fixed effect and the room being a random effect. The percentage of cats with diarrhea ≥2 days was significantly lower (P = .0297) in the probiotic group (7.4%) when compared with the placebo group (20.7%). Statistical differences between groups of dogs were not detected but diarrhea was uncommon in both groups of dogs during the study. Cats fed SF68 had fewer episodes of diarrhea of ≥2 days when compared with controls suggests the probiotic may have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp. from crows and their environment in metropolitan Washington State, USA: Is there a correlation between VRE positive crows and the environment?

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Roberts, Marilyn C; No, David B; Marzluff, John M; Delap, Jack H; Turner, Robert

2016-10-15

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci [VRE] have been isolated from municipal, hospital and agricultural wastewater, recreational beaches, wild animals, birds and food animals around the world. In this study, American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) from sewage treatment plants (WWTP), dairy farms, and a large roost in a restored wetland with corresponding environmental samples were cultured for VRE. A total of 245 samples [156 crows, 89 environmental] were collected and screened for acquired vanA, vanB and/or intrinsic vanC1 genes. Samples were enriched overnight in BHI supplemented with 20μg/mL aztreonam, 4μg/mL vancomycin and plated on m-Enterococcus agar media supplemented with 6μg/mL vancomycin. Selected colonies were grown on BHI media supplemented with 18μg/mL vancomycin. Of these, 24.5% of the crow and 55% the environmental/cow samples were VRE positive as defined by Enterococcus spp. able to grow on media supplemented with 18μg/mL vancomycin. A total of 122 VRE isolates, 43 crow and 79 environmental isolates were screened, identified to species level using 16S sequencing and further characterized. Four vanA E. faecium and multiple vanC1 E. gallinarum were identified from crows isolated from three sites. E. faecium vanA and E. gallinarum vanC1 along with other Enterococcus spp. carrying vanA, vanB, vanC1 were isolated from three environments. All enterococci were multidrug resistant. Crows were more likely to carry vanA E. faecium than either the cow feces or wetland waters/soils. Comparing E. gallinarum vanC1 from crows and their environment would be useful in determining whether crows share VRE strains with their environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility to disinfectants in antimicrobial-resistant and -susceptible isolates of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from poultry-ESBL/AmpC-phenotype of E. coli is not associated with resistance to a quaternary ammonium compound, DDAC.

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Wieland, N; Boss, J; Lettmann, S; Fritz, B; Schwaiger, K; Bauer, J; Hölzel, C S

2017-06-01

The spread of bacteria that are simultaneously resistant to disinfectants and antimicrobials would constitute an unsettling scenario. In order to explore an association between antimicrobial resistance and reduced susceptibility to biocides/microbicides (disinfectants) in agriculture, we investigated Escherichia coli (n = 438) and enterococci (n = 120) isolated from six different flocks of the same poultry farm with known history of antimicrobial treatment. Susceptibility to disinfectants (formic acid and a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), didecyldimethylammoniumchloride-DDAC) was assessed by macrodilution according to guidelines of the German Veterinary Society. Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium were screened (i) for reduced biocide susceptibility and (ii) for an association of biocide susceptibility and antimicrobial resistance including the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and the hyperproduction of AmpC-type beta-lactamases. DDAC inhibited ESBL/AmpC(hyper)-producing E. coli (n = 53) from poultry at similar or slightly lower inhibitory concentrations, compared with non-ESBL/AmpC strains (median MIC = 0·36 vs 1·44 mg l -1 ). In contrast, DDAC-MICs were positively correlated with several other antibiotic MICs (e.g. piperacillin and sulphamethoxazole + trimethoprim in E. coli, chloramphenicol in E. faecalis) and increased DDAC-MICs were statistically linked to high-level aminoglycoside resistance in enterococci (streptomycin high level). DDAC-MICs did not correlate with the presence of the integron marker qacEDelta1. This study provides indication that residual disinfectant might be able to select antimicrobial-resistant enterococci, but not ESBL-/AmpC (hyper)producing E. coli from poultry. While ESBL-/AmpC-E. coli were inhibited at disinfectant concentrations comparable to or lower than wildtype values, low concentrations of QACs might be able to select other antimicrobial-resistant E

Fermentation of D-Tagatose by Human Intestinal Bacteria and Dairy Lactic Acid Bacteria

OpenAIRE

Bertelsen, Hans; Andersen, Hans; Tvede, Michael

2011-01-01

A number of 174 normal or pathogenic human enteric bacteria and dairy lactic acid bacteria were screened for D-tagatose fermentation by incubation for 48 hours. Selection criteria for fermentation employed included a drop in pH below 5.5 and a distance to controls of more than 0.5. Only a few of the normal occurring enteric human bacteria were able to ferment D-tagatose, among those Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus strains. D-Tagatose fermentation seems to be comm...

Utilization of blood cultures in Danish hospitals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gubbels, S; Nielsen, J; Voldstedlund, M

2015-01-01

This national population-based study was conducted as part of the development of a national automated surveillance system for hospital-acquired bacteraemia and ascertains the utilization of blood cultures (BCs). A primary objective was to understand how local differences may affect interpretation......, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella oxytoca, accounted for 74.7% of agents for this purpose classified as pathogenic. An increase in BCs and positive BCs was observed over time, particularly among...

Characterization of Two Metal Binding Lipoproteins as Vaccine Candidates for Enterococcal Infections.

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Romero-Saavedra, Felipe; Laverde, Diana; Budin-Verneuil, Aurélie; Muller, Cécile; Bernay, Benoit; Benachour, Abdellah; Hartke, Axel; Huebner, Johannes

2015-01-01

Enterococcus faecium and faecalis are Gram-positive opportunistic pathogens that have become leading causes of nosocomial infections over the last decades. Especially multidrug resistant enterococci have become a challenging clinical problem worldwide. Therefore, new treatment options are needed and the identification of alternative targets for vaccine development has emerged as a feasible alternative to fight the infections caused by these pathogens. We extrapolate the transcriptomic data from a mice peritonitis infection model in E. faecalis to identify putative up-regulated surface proteins under infection conditions in E. faecium. After the bionformatic analyses two metal binding lipoproteins were identified to have a high homology (>72%) between the two species, the manganese ABC transporter substrate-binding lipoprotein (PsaAfm,) and the zinc ABC transporter substrate-binding lipoprotein (AdcAfm). These candidate lipoproteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The recombinant proteins were used to produce rabbit polyclonal antibodies that were able to induce specific opsonic antibodies that mediated killing of the homologous strain E. faecium E155 as well as clinical strains E. faecium E1162, Enterococcus faecalis 12030, type 2 and type 5. Mice were passively immunized with the antibodies raised against recombinant lipoproteins, showing significant reduction of colony counts in mice livers after the bacterial challenge and demonstrating the efficacy of these metal binding lipoproteins as promising vaccine candidates to treat infections caused by these enterococcal pathogens. Overall, our results demonstrate that these two metal binding lipoproteins elicited specific, opsonic and protective antibodies, with an extensive cross-reactivity and serotype-independent coverage among these two important nocosomial pathogens. Pointing these two protein antigens as promising immunogens, that can be used as single components or as carrier proteins

The use of high-throughput sequencing to investigate an outbreak of glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium with a novel quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance mechanism.

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Shaw, Timothy D; Fairley, D J; Schneiders, T; Pathiraja, M; Hill, R L R; Werner, G; Elborn, J S; McMullan, R

2018-02-24

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) has successfully identified novel resistance genes in enterococci and determined clonal relatedness in outbreak analysis. We report the use of HTS to investigate two concurrent outbreaks of glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium (GRE) with an uncharacterised resistance mechanism to quinupristin-dalfopristin (QD). Seven QD-resistant and five QD-susceptible GRE isolates from a two-centre outbreak were studied. HTS was performed to identify genes or predicted proteins that were associated with the QD-resistant phenotype. MLST and SNP typing on HTS data was used to determine clonal relatedness. Comparative genomic analysis confirmed this GRE outbreak involved two distinct clones (ST80 and ST192). HTS confirmed the absence of known QD resistance genes, suggesting a novel mechanism was conferring resistance. Genomic analysis identified two significant genetic determinants with explanatory power for the high level of QD resistance in the ST80 QD-resistant clone: an additional 56aa leader sequence at the N-terminus of the lsaE gene and a transposon containing seven genes encoding proteins with possible drug or drug-target modification activities. However, HTS was unable to conclusively determine the QD resistance mechanism and did not reveal any genetic basis for QD resistance in the ST192 clone. This study highlights the usefulness of HTS in deciphering the degree of relatedness in two concurrent GRE outbreaks. Although HTS was able to reveal some genetic candidates for uncharacterised QD resistance, this study demonstrates the limitations of HTS as a tool for identifying putative determinants of resistance to QD.

The Leaderless Bacteriocin Enterocin K1 Is Highly Potent against Enterococcus faecium: A Study on Structure, Target Spectrum and Receptor.

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Ovchinnikov, Kirill V; Kristiansen, Per Eugen; Straume, Daniel; Jensen, Marianne S; Aleksandrzak-Piekarczyk, Tamara; Nes, Ingolf F; Diep, Dzung B

2017-01-01

Enterocin K1 (EntK1), enterocin EJ97 (EntEJ97), and LsbB are three sequence related leaderless bacteriocins. Yet LsbB kills only lactococci while EntK1 and EntEJ97 target wider spectra with EntK1 being particularly active against Enterococcus faecium , including nosocomial multidrug resistant isolates. NMR study of EntK1 showed that it had a structure very similar to LsbB - both having an amphiphilic N-terminal α-helix and an unstructured C-terminus. The α-helix in EntK1 is, however, about 3-4 residues longer than that of LsbB. Enterococcal mutants highly resistant to EntEJ97 and EntK1 were found to have mutations within rseP , a gene encoding a stress response membrane-bound Zn-dependent protease. Heterologous expression of the enterococcal rseP rendered resistant cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae sensitive to EntK1 and EntEJ97, suggesting that RseP likely serves as the receptor for EntK1 and EntEJ97. It was also shown that the conserved proteolytic active site in E. faecalis RseP is partly required for EntK1 and EntEJ97 activity, since alanine substitutions of its conserved residues (HExxH) reduced the sensitivity of the clones to the bacteriocins. RseP is known to be involved in bacterial stress response. As expected, the growth of resistant mutants with mutations within rseP was severely affected when they were exposed to higher (stressing) growth temperatures, e.g., at 45°C, at which wild type cells still grew well. These findings allow us to design a hurdle strategy with a combination of the bacteriocin(s) and higher temperature that effectively kills bacteriocin sensitive bacteria and prevents the development of resistant cells.

The Leaderless Bacteriocin Enterocin K1 Is Highly Potent against Enterococcus faecium: A Study on Structure, Target Spectrum and Receptor

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Kirill V. Ovchinnikov

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Enterocin K1 (EntK1, enterocin EJ97 (EntEJ97, and LsbB are three sequence related leaderless bacteriocins. Yet LsbB kills only lactococci while EntK1 and EntEJ97 target wider spectra with EntK1 being particularly active against Enterococcus faecium, including nosocomial multidrug resistant isolates. NMR study of EntK1 showed that it had a structure very similar to LsbB – both having an amphiphilic N-terminal α-helix and an unstructured C-terminus. The α-helix in EntK1 is, however, about 3–4 residues longer than that of LsbB. Enterococcal mutants highly resistant to EntEJ97 and EntK1 were found to have mutations within rseP, a gene encoding a stress response membrane-bound Zn-dependent protease. Heterologous expression of the enterococcal rseP rendered resistant cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae sensitive to EntK1 and EntEJ97, suggesting that RseP likely serves as the receptor for EntK1 and EntEJ97. It was also shown that the conserved proteolytic active site in E. faecalis RseP is partly required for EntK1 and EntEJ97 activity, since alanine substitutions of its conserved residues (HExxH reduced the sensitivity of the clones to the bacteriocins. RseP is known to be involved in bacterial stress response. As expected, the growth of resistant mutants with mutations within rseP was severely affected when they were exposed to higher (stressing growth temperatures, e.g., at 45°C, at which wild type cells still grew well. These findings allow us to design a hurdle strategy with a combination of the bacteriocin(s and higher temperature that effectively kills bacteriocin sensitive bacteria and prevents the development of resistant cells.

Heterologous expression of enterocin A, a bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium, fused to a cellulose-binding domain in Escherichia coli results in a functional protein with inhibitory activity against Listeria.

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Klocke, Michael; Mundt, Kerstin; Idler, Frank; Jung, Sabrina; Backhausen, Jan E

2005-06-01

The genes for the bacteriocins enterocin A and B were isolated from Enterococcus faecium ATB 197a. Using the pET37b(+) vector, the enterocin genes were fused to an Escherichia coli specific export signal sequence, a cellulose-binding domain (CBD(cenA)) and a S-tag under the control of a T7lac promotor. The constructs were subsequently cloned into E. coli host cells. The expression of the recombinant enterocins had different effects on both the host cells and other Gram-positive bacteria. The expression of entA in Esc. coli led to the synthesis and secretion of functional active enterocin A fusion proteins, which were active against some Gram-positive indicator bacteria, but did not influence the viability of the host cells. In contrast, the expression of enterocin B fusion proteins led to a reduced viability of the host cells, indicating a misfolding of the protein or interference with the cellular metabolism of Esc. coli. Indicator strains of Gram-positive bacteria were not inhibited by purified enterocin B fusion proteins. However, recombinant enterocin B displayed inhibitory activity after the proteolytic cleavage of the fused peptides.

Presence of pathogenicity island genes in Enterococcus faecalis isolates from pigs in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shankar, Nathan; Baghdayan, Arto S.; Willems, Rob

2006-01-01

Enterococcus faecalis isolates of porcine origin were screened for the presence of a previously identified pathogenicity island (PAI). By using the esp gene as a genetic marker for the presence of this PAI, 9 esp-positive and 10 esp-negative isolates of porcine origin were investigated by use...... of a designed oligonucleotide array. The results indicated the clustering of esp-positive strains by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), but surprisingly, all strains investigated contained parts of the PAL None of the strains of animal origin investigated belonged to previously identified MLST complex 2, where...... most isolates from patients cluster. Five of the nine esp-positive E. faecalis isolates of animal origin belonged to the same PAI complex as human isolate MMH594 but differed in their sequence types, which strongly indicates the horizontal transfer of the PAI between enterococci of porcine and human...

The cfr and cfr-like multiple resistance genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vester, Birte

2018-01-01

. The cfr gene is found in various bacteria in many geographical locations and placed on plasmids or associated with transposons. Cfr-related genes providing similar resistance have been identified in Bacillales, and now also in the pathogens Clostridium difficile and Enterococcus faecium. In addition......, the presence of the cfr gene has been detected in harbours and food markets....

Avaliação de um sistema automatizado na identificação de espécies de Enterococcus Evaluation of an automated system for the identification of Enterococci

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Pedro Alves d'Azevedo

2004-08-01

Full Text Available O uso de métodos automatizados tem freqüentemente levado a falhas na identificação do gênero Enterococcus em laboratórios de microbiologia clínica. Neste estudo foi avaliada a utilização de um sistema automatizado Vitek (bioMérieux em dois laboratórios de microbiologia clínica para identificação de diferentes espécies de enterococos. Os resultados foram comparados com os testes fisiológicos convencionais. As amostras (80 foram inoculadas em testes bioquímicos convencionais e no cartão Vitek GPI. No geral, a concordância entre os dois métodos foi de 83,7% (67/80. Entre as amostras de E. faecalis, o sistema Vitek identificou corretamente 35/40 (87,5% e entre os E. faecium, a concordância foi 12/14 (85,7%. Em 20/26 amostras (76,9% pertencentes a espécies não-E. faecalis e não-E. faecium, o sistema chegou à identificação correta. Os resultados do presente estudo mostram que o sistema Vitek necessita de melhorias para a identificação de enterococos, especialmente diante de espécies menos freqüentes.Automated systems may present problems in the identification of members of the genus Enterococcus in clinical laboratories. Having conventional physiological tests as the reference method, we evaluated the use of an automated system (VITEK - bioMérieux in the identification of 80 isolates belonging to different species of Enterococcus. The general agreement between results obtained by the conventional method and by the Vitek GPI card was 83.7% (67/80. Among isolates of E. faecalis and E faecium we observed that the automated system correctly identified 35/40 (87.5% and 12/14 (85.7% of the strains, respectively. Among isolates belonging to species which are neither E. faecalis, nor E. faecium, it was observed an agreement of 20/26 (76.9%. Results point to the need of improvement in the automated systems to identify enterococci. Special consideration must be taken regarding less frequently isolated species.

Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activities extracts of mangrove leaf against the growth of some pathogenic bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Alizadeh Behbahani, Behrooz; Tabatabaei Yazdi, Farideh; Shahidi, Fakhri; Noorbakhsh, Hamid; Vasiee, Alireza; Alghooneh, Ali

2018-01-01

In this study, the effects of water, ethanol, methanol and glycerin at five levels (0, 31.25, 83.33, 125 and 250 ml) were investigated on the efficiency of mangrove leaf extraction using mixture optimal design. The antimicrobial effect of the extracts on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium and Klebsiella pneumoniae was evaluated using disk diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) methods. The mangrove leaf extraction components were identified through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Phytochemical analysis (alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavone and glycosides) were evaluated based on qualitative methods. Antioxidant activity of extracts was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) methods. Maximum antimicrobial effect was observed in Enterococcus faecium and highest resistance against mangrove leaf extract in Enterococcus faecium and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. Increasing concentration of mangrove extracts had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on inhibition zone diameter. The MICs of the mangrove leaf extraction varied from 4 mg/ml to 16 mg/ml. The optimum formulation was found to contain glycerin (0 ml), water (28.22 ml), methanol (59.83 ml) and ethanol (161.95 ml). The results showed that the highest antioxidant activity was related to optimum extract of mangrove leaf and ethanolic extract respectively. The results of phytochemical screening of Avicennia marina leaves extract showed the existence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavone and glycosides. 2-Propenoic acid, 3-phenyl- was the major compound of Avicennia marina. The results of non-significant lack of fit tests, and F value (14.62) indicated that the model was sufficiently accurate. In addition, the coefficient of variations (16.8%) showed an acceptable reproducibility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rational approaches to the therapy of nosocomial infections caused by gram-positive microorganisms in cancer p

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V. V. Aginova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nosocomial infections caused by gram-positive organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci (Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are steadily increasing in almost all clinics around the world. Cancer patients have a higher risk of hospital-acquired infections than non-cancer patients. Cancer patients are immunosuppressed due to increased use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs, radiation therapy, surgery and use of steroids. This paper presents an analysis of resistance of gram-positive bacterial pathogens to antimicrobial agents to determine treatment strategy for cancer patients.

Preliminary survey of antibiotic-resistant fecal indicator bacteria and pathogenic Escherichia coli from river-water samples collected in Oakland County, Michigan, 2003

Science.gov (United States)

Fogarty, Lisa R.; Duris, Joseph W.; Aichele, Stephen S.

2005-01-01

A preliminary study was done in Oakland County, Michigan, to determine the concentration of fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliform bacteria and enterococci), antibiotic resistance patterns of these two groups, and the presence of potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). For selected sites, specific members of these groups [E. coli, Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis)] were isolated and tested for levels of resistance to specific antibiotics used to treat human infections by pathogens in these groups and for their potential to transfer these resistances. In addition, water samples from all sites were tested for indicators of potentially pathogenic E. coli by three assays: a growth-based assay for sorbitol-negative E. coli, an immunological assay for E. coli O157, and a molecular assay for three virulence and two serotype genes. Samples were also collected from two non-urbanized sites outside of Oakland County. Results from the urbanized Oakland County area were compared to those from these two non-urbanized sites. Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations exceeded State of Michigan recreational water-quality standards and (or) recommended U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards in samples from all but two Oakland County sites. Multiple-antibiotic-resistant fecal coliform bacteria were found at all sites, including two reference sites from outside the county. Two sites (Stony Creek and Paint Creek) yielded fecal coliform isolates resistant to all tested antibiotics. Patterns indicative of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)- producing fecal coliform bacteria were found at eight sites in Oakland County and E. coli resistant to clinically significant antibiotics were recovered from the River Rouge, Clinton River, and Paint Creek. Vancomycin-resistant presumptive enterococci were found at six sites in Oakland County and were not found at the reference sites. Evidence of acquired antibiotic resistances was

Assessing outcomes of adult oncology patients treated with linezolid versus daptomycin for bacteremia due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Khilna; Kabir, Rubiya; Ahmad, Samrah; Allen, Steven L

2016-04-01

The incidence and severity of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus blood stream infections continue to rise and is a significant burden in the healthcare setting. Literature thus far is minimal regarding treatment outcomes in patients with malignancy and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia. Appropriate antibiotic selection is vital to treatment success due to high rates of resistance, limited antimicrobials and mortality in this patient population. We conducted this study to determine whether treatment outcomes differed between cancer patients treated with linezolid and those treated with daptomycin for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia. This single-center, retrospective study included adult patients hospitalized on the oncology service with documented vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium or Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia who received at least 48 h of either linezolid or daptomycin as primary treatment. A total of 65 patients were included in the analysis. Thirty-two patients received daptomycin as primary treatment, and 33 patients received linezolid as primary treatment. Twenty-six (76.5%) patients in the linezolid cohort versus 22 (71%) patients in the daptomycin cohort achieved microbiological cure (p = 0.6141). Median length of stay in days (30 vs. 42, p = 0.0714) and mortality (7/32 (20.6%) vs. 8/33 (25.8%), p = 0.6180) were also similar between the linezolid and daptomycin treated patients, respectively. No differences in microbiological cure, length of stay or mortality were identified between the groups. This study suggests that linezolid and daptomycin are each reasonable options for treating vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia in oncology patients. Further prospective, randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the optimal treatment for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia in this patient population. © The Author(s) 2014.

Pathogenicity determinants and antibiotic resistance profiles of enterococci from foods of animal origin in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Elal Mus, Tulay; Cetinkaya, Figen; Cibik, Recep; Soyutemiz, Gul Ece; Simsek, Husniye; Coplu, Nilay

2017-12-01

In this study, the presence of genes responsible for the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance profile of enterococci isolated from various foodstuffs of animal origin was investigated. The percentage prevalence of enterococci was 54.1% (203/375) and the average count was found to be 3.81 log cfu/ml-g. Species-specific primers revealed Enterococcus faecalis as the predominant species carrying one or more virulence-associated traits of efa, gelE, ace, esp and agg genetic markers. Only one E. faecium isolate (from milk) was positive for the esp gene. Regarding antibiotic resistance, the highest frequency of resistance was observed for tetracycline (21.7%), followed by quinupristin/dalfopristin (13.3%), ciprofloxacin (2.0%), penicillin (2.0%), linezolid (1.0%), ampicillin (1.0%), streptomycin (1.0%), and gentamicin (0.5%). Enterococcus faecalis showed a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance than other enterococci. The percentage of multidrug resistance among the isolates was 3.4%. Twenty-nine E. faecalis isolates (26.6%) carrying one of the virulence-associated traits were at the same time resistant to at least one antibiotic. Our results show that foods of animal origin, including ready-to-eat products, may be reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant and potentially virulent enterococci.

Presence of the resistance genes vanC1 and pbp5 in phenotypically vancomycin and ampicillin susceptible Enterococcus faecalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwaiger, Karin; Bauer, Johann; Hörmansdorfer, Stefan; Mölle, Gabriele; Preikschat, Petra; Kämpf, Peter; Bauer-Unkauf, Ilse; Bischoff, Meike; Hölzel, Christina

2012-08-01

Ampicillin and vancomycin are important antibiotics for the therapy of Enterococcus faecalis infections. The ampicillin resistance gene pbp5 is intrinsic in Enterococcus faecium. The vanC1 gene confers resistance to vancomycin and serves as a species marker for Enterococcus gallinarum. Both genes are chromosomally located. Resistance to ampicillin and vancomycin was determined in 484 E. faecalis of human and porcine origin by microdilution. Since E. faecalis are highly skilled to acquire resistance genes, all strains were investigated for the presence of pbp5 (and, in positive strains, for the penicillin-binding protein synthesis repressor gene psr) and vanC1 (and, in positive strains, for vanXYc and vanT) by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One porcine and one human isolate were phenotypically resistant to ampicillin; no strain was vancomycin resistant. Four E. faecalis (3/1 of porcine/human origin) carried pbp5 (MIC=1 mg/L), and four porcine strains were vanC1 positive (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC]=1 mg/L). Real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR revealed that the genes were not expressed. The psr gene was absent in the four pbp5-positive strains; the vanXYc gene was absent in the four vanC1-positive strains. However, vanT of the vanC gene cluster was detected in two vanC1-positive strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of pbp5, identical with the "E. faecium pbp5 gene," and of vanC1/vanT in E. faecalis. Even if resistance is not expressed in these strains, this study shows that E. faecalis have a strong ability to acquire resistance genes-and potentially to spread them to other bacteria. Therefore, close monitoring of this species should be continued.

CLINICAL AND PHARMACOECONOMIC REASONABILITY OF USING PROBIOTIC ENTEROCOCCUS STRAIN FOR THE COMPLEX DEVELOPMENTAL CARE PROGRAM FOR PREMATURE INFANTS

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N. V. Gonchar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Possibilities of using probiotic enterococci in premature neonates undergoing inpatient antibacterial therapy remains understudied. The article is aimed at analyzing clinical and pharmacoeconomic reasonability of using probiotic Enterococcus faecium L3 strain in premature infants with very low body weight in the framework of complex inpatient developmental care. Patients and methods. 55 children randomized into 2 groups were observed: the control group (n = 26 was undergoing standard developmental care program, the primary group (n = 29 was introduced liquid probiotic Enterococcus faecium L3 strain (titer — 108 CFU/ml or more (0.5 ml TID for 14 days after attaining the enteral feeding volume of 5.0 ml. Results. Analysis of the clinical symptoms characteristic of non-smooth course of developmental care over premature infants helped to reveal higher frequency of infectious complications in the control group children than in the primary group (14 [53.8%] vs. 6 [20.7%]; p < 0.05. Acute food intolerance was observed less frequently in the primary group than in the control group (6 [20.7%] vs. 10 [38.5%], p > 0.05. The primary group's children featured significant decrease in the frequency of monocytosis, positive changes of intestinal microbiotic composition (increase in the amount of bifidum bacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci, decrease in the amount of Clostridium difficile and antibiotic-resistant clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Conclusion. Favorable outcome of developmental care over premature infants (absence of infectious complications was less expensive in the primary group's children.

Colonización por cepas de Enterococcus spp. VanA en pacientes del hospital universitario Manuel Núñez Tovar, Maturín, Venezuela | Colonization by strains of Enterococcus spp. VanA in patients of the university hospital Manuel Núñez Tovar, Maturín, Venezuela

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Lorena Abadia-Patiño

2017-10-01

Full Text Available En el Hospital Universitario Manuel Núñez Tovar de Maturín (HUMNT, estado Monagas, se aislaron tres cepas de Enterococcus faecium VanA en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI y una cepa de E. faecalis VanA en la unidad de hemodiálisis (HD. La prevalencia de colonización de Enterococcus vancomicino resistentes (EVR fenotipo VanA durante el período de estudio fue de 3% en los pacientes de HD y 9% en los de UCI. Los factores de riesgo para los pacientes fueron el uso indiscriminado de antibióticos como vancomicina y cefalosporinas de tercera generación y el tiempo de permanencia en UCI. Existe alto riesgo de infecciones endógenas por cepas EVR en el HUMNT.

Assessment of sources of human pathogens and fecal contamination in a Florida freshwater lake.

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Staley, Christopher; Reckhow, Kenneth H; Lukasik, Jerzy; Harwood, Valerie J

2012-11-01

We investigated the potential for a variety of environmental reservoirs to harbor or contribute fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), DNA markers of human fecal contamination, and human pathogens to a freshwater lake. We hypothesized that submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), sediments, and stormwater act as reservoirs and/or provide inputs of FIB and human pathogens to this inland water. Analysis included microbial source tracking (MST) markers of sewage contamination (Enterococcus faecium esp gene, human-associated Bacteroides HF183, and human polyomaviruses), pathogens (Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and enteric viruses), and FIB (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci). Bayesian analysis was used to assess relationships among microbial and physicochemical variables. FIB in the water were correlated with concentrations in SAV and sediment. Furthermore, the correlation of antecedent rainfall and major rain events with FIB concentrations and detection of human markers and pathogens points toward multiple reservoirs for microbial contaminants in this system. Although pathogens and human-source markers were detected in 55% and 21% of samples, respectively, markers rarely coincided with pathogen detection. Bayesian analysis revealed that low concentrations (<45 CFU × 100 ml(-1)) of fecal coliforms were associated with 93% probability that pathogens would not be detected; furthermore the Bayes net model showed associations between elevated temperature and rainfall with fecal coliform and enterococci concentrations, but not E. coli. These data indicate that many under-studied matrices (e.g. SAV, sediment, stormwater) are important reservoirs for FIB and potentially human pathogens and demonstrate the usefulness of Bayes net analysis for water quality assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activity of Daptomycin or Linezolid in Combination with Rifampin or Gentamicin against Biofilm-Forming Enterococcus faecalis or E. faecium in an In Vitro Pharmacodynamic Model Using Simulated Endocardial Vegetations and an In Vivo Survival Assay Using Galleria mellonella Larvae

Science.gov (United States)

Luther, Megan K.; Arvanitis, Marios; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

2014-01-01

Enterococci are the third most frequent cause of infective endocarditis. A high-inoculum stationary-phase in vitro pharmacodynamic model with simulated endocardial vegetations was used to simulate the human pharmacokinetics of daptomycin at 6 or 10 mg/kg of body weight/day or linezolid at 600 mg every 12 h (q12h), alone or in combination with gentamicin at 1.3 mg/kg q12h or rifampin at 300 mg q8h or 900 mg q24h. Biofilm-forming, vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (vancomycin-resistant enterococcus [VRE]) strains were tested. At 24, 48, and 72 h, all daptomycin-containing regimens demonstrated significantly more activity (decline in CFU/g) than any linezolid-containing regimen against biofilm-forming E. faecalis. The addition of gentamicin to daptomycin (at 6 or 10 mg/kg) in the first 24 h significantly improved bactericidal activity. In contrast, the addition of rifampin delayed the bactericidal activity of daptomycin against E. faecalis, and the addition of rifampin antagonized the activities of all regimens against VRE at 24 h. Also, against VRE, the addition of gentamicin to linezolid at 72 h improved activity and was bactericidal. Rifampin significantly antagonized the activity of linezolid against VRE at 72 h. In in vivo Galleria mellonella survival assays, linezolid and daptomycin improved survival. Daptomycin at 10 mg/kg improved survival significantly over that with linezolid against E. faecalis. The addition of gentamicin improved the efficacy of daptomycin against E. faecalis and those of linezolid and daptomycin against VRE. We conclude that in enterococcal infection models, daptomycin has more activity than linezolid alone. Against biofilm-forming E. faecalis, the addition of gentamicin in the first 24 h causes the most rapid decline in CFU/g. Of interest, the addition of rifampin decreased the activity of daptomycin against both E. faecalis and VRE. PMID:24867993

Persistence of Vancomycin Resistance in Multiple Clones of Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Danish Broilers 15 Years after the Ban of Avoparcin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bortolaia, Valeria; Mander, Manuela; Jensen, Lars Bogø

2015-01-01

associated with a transferable nontypeable plasmid lineage occurring in multiple E. faecium clones. Coselection of sequence type 842 by tetracycline use only partly explained the persistence of vancomycin resistance in the absence of detectable plasmid coresistance and toxin-antitoxin systems....

Polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride shows bactericidal advantages over chlorhexidine digluconate against ESKAPE bacteria.

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Zhou, Zhongxin; Wei, Dafu; Lu, Yanhua

2015-01-01

More information regarding the bactericidal properties of polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) against clinically important antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens needs to be provided for its uses in infection control. The bactericidal properties of PHMG and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) were compared based on their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations, and time-course-killing curves against clinically important antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens. Results showed that PHMG exhibited significantly higher bactericidal activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, and ceftazidime-resistant Enterobacter spp. than CHG. A slight bactericidal advantage over CHG was obtained against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, ciprofloxacin- and levofloxacin-resistant Acinetobacter spp., and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In previous reports, PHMG had higher antimicrobial activity against almost all tested Gram-negative bacteria and several Gram-positive bacteria than CHG using MIC test. These studies support the further development of covalently bound PHMG in sterile-surface materials and the incorporation of PHMG in novel disinfectant formulas. © 2014 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A Meta-analysis of the Rates of Listeria monocytogenes and Enterococcus in Febrile Infants.

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Leazer, Rianna; Perkins, Amy M; Shomaker, Kyrie; Fine, Bryan

2016-04-01

A change in the epidemiology of pathogens causing serious bacterial infection (SBI) has been noted since original recommendations were made for the empirical antibiotic choices for young infants with fever. To assess the prevalence of SBI caused by Listeria monocytogenes and Enterococcus species. A literature search was conducted on keywords related to SBI, L. monocytogenes, and Enterococcus spp. infections. Eligible studies were those conducted in the United States and published between January 1998 and June 2014 focusing on SBI in infants≤90 days of age. The rates of urinary tract infection, bacteremia, and meningitis for each pathogen were recorded for each study. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate the prevalence for each pathogen in a random effects model with 0.5 continuity correction added to studies with zero events. Sixteen studies were included. A total of 20,703 blood cultures were included, with weighted prevalences for L. monocytogenes and Enterococcus spp. bacteremia of 0.03% and 0.09%, respectively. A total of 13,775 cerebrospinal fluid cultures were included with event rates (unweighted prevalences) for L. monocytogenes and Enterococcus spp. meningitis of 0.02% and 0.03%, respectively. A total of 18,283 urine cultures were included, with no cases of L. monocytogenes and a weighted prevalence for Enterococcus spp. urinary tract infection of 0.28%. There may have been reporting bias or incomplete retrieval or inadvertent exclusion of relevant studies. SBI caused by L. monocytogenes and Enterococcus spp. in febrile infants is rare, and therefore clinicians may consider a change in empirical antibiotic choices. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Amylolytic Enzymes Acquired from L-Lactic Acid Producing Enterococcus faecium K-1 and Improvement of Direct Lactic Acid Production from Cassava Starch.

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Unban, Kridsada; Kanpiengjai, Apinun; Takata, Goro; Uechi, Keiko; Lee, Wen-Chien; Khanongnuch, Chartchai

2017-09-01

An amylolytic lactic acid bacterium isolate K-1 was isolated from the wastewater of a cassava starch manufacturing factory and identified as Entercoccus faecium based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. An extracellular α-amylase was purified to homogeneity and the molecular weight of the purified enzyme was approximately 112 kDa with optimal pH value and temperature measured of 7.0 and 40 °C, respectively. It was stable at a pH range of 6.0-7.0, but was markedly sensitive to high temperatures and low pH conditions, even at a pH value of 5. Ba 2+ , Al 3+ , and Co 2+ activated enzyme activity. This bacterium was capable of producing 99.2% high optically pure L-lactic acid of 4.3 and 8.2 g/L under uncontrolled and controlled pH at 6.5 conditions, respectively, in the MRS broth containing 10 g/L cassava starch as the sole carbon source when cultivated at 37 °C for 48 h. A control pH condition of 6.5 improved and stabilized the yield of L-lactic acid production directly from starch even at a high concentration of starch at up to 150 g/L. This paper is the first report describing the properties of purified α-amylase from E. faecium. Additionally, pullulanase and cyclodextrinase activities were also firstly recorded from E. faecium K-1.

Description of two Enterococcus strains isolated from traditional Peruvian artisanal-produced cheeses with a bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity

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Aguilar Galvez A.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to isolate and to characterize strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB with bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity from 27 traditional cheeses artisanal-produced obtained from different Peruvian regions. Twenty Gram+ and catalasenegative strains among 2,277 isolates exhibited bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes CWBIB2232 as target strain. No change in inhibitory activity was observed after organic acid neutralization and treatment with catalase of the cell-free supernatant (CFS. The proteinic nature of the antimicrobial activity was confirmed for the twenty LAB strains by proteolytic digestion of the CFS. Two strains, CWBI-B1431 and CWBI-B1430, with the best antimicrobial activity were selected for further researches. These strains were taxonomically identified by phenotypic and genotypic analyses as Enterococcus mundtii (CWBI-B1431 and Enterococcus faecium (CWBI-B1430. The two strains were sensitive to vancomycin (MIC 2 μg.ml-1 and showed absence of haemolysis.

Meningitis associated with Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus casseliflavus: First report

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Nilay Sefa Uçar

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Enterococci are present in the gastrointestinal system as normal floral components. In the past two decades membersof the genus Enterococcus have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens worldwide. Enterococci may cause arange of different disorders such as urinary tract, intraabdominal, and wound infections, as well as endocarditis, meningitisand bacteraemia. Nosocomial enterococcal meningitis is most commonly observed following ventriculoperitonealshunt operations. Vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE represents 30% of all enterococci infections.This report presents a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus casseliflavus meningitis case in a 66-year-old patient withventriculoperitoneal shunt, which has not been reported in the literature before. Successful outcomes were obtainedwith daptomycin plus linezolid combined treatment in VRE meningitis. Treatment recommendations in VRE meningitisare also discussed in this article. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2011;1 (3:138-140

Determination of antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus strains isolated from pigs and their genotypic characterization by method of amplification of DNA fragments surrounding rare restriction sites (ADSRRS fingerprinting).

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Nowakiewicz, Aneta; Ziółkowska, Grażyna; Trościańczyk, Aleksandra; Zięba, Przemysław; Gnat, Sebastian

2017-03-01

In this study, we analysed phenotypic resistance profiles and their reflection in the genomic profiles of Enterococcus spp. strains isolated from pigs raised on different farms. Samples were collected from five pig farms (n=90 animals) and tested for Enterococcus. MICs of 12 antimicrobials were determined using the broth microdilution method, and epidemiological molecular analysis of strains belonging to selected species (faecalis, faecium and hirae) was performed using the ADSRRS-fingerprinting (amplification of DNA fragments surrounding rare restriction sites) method with a few modifications. The highest percentage of strains was resistant to tetracycline (73.4 %), erythromycin and tylosin (42.5 %) and rifampin (25.2 %), and a large number of strains exhibited high-level resistance to both kanamycin (25.2 %) and streptomycin (27.6 %). The strains of E. faecalis, E. faecium and E. hirae (n=184) revealed varied phenotypic resistance profiles, among which as many as seven met the criteria for multidrug resistance (30.4 % of strains tested). ADSRRS-fingerprinting analysis produced 17 genotypic profiles of individual strains which were correlated with their phenotypic resistance profiles. Only E. hirae strains susceptible to all of the chemotherapeutics tested had two different ADSRRS profiles. Moreover, eight animals were carriers of more than one genotype belonging to the same Enterococcus spp., mainly E. faecalis. Given the possibility of transmission to humans of the high-resistance/multidrug resistance enterococci and the significant role of pigs as food animals in this process, it is necessary to introduce a multilevel control strategy by carrying out research on the resistance and molecular characteristics of indicator bacterial strains isolated from animals on individual farms.

Pathogen distribution and drug resistance in a burn ward: a three-year retrospective analysis of a single center in China.

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Cen, Hanghui; Wu, Zhenbo; Wang, Fan; Han, Chunmao

2015-01-01

To investigate the spread of multiple-resistant strain in a burn ward to inform clinical administration of antibiotic drugs, burn wound treatment and decision-making for infection control. A 3-year retrospective analysis was conducted. Specimens from wounds, blood, catheter, sputum, urine and stool collected from inpatients of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Medicine between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013 were cultured and strains were identified by automatic bacteria analysis. Sensitivity to 30 commonly used antibiotics was assessed by K-B disk diffusion. A total of 2212 strains of pathogenic bacteria or fungi were isolated (33.9% Gram-positive and 52.7% Gram-negative bacteria and 13.4% fungi), including 1466 from wound extracts, 128 from blood culture, 335 from urine culture, 5 from stool culture, 153 from sputum culture and 125 from catheters. The most frequently detected pathogens in wound secretions were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. The Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Proteus mirabilis were also frequently detected. The most frequently detected strains of fungi were Candida albicans; tropicalis, glabrata and parapsilosis, and all were highly sensitive to itraconazole, fluconazole and voriconazole but resistant to ketoconazole. Attention should be paid to MRSA, multi-resistant A. baumanni, ESBL-producing enterobacteriaceae and Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. Understanding the distribution of bacterial infections in Chinese hospitals will be crucial to reduce hospital-acquired infection and drug resistance.

Incidence of virulence determinants in clinical Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates collected in Bulgaria

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Tanya Strateva

2016-03-01

Conclusion: Most E. faecalis attaches to abiotic surfaces in hospital environment, which correlates with higher prevalence of gene encoding for virulence factors involved in biofilm formation, such as enterococcal surface protein, aggregation substance, and gelatinase. The intestinal tract is an important reservoir for opportunistic enterococcal pathogens and allows them to access infectious sites through different virulence factors, demonstrated in outpatient isolates in this study.

Comparative genomic analysis of pathogenic and probiotic Enterococcus faecalis isolates, and their transcriptional responses to growth in human urine.

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Heidi C Vebø

Full Text Available Urinary tract infection (UTI is the most common infection caused by enterococci, and Enterococcus faecalis accounts for the majority of enterococcal infections. Although a number of virulence related traits have been established, no comprehensive genomic or transcriptomic studies have been conducted to investigate how to distinguish pathogenic from non-pathogenic E. faecalis in their ability to cause UTI. In order to identify potential genetic traits or gene regulatory features that distinguish pathogenic from non-pathogenic E. faecalis with respect to UTI, we have performed comparative genomic analysis, and investigated growth capacity and transcriptome profiling in human urine in vitro. Six strains of different origins were cultivated and all grew readily in human urine. The three strains chosen for transcriptional analysis showed an overall similar response with respect to energy and nitrogen metabolism, stress mechanism, cell envelope modifications, and trace metal acquisition. Our results suggest that citrate and aspartate are significant for growth of E. faecalis in human urine, and manganese appear to be a limiting factor. The majority of virulence factors were either not differentially regulated or down-regulated. Notably, a significant up-regulation of genes involved in biofilm formation was observed. Strains from different origins have similar capacity to grow in human urine. The overall similar transcriptional responses between the two pathogenic and the probiotic strain suggest that the pathogenic potential of a certain E. faecalis strain may to a great extent be determined by presence of fitness and virulence factors, rather than the level of expression of such traits.

Intestinal Microbiota Containing Barnesiella Species Cures Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Colonization

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Bucci, Vanni; Caballero, Silvia; Djukovic, Ana; Toussaint, Nora C.; Equinda, Michele; Lipuma, Lauren; Ling, Lilan; Gobourne, Asia; No, Daniel; Taur, Ying; Jenq, Robert R.; van den Brink, Marcel R. M.; Xavier, Joao B.

2013-01-01

Bacteria causing infections in hospitalized patients are increasingly antibiotic resistant. Classical infection control practices are only partially effective at preventing spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within hospitals. Because the density of intestinal colonization by the highly antibiotic-resistant bacterium vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) can exceed 109 organisms per gram of feces, even optimally implemented hygiene protocols often fail. Decreasing the density of intestinal colonization, therefore, represents an important approach to limit VRE transmission. We demonstrate that reintroduction of a diverse intestinal microbiota to densely VRE-colonized mice eliminates VRE from the intestinal tract. While oxygen-tolerant members of the microbiota are ineffective at eliminating VRE, administration of obligate anaerobic commensal bacteria to mice results in a billionfold reduction in the density of intestinal VRE colonization. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of intestinal bacterial populations isolated from mice that cleared VRE following microbiota reconstitution revealed that recolonization with a microbiota that contains Barnesiella correlates with VRE elimination. Characterization of the fecal microbiota of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation demonstrated that intestinal colonization with Barnesiella confers resistance to intestinal domination and bloodstream infection with VRE. Our studies indicate that obligate anaerobic bacteria belonging to the Barnesiella genus enable clearance of intestinal VRE colonization and may provide novel approaches to prevent the spread of highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. PMID:23319552

Immunochemical characterization of temperature-regulated production of enterocin L50 (EntL50A and EntL50B), enterocin P, and enterocin Q by Enterococcus faecium L50.

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Criado, Raquel; Gutiérrez, Jorge; Martín, María; Herranz, Carmen; Hernández, Pablo E; Cintas, Luis M

2006-12-01

Polyclonal antibodies with specificity for enterocin L50A (EntL50A), enterocin L50B (EntL50B), and enterocin Q (EntQ) produced by Enterococcus faecium L50 have been generated by immunization of rabbits with chemically synthesized peptides derived from the C terminus of EntL50A (LR1) and EntL50B (LR2) and from the complete enterocin Q (EntQ) conjugated to the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The sensitivity and specificity of these antibodies were evaluated by a noncompetitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NCI-ELISA) and a competitive indirect ELISA (CI-ELISA). The NCI-ELISA was valuable for detecting anti-EntL50A-, anti-EntL50B-, and anti-EntQ-specific antibodies in the sera of the LR1-KLH-, LR2-KLH-, and EntQ-KLH-immunized animals, respectively. Moreover, these antibodies and those specific for enterocin P (EntP) obtained in a previous work (J. Gutiérrez, R. Criado, R. Citti, M. Martín, C. Herranz, M. F. Fernández, L. M. Cintas, and P. E. Hernández, J. Agric. Food Chem. 52:2247-2255, 2004) were used in an NCI-ELISA to detect and quantify the production of EntL50A, EntL50B, EntP, and EntQ by the multiple-bacteriocin producer E. faecium L50 grown at different temperatures (16 to 47 degrees C). Our results show that temperature has a strong influence on bacteriocin production by this strain. EntL50A and EntL50B are synthesized at 16 to 32 degrees C, but production becomes negligible when the growth temperature is above 37 degrees C, whereas EntP and EntQ are synthesized at temperatures ranging from 16 to 47 degrees C. Maximum EntL50A and EntL50B production was detected at 25 degrees C, while EntP and EntQ are maximally produced at 37 and 47 degrees C, respectively. The loss of plasmid pCIZ1 (50 kb) and/or pCIZ2 (7.4 kb), encoding EntL50A and EntL50B as well as EntQ, respectively, resulted in a significant increase in production and stability of the chromosomally encoded EntP.

Analysis of gyrA and parC mutations in enterococci from environmental samples with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, A.; Jensen, Lars Bogø

2004-01-01

The quinolone resistance determining regions of gyrA and parC in four species of enterococci from environmental samples with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin were sequenced. The nucleotide sequence variations of parC could be related to the different enterococcal species. Mutations...... in Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium related to reduced susceptibility were identical to mutations detected in E jaecalis and E. faecium of clinical origin. A minimal inhibitory concentration of 8 mug ml(-1) to ciprofloxacin was not associated with any mutations in the gyrA and parC gene...... of Enterococcus casseliflavus and Enterococcus gallinarum. These two species may be intrinsically less susceptible to ciprofloxacin....

In vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents against a global collection of Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms: tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial 2004 to 2007.

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Garrison, Mark W; Mutters, Reinier; Dowzicky, Michael J

2009-11-01

The Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial began in 2004 to monitor the in vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents against a global collection of Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens. Against Gram negatives (n = 63 699), tigecycline MIC(90)'s ranged from 0.25 to 2 mg/L for Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens (but was > or =32 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Against Gram-positive organisms (n = 32 218), tigecycline MIC(90)'s were between 0.06 and 0.25 mg/L for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The in vitro activity of tigecycline was maintained against resistant phenotypes, including multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (9.2% of isolates), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli (7.0%) and K. pneumoniae (14.0%), beta-lactamase-producing H. influenzae (22.2%), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (44.5%), vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (45.9%) and E. faecalis (2.8%), and penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (13.8%). Tigecycline represents a welcome addition to the armamentarium against difficult to treat organisms.

Bacterial size matters: Multiple mechanisms controlling septum cleavage and diplococcus formation are critical for the virulence of the opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis

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Salamaga, Bartłomiej; Prajsnar, Tomasz K.; Willemse, Joost; Bewley, Martin A.; Chau, Françoise

2017-01-01

Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen frequently isolated in clinical settings. This organism is intrinsically resistant to several clinically relevant antibiotics and can transfer resistance to other pathogens. Although E. faecalis has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen, the mechanisms underlying the virulence of this organism remain elusive. We studied the regulation of daughter cell separation during growth and explored the impact of this process on pathogenesis. We demonstrate that the activity of the AtlA peptidoglycan hydrolase, an enzyme dedicated to septum cleavage, is controlled by several mechanisms, including glycosylation and recognition of the peptidoglycan substrate. We show that the long cell chains of E. faecalis mutants are more susceptible to phagocytosis and are no longer able to cause lethality in the zebrafish model of infection. Altogether, this work indicates that control of cell separation during division underpins the pathogenesis of E. faecalis infections and represents a novel enterococcal virulence factor. We propose that inhibition of septum cleavage during division represents an attractive therapeutic strategy to control infections. PMID:28742152

Bacterial size matters: Multiple mechanisms controlling septum cleavage and diplococcus formation are critical for the virulence of the opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis.

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Bartłomiej Salamaga

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen frequently isolated in clinical settings. This organism is intrinsically resistant to several clinically relevant antibiotics and can transfer resistance to other pathogens. Although E. faecalis has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen, the mechanisms underlying the virulence of this organism remain elusive. We studied the regulation of daughter cell separation during growth and explored the impact of this process on pathogenesis. We demonstrate that the activity of the AtlA peptidoglycan hydrolase, an enzyme dedicated to septum cleavage, is controlled by several mechanisms, including glycosylation and recognition of the peptidoglycan substrate. We show that the long cell chains of E. faecalis mutants are more susceptible to phagocytosis and are no longer able to cause lethality in the zebrafish model of infection. Altogether, this work indicates that control of cell separation during division underpins the pathogenesis of E. faecalis infections and represents a novel enterococcal virulence factor. We propose that inhibition of septum cleavage during division represents an attractive therapeutic strategy to control infections.

Drug: D04349 [KEGG MEDICUS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available D04349 Drug Lactomin (JAN); Lactobacillus acidophilus; Biolact (TN) ... Enterococcus faecalis [TAX...:1351], Enterococcus faecium [TAX:1352], Lactobacillus acidophilus [TAX:1579], Lactobacillus bulgaricus [TAX

Celecoxib Enhances the Efficacy of Low-Dose Antibiotic Treatment against Polymicrobial Sepsis in Mice and Clinical Isolates of ESKAPE Pathogens.

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Annamanedi, Madhavi; Varma, Gajapati Y N; Anuradha, K; Kalle, Arunasree M

2017-01-01

Treatment of multidrug resistant bacterial infections has been a great challenge globally. Previous studies including our study have highlighted the use of celecoxib, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in combination with antibiotic has decreased the minimal inhibitory concentration to limit Staphylococcus aureus infection. However, the efficacy of this combinatorial treatment against various pathogenic bacteria is not determined. Therefore, we have evaluated the potential use of celecoxib in combination with low doses of antibiotic in limiting Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in vivo in murine polymicrobial sepsis developed by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) method and against clinically isolated human ESKAPE pathogens ( Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Enterobacter species). The in vivo results clearly demonstrated a significant reduction in the bacterial load in different organs and in the inflammatory markers such as COX-2 and NF-κB via activation of SIRT1 in mice treated with imipenem, a choice of antibiotic for polymicrobial sepsis treatment. Combinatorial treatment of ampicillin and celecoxib was effective on clinical isolates of ESKAPE pathogens, 45% of tested clinical isolates showed more than 50% reduction in the colony forming units when compared to ampicillin alone. In conclusion, this non-traditional treatment strategy might be effective in clinic to reduce the dose of antibiotic to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Peptide Antibiotics for ESKAPE Pathogens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Thomas Thyge

is considered poor compared to medicines for lifestyle diseases. According to the WHO we could be moving towards a post-antibiotic era in which previously treatable infections become fatal. Of special importance are multidrug resistant bacteria from the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus......Multi-drug resistance to antibiotics represents a global health challenge that results in increased morbidity and mortality rates. The annual death-toll is >700.000 people world-wide, rising to ~10 million by 2050. New antibiotics are lacking, and few are under development as return on investment......, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter). As a consequence of widespread multi-drug resistance, researchers have sought for alternative sources of antimicrobials. Antimicrobial peptides are produced by almost all living organisms as part of their defense or innate immune...

Anti-adherence potential of Enterococcus durans cells and its cell-free supernatant on plastic and stainless steel against foodborne pathogens.

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Amel, Ait Meddour; Farida, Bendali; Djamila, Sadoun

2015-07-01

It is demonstrated that numerous bacteria are able to attach to surfaces of equipment used for food handling or processing. In this study, a strain of Enterococcus durans, originally isolated from a milking machine surface, was firstly studied for its biofilm formation potential on plastic and stainless steel supports. The strain was found to be a biofilm producer either at 25, 30 or 37 °C on polystyrene microtitre plates, with a best adherence level observed at 25 °C. En. durans showed a strong adhesion to stainless steel AISI-304. Antibacterial and anti-adherence activities of En. durans were tested against four foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Listeria innocua CLIP 74915) which were shown as biofilm producers on both plastic and stainless steel. En. durans cells and cell-free culture supernatant showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition potential of the pathogens either on solid media or in broth co-cultures. Characterization of the antibacterial substances indicated their proteinaceous nature which assigned them most probably to bacteriocins group.

Synthetic analogs of anoplin show improved antimicrobial activities

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Munk, Jens; Uggerhøj, Lars Erik; Poulsen, Tanja Juul

2013-01-01

We present the antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of the decapeptide anoplin and 19 analogs thereof tested against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33591 (MRSA), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ATCC...... that increasing the charge and/or hydrophobicity improves antimicrobial activity and increases hemolytic activity. For each strain tested, we identify at least six anoplin analogs with an improved therapeutic index compared with anoplin, the only exception being Enterococcus faecium, against which only few...

Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Branched RRWQWR-Based Peptides as Antibacterial Agents Against Clinically Relevant Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Pathogens

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Sandra C. Vega

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Multidrug resistance of pathogenic bacteria has become a public health crisis that requires the urgent design of new antibacterial drugs such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs. Seeking to obtain new, lactoferricin B (LfcinB-based synthetic peptides as viable early-stage candidates for future development as AMPs against clinically relevant bacteria, we designed, synthesized and screened three new cationic peptides derived from bovine LfcinB. These peptides contain at least one RRWQWR motif and differ by the copy number (monomeric, dimeric or tetrameric and structure (linear or branched of this motif. They comprise a linear palindromic peptide (RWQWRWQWR, a dimeric peptide (RRWQWR2KAhx and a tetrameric peptide (RRWQWR4K2Ahx2C2. They were screened for antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212 and ATCC 51575 strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145 and ATCC 27853 strains and clinical isolates of two Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus aureus and two Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All three peptides exhibited greater activity than did the reference peptide, LfcinB (17–31, which contains a single linear RRWQWR motif. Against the ATCC reference strains, the three new peptides exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50 values of 3.1–198.0 μM and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC values of 25–200 μM, and against the clinical isolates, MIC50 values of 1.6–75.0 μM and MBC values of 12.5–100 μM. However, the tetrameric peptide was also found to be strongly hemolytic (49.1% at 100 μM. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM demonstrated that in the dimeric and tetrameric peptides, the RRWQWR motif is exposed to the pathogen surface. Our results may inform the design of new, RRWQWR-based AMPs.

Cross-transmission of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in patients undergoing dialysis and kidney transplant

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D. Fram

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE cross-transmission between two patient groups (long-term dialysis and kidney transplant patients. Molecular typing, by automated ribotyping with the RiboPrinter Microbial Characterization System (Qualicon, USA, was used to analyze VRE isolates from 31 fecal samples of 320 dialysis patients and 38 fecal samples of 280 kidney transplant patients. Clonal spread of E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus was observed intragroup, but not between the two groups of patients. In turn, transmission of E. gallinarum and E. faecium between the groups was suggested by the finding of vancomycin-resistant isolates belonging to the same ribogroup in both dialysis and transplant patients. The fact that these patients were colonized by VRE from the same ribogroup in the same health care facility provides evidence for cross-transmission and supports the adoption of stringent infection control measures to prevent dissemination of these bacteria.

Antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility and virulence factors of Lactic Acid Bacteria of aquatic origin intended for use as probiotics in aquaculture

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The microorganisms intended for use as probiotics in aquaculture should exert antimicrobial activity and be regarded as safe not only for the aquatic hosts but also for their surrounding environments and humans. The objective of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial/bacteriocin activity against fish pathogens, the antibiotic susceptibility, and the prevalence of virulence factors and detrimental enzymatic activities in 99 Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) (59 enterococci and 40 non-enterococci) isolated from aquatic animals regarded as human food. Results These LAB displayed a broad antimicrobial/bacteriocin activity against the main Gram-positive and Gram-negative fish pathogens. However, particular safety concerns based on antibiotic resistance and virulence factors were identified in the genus Enterococcus (86%) (Enterococcus faecalis, 100%; E. faecium, 79%). Antibiotic resistance was also found in the genera Weissella (60%), Pediococcus (44%), Lactobacillus (33%), but not in leuconostocs and lactococci. Antibiotic resistance genes were found in 7.5% of the non-enterococci, including the genera Pediococcus (12.5%) and Weissella (6.7%). One strain of both Pediococcus pentosaceus and Weissella cibaria carried the erythromycin resistance gene mef(A/E), and another two P. pentosaceus strains harboured lnu(A) conferring resistance to lincosamides. Gelatinase activity was found in E. faecalis and E. faecium (71 and 11%, respectively), while a low number of E. faecalis (5%) and none E. faecium exerted hemolytic activity. None enterococci and non-enterococci showed bile deconjugation and mucin degradation abilities, or other detrimental enzymatic activities. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first description of mef(A/E) in the genera Pediococcus and Weissella, and lnu(A) in the genus Pediococcus. The in vitro subtractive screening presented in this work constitutes a valuable strategy for the large-scale preliminary selection of putatively safe LAB

Vancomycineresistente enterokokken in Nederland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leavis, H. L.; Willems, R. J.; Mascini, E. M.; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, C. M.; Bonten, M. J.

2004-01-01

Enterococci (Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium) are relatively avirulent enteric bacteria that usually only cause infections in immunocompromised patients. Antimicrobial treatment, however, is hampered as enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. For years, vancomycin

Comparing Temperature Effects on E. Coli, Salmonella, and Enterococcus Survival in Surface Waters

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this study was to compare dependency of survival rates on temperature for indicator organisms E. coli and Enterococcus and the pathogen Salmonella in surface waters. A database of 86 survival datasets from peer-reviewed papers on inactivation of E. coli, Salmonel...

Enterococci in foods--a conundrum for food safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Charles M A P; Stiles, Michael E; Schleifer, Karl Heinz; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H

2003-12-01

Enterococci form part of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of importance in foods. They can spoil processed meats but they are on the other hand important for ripening and aroma development of certain traditional cheeses and sausages, especially those produced in the Mediterranean area. Enterococci are also used as human probiotics. However, they are important nosocomial pathogens that cause bacteraemia, endocarditis and other infections. Some strains are resistant to many antibiotics, but antibiotic resistance alone cannot explain the virulence of some of these bacteria. Virulence factors such as adhesins, invasins and haemolysin have been described. The role of enterococci in disease has raised questions on their safety for use in foods or as probiotics. Studies on the incidence of virulence traits among enterococcal strains isolated from food showed that some harbour virulence traits and generally, Enterococcus faecalis harbours more of them than Enterococcus faecium. Regulations in Europe stipulate that safety of probiotic or starter strains is the responsibility of the producer; therefore, each strain intended for such use should be carefully evaluated. For numerous questions, immediate answers are not fully available. It is therefore suggested that when considering an Enterococcus strain for use as a starter or probiotic culture, it is imperative that each particular strain should be carefully evaluated for the presence of all known virulence factors. Ideally, such strains should harbour no virulence determinants and should be sensitive to clinically relevant antibiotics. In general, E. faecium appears to pose a lower risk for use in foods, because these strains generally harbour fewer recognised virulence determinants than E. faecalis. Generally, the incidence of such virulence determinants among E. faecium strains is low, as compared to E. faecalis strains, probably as a result of the presence of pheromone-responsive plasmids.

Significance and survival of Enterococci during the house fly development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Anuradha; Akhtar, Mastura; Holderman, Chris; Zurek, Ludek

2014-01-01

House flies are among the most important nonbiting insect pests of medical and veterinary importance. Larvae develop in decaying organic substrates and their survival strictly depends on an active microbial community. House flies have been implicated in the ecology and transmission of enterococci, including multi-antibiotic-resistant and virulent strains of Enterococcus faecalis. In this study, eight American Type Culture Collection type strains of enterococci including Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcusfaecalis, and Enterococcusfaecium were evaluated for their significance in the development of house flies from eggs to adults in bacterial feeding assays. Furthermore, the bacterial colonization of the gut of teneral flies as well as the importance of several virulence traits of E. faecalis in larval mortality was assessed. Overall survival of house flies (egg to adult) was significantly higher when grown with typically nonpathogenic enterococcal species such as E. hirae (76.0% survival), E. durans (64.0%), and E. avium (64.0%) compared with that with clinically important species E. faecalis (24.0%) and E. faecium (36.0%). However, no significant differences in survival of house fly larvae were detected when grown with E. faecalis strains carrying various virulence traits, including isogenic mutants of the human clinical isolate E. faecalis V583 with in-frame deletions of gelatinase, serine protease, and capsular polysaccharide serotype C. Enterococci were commonly detected in fly puparia (range: 75-100%; concentration: 103-105 CFU/puparium);however, the prevalence of enterococci in teneral flies varied greatly: from 25.0 (E. casseliflavus) to 89.5% (E. hirae). In conclusion, depending on the species, enterococci variably support house fly larval development and colonize the gut of teneral adults. The human pathogenic species, E. faecalis and E. faecium

Biofilm-forming capacity in biogenic amine-producing bacteria isolated from dairy products.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria eDiaz

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Biofilms on the surface of food industry equipment are reservoirs of potentially food-contaminating bacteria - both spoilage and pathogenic. However, the capacity of biogenic amine (BA-producers to form biofilms has remained largely unexamined. BAs are low molecular weight, biologically active compounds that in food can reach concentrations high enough to be a toxicological hazard. Fermented foods, especially some types of cheese, accumulate the highest BA concentrations of all. The present work examines the biofilm-forming capacity of 56 BA-producing strains belonging to three genera and 10 species (12 Enterococcus faecalis, 6 Enterococcus faecium, 6 Enterococcus durans, 1 Enterococcus hirae, 12 Lactococcus lactis, 7 Lactobacillus vaginalis, 2 Lactobacillus curvatus, 2 Lactobacillus brevis, 1 Lactobacillus reuteri and 7 Lactobacillus parabuchneri, all isolated from dairy products. Strains of all the tested species - except for L. vaginalis - were able to produce biofilms on polystyrene and adhered to stainless steel. However, the biomass produced in biofilms was strain-dependent. These results suggest that biofilms may provide a route via which fermented foods can become contaminated by BA-producing microorganisms.

Physiological characterization of Enterococcus faecalis during azoreductase activity

OpenAIRE

Punj, Sumit; John, Gilbert H.

2011-01-01

Azo dyes are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, paper, and textile industries. Some azo dyes are known to produce carcinogenic compounds upon reductive cleavage of the azo bond (N=N) by intestinal flora. There is not much information available on the effect of these dyes on the physiology of the gut microflora as well as their kinetics of reduction in different environments. The azoreductase activity of Enterococcus faecalis, an important opportunistic intestinal pathogen, was tested us...

Species distribution and resistance patterns to growth-promoting antimicrobials of enterococci isolated from pigs and chickens in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, In Yeong; Ku, Hyun Ok; Lim, Suk Kyung; Park, Choi Kyu; Jung, Gab Su; Jung, Suk Chan; Nam, Hyang Mi

2009-11-01

A total of 147 Enterococcus faecium and 165 Enterococcus faecalis isolates from fecal samples of chickens and pigs at slaughterhouses in Korea were tested for their resistance to 8 growth-promoting antimicrobials commonly used in animals and quinupristin and dalfopristin. Resistance to most antimicrobials was very common among both E. faecalis and E. faecium. In particular, E. faecalis showed almost no susceptibility to all the antimicrobials tested except penicillin and flavomycin, to which 1.4% and less than 24% showed resistance, respectively. Although the prevalence of resistance was lower than in E. faecalis, E. faecium showed relatively uniform resistance to all the agents tested. Among the antimicrobials tested, virginiamycin and penicillin were the most effective against E. faecium isolates: less than 31% and 41% showed resistance to those 2 antimicrobials, respectively. Penicillin was the only agent that showed relatively strong activity against both E. faecalis and E. faecium. Resistance observed in E. faecalis and E. faecium against most antimicrobials used for growth promotion was more prevalent in Korea than in European countries. The current study is the first report of resistance against feed additive antimicrobials in enterococcal isolates from livestock in Korea.

Human health risks associated with antimicrobial-resistant enterococci and Staphylococcus aureus on poultry meat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bortolaia, V.; Gongora, Carmen Espinosa; Guardabassi, L.

2016-01-01

health risks associated with the occurrence of these opportunistic human pathogens on poultry meat with particular focus on the risk of food-borne transmission of antimicrobial resistance. In the absence of conclusive evidence of transmission, this risk was inferred using data from scientific articles......-resistant S. aureus of livestock origin has been reported on poultry meat. In theory handling or ingestion of contaminated meat is a potential risk factor for colonization by methicillin-resistant S. aureus. However, this risk is presently regarded as negligible by public health authorities. Clinical......Enterococci and staphylococci are frequent contaminants on poultry meat. Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus aureus are also well-known aetiological agents of a wide variety of infections resulting in major healthcare costs. This review provides an overview of the human...

Sorption of streptococcus faecium to glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oerstavik, D.

1977-01-01

A method has been developed by which to study the sorption of Streptococcus faecium to soda-lime cover glasses. Conditions were chosen to minimize the influence on sorption of bacterial polymer production, passive sorption being studied rather than attachment mediated by metabolic activities. Sorption of S. faecium increased with increasing temperature (to 50degC), time, and cell concentration, but equilibrium apparently was not reached even after incubation for 8 hours or at a cell concentration of 3 x 10 10 per ml. Sorption increased with solute molarity up to 0.1 M concentration of NaCl and KCl, indicating an effect of the electrical double layers on the apposition of cells to the glass surface. Desorption of bacteria could be obtained after multiple washings of the glasses in buffer or by the action of Tween 80, but not if sorbed bacteria were left in distilled water, various salt solutions, urea, or in suspensions of unlabelled bacteria. It was concluded that sorption occurred as a result of chemical interactions between the glass and the cell surface. Tween 80 at a concentration of 1 per cent inhibited sorption to 26 per cent of buffer controls, 2 M urea was less effective, and 1 M NaCl was without effect. It is suggested that hydrophobic interactions may be of importance in the binding of S. faecium to glass. (author)

Growth Behavior of E. coli, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus Species in the Presence and Absence of Sub-inhibitory Antibiotic Concentrations: Consequences for Interpretation of Culture-Based Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Heß, Stefanie; Gallert, Claudia

2016-11-01

Culture-based approaches are used to monitor, e.g., drinking water or bathing water quality and to investigate species diversity and antibiotic resistance levels in environmental samples. For health risk assessment, it is important to know whether the growing cultures display the actual abundance of, e.g., clinically relevant antibiotic resistance phenotypes such as vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium/Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, it is important to know whether sub-inhibitory antibiotic concentrations, which are present in surface waters, favor the growth of antibiotic-resistant strains. Therefore, clinically relevant bacteria were isolated from different water sources and the growth behavior of 58 Escherichia coli, 71 Enterococcus, and 120 Staphylococcus isolates, belonging to different species and revealing different antibiotic resistance patterns, was studied with respect to "environmental" antibiotic concentrations. The finding that VRE could only be detected after specific enrichment can be explained by their slow growth compared to non-resistant strains. Interpreting their absence in standardized culture-based methods as nonexistent might be a fallacy. Sub-inhibitory antibiotic concentrations that were detected in sewage and receiving river water did not specifically promote antibiotic-resistant strains. Generally, those antibiotics that influenced cell metabolism directly led to slightly reduced growth rates and less than maximal optical densities after 48 h of incubation.

Adesida et al., Afr., J. Infect. Dis.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In Nigeria, most studies on enterococci have been conducted on food, ... based on Gram stain, cultural characteristics and various biochemical tests .... Fluoroquinolones have been the preferred antibiotics for treatment of ... Clonal Diversity in Multi ... Comparison of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis Strains ...

Histopathological changes induced in an animal model by potentially pathogenic Enterococcus faecalis strains recovered from ready-to-eat food outlets in Osun State, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olawale AK

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Adetunji Kola Olawale,1,2 Oluwole Moses David,2,3 Adekemi Olubukunola Oluyege,2 Richard Temitope Osuntoyinbo,4 Solomon Anjuwon Laleye,5 Oladiran Famurewa,21Department of Applied Sciences, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, 2Department of Microbiology, University of Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria; 3Phytomedicine Research Centre, Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; 4Department of Microbiology, Waterford Regional Hospital, Waterford, Republic of Ireland; 5Department of Microbiology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, NigeriaAbstract: Enterococci have been implicated as an emerging important cause of several diseases and multiple antibiotic resistance. However, there is little information about the prevalence of pathogenic and/or antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in ready-to-eat foods in Nigeria. Here we report the pathogenic potential of three selected antibiotic-resistant E. faecalis strains isolated from food canteens and food outlets with different virulence determinant genes, including EFC 12 (with gel+, esp+, cylA+, and asa1+, EFT 148 (with gel+, ace+, and asa1+, and EFS 18 (with esp+ and cylA+ in an animal model. Enterococcemia, hematological parameters, and histopathological changes in organ tissues were examined in experimental animals. The results showed differences in enterococcemia and hematological parameters between the control group and experimental animal group. Enterococcemia was observed for 7 days, and the animal group infected with EFC 12 showed the highest growth rate, followed by EFT 148, with the lowest growth rate seen in the EFS 18-infected group. White blood cell count, packed cell volume, and platelets were significantly reduced (P<0.05 in the experimental animals compared with the controls. White blood cells decreased drastically during the study period in rats challenged with EFC 12 (from 7,800 to 6,120 per mm3 but levels remained higher in the control group (from 9,228 to 9

Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcal Infections: New Compounds, Novel Antimicrobial Therapies?

Science.gov (United States)

van Harten, Roel M; Willems, Rob J L; Martin, Nathaniel I; Hendrickx, Antoni P A

2017-06-01

Over the past two decades infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria have escalated world-wide, affecting patient morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Among these bacteria, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis represent opportunistic nosocomial pathogens that cause difficult-to-treat infections because of intrinsic and acquired resistance to a plethora of antibiotics. In recent years, a number of novel antimicrobial compound classes have been discovered and developed that target Gram-positive bacteria, including E. faecium and E. faecalis. These new antibacterial agents include teixobactin (targeting lipid II and lipid III), lipopeptides derived from nisin (targeting lipid II), dimeric vancomycin analogues (targeting lipid II), sortase transpeptidase inhibitors (targeting the sortase enzyme), alanine racemase inhibitors, lipoteichoic acid synthesis inhibitors (targeting LtaS), various oxazolidinones (targeting the bacterial ribosome), and tarocins (interfering with teichoic acid biosynthesis). The targets of these novel compounds and mode of action make them very promising for further antimicrobial drug development and future treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections. Here we review current knowledge of the most favorable anti-enterococcal compounds along with their implicated modes of action and efficacy in animal models to project their possible future use in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of probiotic drugs, based on Enterobacter faecium autostrains, on human intestinal microflora in confined habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Viacheslav, Ilyin; Batov, Alexey; Usanova, Nonna

The aim of research: Investigation of influence of probiotic drugs based on autostrains of Enter-obacter faecium, selected from the crew in long term isolation experiment in confined habitat. It is known that during long-term presence in confined habitat the risk of infectious diseases increases. One of the main infectious risk occurs during first 20 days of isolation as a result of exchange of strains and stress-mediated disbacterioses. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate activities of probiotics to avoid this risk. Furthermore, in case of super long term autonomous flight there should be possibilities of application of autochthonous microflora strains as pro-biotics to strengthen colonial resistance of crews. Materials and methods: In the experiment there were used probiotic drugs based on autostrains of E. faecium, selected from the crew before the experiment. Probiotic drugs were consumed during 30 days since the beginning of the experiment with the break of consumption between 10th to 19th day. Results: Comparing the state of intestinal microflora of the crew on the baseline and 14th day of experiment re-vealed remarkable changes of microflora: the increasing of concentration of bifidobacteria and E. faecium (approximately 10 times), elimination of hemolytic streptococcus, yeasts, reduction of the rate of S.aureus, hemolytic gramnegative non-fermenting rods, lactobacilli and normal E.coli. On the 45th day of isolation, 15 days after finishing of auto-strains administration, there fere signs of restoration of disbacteriosis: the quantitative decreasing lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and normal E.coli, increasing of the rate of S.aureus, hemolytic gramnegative nonfermentive rods. Conclusion: Thus we managed to avoid risk of pathogenicity potential growth in first 2 decades of isolation. Application of probiotic, based on the autostrains of E. faecium leads to insignificant changes of concentration of lactobacteries, bifidobacteries, normal E. coli and to

Evaluation of a Chromogenic Agar under Development To Screen for VRE Colonization ▿

OpenAIRE

Kallstrom, George; Doern, Christopher D.; Dunne, W. Michael

2010-01-01

BBL CHROMagar VanRE (CVRE) was compared with bile esculin azide agar plus vancomycin to screen for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonization. CVRE distinguishes Enterococcus faecalis (green colonies) from Enterococcus faecium (mauve colonies) on the basis of chromogenic substrate use. CVRE sensitivity and specificity were 98.6% and 99.1%. Positive and negative predictive values were 95.9% and 99.7%.

Comparative analysis on antibiotic resistance characteristics of Listeria spp. and Enterococcus spp. isolated from laying hens and eggs in conventional and organic keeping systems in Bavaria, Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwaiger, K; Schmied, E-M V; Bauer, J

2010-05-01

By investigating the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of Gram-positive bacteria from organic and conventional keeping systems of laying hens, it was to be determined to what extent these properties are influenced by the different systems. For this purpose, a total of 799 cloacal swabs and 800 egg samples were examined. Prevalences for all selected bacteria from cloacal swabs were much the same for both organic and caged birds: Listeria spp.1.3%[org] versus 1.6%[con]; Enterococcus spp. 95.5%[org] versus 97.5%[con]. Egg contents and eggshells were generally contaminated to a lesser extent, primarily with Enterococcus spp. Listeria isolates were susceptible to almost all tested antibiotics, only three Listeria innocua from conventional keepings were resistant to clindamycin; one isolate additionally to imipenem. High percentages of Enterococcus faecalis were resistant to doxycycline and macrolides. Enterococcus faecium proved to have high resistance rates to clindamycin, fosfomycin and erythromycin; 9.1% were even resistant to the reserve antibiotic synercid. Further, Enterococcus spp. showed higher resistance rates to doxycycline, erythromycin, fosfomycin and rifampicin. No glycopeptide resistant enterococci were detected. A correlation between keeping system and resistance/susceptibility rates could be demonstrated. In detail, E. faecalis from organic laying hen husbandries showed significant lower resistance prevalences to tylosin, streptomycin and doxycycline; susceptibility rates were higher for enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Rifampicin and imipenem were more effective in isolates from conventional keepings (P < 0.05). The amounts of resistant isolates of the Enterococcus raffinosus from organic farms were significantly lower, the amounts of sensitive isolates were significantly higher than from conventional farms concerning eight antibiotics (P < 0.05). When comparing the susceptibility/resistance rates, as well as the mean minimum

Intrinsic resistance to aminoglycosides in Enterococcus faecium is conferred by the 16S rRNA m5C1404-specific methyltransferase EfmM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galimand, Marc; Schmitt, Emmanuelle; Panvert, Michel

2011-01-01

methyltransferase, as well as by the previously characterized aac(6')-Ii that encodes a 6'-N-aminoglycoside acetyltransferase. Inactivation of efmM in E. faecium increases susceptibility to the aminoglycosides kanamycin and tobramycin, and, conversely, expression of a recombinant version of efmM in Escherichia coli...... confers resistance to these drugs. The EfmM protein shows significant sequence similarity to E. coli RsmF (previously called YebU), which is a 5-methylcytidine (m(5)C) methyltransferase modifying 16S rRNA nucleotide C1407. The target for EfmM is shown by mass spectrometry to be a neighboring 16S r...

Case report

African Journals Online (AJOL)

abp

2014-01-23

Jan 23, 2014 ... Linezolid is the only member of synthetic oxyzolidone family and is active in-vitro against resistant Gram positive cocci such as vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium and methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus [9,10]. The approval was declared in our country in 2005.

Mevalonate 5-diphosphate mediates ATP binding to the mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase from the bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Chun-Liang; Mermoud, James C.; Paul, Lake N.; Steussy, Calvin Nicklaus; Stauffacher, Cynthia V. (Purdue)

2017-10-12

The mevalonate pathway produces isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), a building block for polyisoprenoid synthesis, and is a crucial pathway for growth of the human bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. The final enzyme in this pathway, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD), acts on mevalonate diphosphate (MVAPP) to produce IPP while consuming ATP. This essential enzyme has been suggested as a therapeutic target for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Here, we report functional and structural studies on the mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase from E. faecalis (MDDEF). The MDDEF crystal structure in complex with ATP (MDDEF–ATP) revealed that the phosphate-binding loop (amino acids 97–105) is not involved in ATP binding and that the phosphate tail of ATP in this structure is in an outward-facing position pointing away from the active site. This suggested that binding of MDDEF to MVAPP is necessary to guide ATP into a catalytically favorable position. Enzymology experiments show that the MDDEF performs a sequential ordered bi-substrate reaction with MVAPP as the first substrate, consistent with the isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments. On the basis of ITC results, we propose that this initial prerequisite binding of MVAPP enhances ATP binding. In summary, our findings reveal a substrate-induced substrate-binding event that occurs during the MDDEF-catalyzed reaction. The disengagement of the phosphate-binding loop concomitant with the alternative ATP-binding configuration may provide the structural basis for antimicrobial design against these pathogenic enterococci.

[Antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens from uncomplicated urinary tract infection in a pediatric hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

López-Martínez, Briceida; Calderón-Jaimes, Ernesto; Olivar-López, Víctor; Parra-Ortega, Israel; Alcázar-López, Virginia; Castellanos-Cruz, María Del Carmen; de la Garza-López, Alicia

Urinary tract infection in children is well recognized as a cause of acute morbidity and chronic medical conditions. As a result, appropriate use of antimicrobial agents, however, increases antibiotic resistance and complicates its treatment due to increased patient morbidity, costs, rates of hospitalization, and use of broader-spectrum antibiotics. The goal of this study was to determine antibiotic susceptibility to commonly used agents for urinary tract infection against recent urinary isolates. A total of 457 consecutive children attending the emergency room at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez with symptoms of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection were eligible for inclusion. Patients who had had symptoms for≥7 days and those who had had previous episodes of urinary tract infection, received antibiotics or other complicated factors were excluded. Midstream and catheter urine specimens were collected. All isolates were identified and the in vitro activities of antimicrobials were determined. The most frequently isolated urinary pathogens were as follows: Escherichia coli (E. coli) (312, 68.3%), Enterococcus spp. (42, 11%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) (40, 8.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (34, 7.5%), Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) (21, 4.5%), Enterobacter cloacae (8, 1.7%). The resistance to trimetoprim/sulfametoxazol (%) was 73.7, 62.2, 100, 52, and 50, respectively, for E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis and Enterobacter spp., 92.5 for Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and 49.9 for Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium). Ampicillin was 86.3, 45, 100, 47.9, and 66.6% for the same strains, ciprofloxacin 33.8, 9, 18.8, 0, 0%, nitrofurantoin 4.4, 13, 97.7, 70, 0%; to E. faecalis 0% and 16.7% to E. faecium. Frequently prescribed empirical agents for uncomplicated urinary tract infection demonstrate lowered in vitro susceptibilities when tested against recent clinical isolates. Copyright © 2014 Hospital

Enterococcus and Streptococcus spp. associated with chronic and self-medicated urinary tract infections in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Poulsen, Louise Ladefoged; Bisgaard, Magne; Son, Nguyen Thai; Trung, Nguyen Vu; An, Hoang Manh; Dalsgaard, Anders

2012-11-23

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common infections among women worldwide. E. coli often causes more than 75% of acute uncomplicated UTI, however, little is known about how recurrent UTIs and indiscriminate use of antimicrobials affect the aetiology of UTIs. This study aimed to establish the aetiology of UTI in a population of recurrent and self-medicated patients referred from pharmacies to a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam and to describe genotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of the associated bacterial pathogens. The aetiology of bacterial pathogens associated with UTI (defined as ≥ 104 CFU/ml urine) was established by phenotypic and molecular methods. Enterococcus faecalis isolates were typed by Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST), Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Urine samples from 276 patients suffering symptoms of urinary tract infection were collected and cultured on Flexicult agar® allowing for detection of the most common urine pathogens. Patients were interviewed about underlying diseases, duration of symptoms, earlier episodes of UTI, number of episodes diagnosed by doctors and treatment in relation to UTI. All tentative E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates were identified to species level by PCR, 16S rRNA and partial sequencing of the groEL gene. E. faecalis isolates were further characterized by Multi Locus Sequence Typing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Mean age of 49 patients was 48 yrs (range was 11-86 yrs) and included 94% women. On average, patients reported to have suffered from UTI for 348 days (range 3 days-10 years, and experienced 2.7 UTIs during the previous year). Cephalosporins were reported the second drug of choice in treatment of UTI at the hospital. E. faecalis (55.1%), E. coli (12.2%) and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus (8.2%) were main bacterial pathogens. MIC testing of E. faecalis showed susceptibility to ampicillin, penicillin and

Screening and selection of wild strains for L-arabinose isomerase production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Manzo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The majority of L-arabinose isomerases have been isolated by recombinant techniques, but this methodology implies a reduced technological application. For this reason, 29 bacterial strains, some of them previously characterized as L-arabinose isomerase producers, were assayed as L-arabinose fermenting strains by employing conveniently designed culture media with 0.5% (w/v L-arabinose as main carbon source. From all evaluated bacterial strains, Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ ID: E36, Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ ID: ETW4 and Pediococcus acidilactici ATCC ID: 8042 were, in this order, the best L-arabinose fermenting strains. Afterwards, to assay L-arabinose metabolization and L-arabinose isomerase activity, cell-free extract and saline precipitated cell-free extract of the three bacterial cultures were obtained and the production of ketoses was determined by the cysteine carbazole sulfuric acid method. Results showed that the greater the L-arabinose metabolization ability, the higher the enzymatic activity achieved, so Enterococcus faecium DBFIQ ID: E36 was selected to continue with production, purification and characterization studies. This work thus describes a simple microbiological method for the selection of L-arabinose fermenting bacteria for the potential production of the enzyme L-arabinose isomerase.

Harmonization of antimicrobial susceptibility testing among veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the five Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, A.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Hofshagen, Merete

2003-01-01

A total of 100 bacterial strains (25 Escherichia coli, 25 Salmonella enterica, 25 Staphylococcus aureus, and 25 Enterococcus strains) and four reference strains were tested for susceptibility toward 8-12 antimicrobial agents in 12 veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the five Nordic countries...... reported as vancomycin resistant. Ten laboratories identified the Enterococcus spp. to species level. All five Enterococcus faecium and 10 Enterococcus faecalis selected from the strain collection at the Danish Veterinary Institute were correctly identified by all laboratories, whereas some problems were...

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) and platelet aggregation in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Korpela, R; Moilanen, E; Saxelin, M; Vapaatalo, H

1997-06-17

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is an experimentally and clinically well documented probiotic used in different dairy products. The present study aimed to investigate the safety aspects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, particularly with respect to platelet aggregation, the initiating event in thrombosis. Platelet rich plasma was separated from the blood of healthy volunteers, and the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC 7469) and Enterococcus faecium T2L6 in different dilutions on spontaneous, ADP- and adrenaline-induced aggregation were tested. The bacteria did not influence spontaneous aggregation. Only Enterococcus faecium T2L6 enhanced the adrenaline-induced aggregation, with a less clear effect on ADP-induced aggregation.

A rare case of Enterococcus faecalis-induced orbital cellulitis and myositis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piyush Kohli

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Orbital cellulitis is an infection of soft tissue behind the orbital septum. Common pathogens isolated include Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is a straightforward diagnosis and usually responds to empirical treatment without any sequela. We report a case of orbital cellulitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis, which was complicated by myositis of levator palpebrae superioris. To the best of our knowledge, only one case report exists dating way back to 1986.

Additional risk factors for infection by multidrug-resistant pathogens in healthcare-associated infection: a large cohort study

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Cardoso Teresa

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a lack of consensus regarding the definition of risk factors for healthcare-associated infection (HCAI. The purpose of this study was to identify additional risk factors for HCAI, which are not included in the current definition of HCAI, associated with infection by multidrug-resistant (MDR pathogens, in all hospitalized infected patients from the community. Methods This 1-year prospective cohort study included all patients with infection admitted to a large, tertiary care, university hospital. Risk factors not included in the HCAI definition, and independently associated with MDR pathogen infection, namely MDR Gram-negative (MDR-GN and ESKAPE microorganisms (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species, carbapenem-hydrolyzing Klebsiella pneumonia and MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species, were identified by logistic regression among patients admitted from the community (either with community-acquired or HCAI. Results There were 1035 patients with infection, 718 from the community. Of these, 439 (61% had microbiologic documentation; 123 were MDR (28%. Among MDR: 104 (85% had MDR-GN and 41 (33% had an ESKAPE infection. Independent risk factors associated with MDR and MDR-GN infection were: age (adjusted odds ratio (OR = 1.7 and 1.5, p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively, and hospitalization in the previous year (between 4 and 12 months previously (adjusted OR = 2.0 and 1,7, p = 0.008 and p = 0.048, respectively. Infection by pathogens from the ESKAPE group was independently associated with previous antibiotic therapy (adjusted OR = 7.2, p p = 0.003. Patients with infection by MDR, MDR-GN and pathogens from the ESKAPE group had significantly higher rates of inadequate antibiotic therapy than those without (46% vs 7%, 44% vs 10%, 61% vs 15%, respectively, p

Repurposing Clinical Molecule Ebselen to Combat Drug Resistant Pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Thangamani, Shankar; Younis, Waleed; Seleem, Mohamed N

2015-01-01

Without a doubt, our current antimicrobials are losing the battle in the fight against newly-emerged multidrug-resistant pathogens. There is a pressing, unmet need for novel antimicrobials and novel approaches to develop them; however, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to develop new antimicrobials. One strategy to reduce the time and cost associated with antimicrobial innovation is drug repurposing, which is to find new applications outside the scope of the original medical indication of the drug. Ebselen, an organoselenium clinical molecule, possesses potent antimicrobial activity against clinical multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus, but not against Gram-negative pathogens. Moreover, the activity of ebselen against Gram-positive pathogens exceeded those activities determined for vancomycin and linezolid, drugs of choice for treatment of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus infections. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of ebselen at which 90% of clinical isolates of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus were inhibited (MIC90) were found to be 0.5 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively. Ebselen showed significant clearance of intracellular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in comparison to vancomycin and linezolid. We demonstrated that ebselen inhibits the bacterial translation process without affecting mitochondrial biogenesis. Additionally, ebselen was found to exhibit excellent activity in vivo in a Caenorhabditis elegans MRSA-infected whole animal model. Finally, ebselen showed synergistic activities with conventional antimicrobials against MRSA. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ebselen, with its potent antimicrobial activity and safety profiles, can be potentially used to treat multidrug resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections alone or in combination with other antibiotics and should be further clinically evaluated.

Serum Vancomycin Levels Resulting from Continuous or Intermittent Infusion in Critically Ill Burn Patients With or Without Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

one (0.9%) was Streptococcus mutans , and one (0.9%) was an unidentified Enterococcus species. Organisms having MIC ≥ 2 μg/mL (as measured by the...coagulase-negative Staphylo- coccus, 13 (12.3%) were Enterococcus faecium, five (4.7%) were Enterococcus faecalis, four (3.8%) were Streptococcus ...pneumoniae, two (1.9%) were Strepto- coccus viridans, two (1.9%) were Streptococcus aga- lactiae, two (1.9%) were nonenterococcal Group D Streptococci

Antilisterial activity of a broad-spectrum bacteriocin, enterocin LR/6 from Enterococcus faecium LR/6.

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Kumar, Manoj; Srivastava, Sheela

2010-10-01

Enterocin LR/6, a purified bacteriocin, exhibited broad inhibitory spectrum both against related as well as some food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Aeromonas sp., Shigella sp., and Bacillus licheniformis. In this investigation, we have focused on L. monocytogenes as the target organism, as it is not only an important pathogen but can also survive over a wide range of environmental conditions such as refrigeration temperature, low pH, and high-salt concentration. This allows the pathogen to overcome many food preservation and safety barriers and poses a potential risk to human health. The enterocin LR/6 showed a bactericidal action against L. monocytogenes and completely inhibited the growth on agar plates, supplemented with 200 AU/ml of enterocin LR/6. The effectiveness of enterocin LR/6 in completely killing a population of acid-adapted (pH 5.2, 2 h) L. monocytogenes exposed to different temperatures (4-37 degrees C), pH (2.5-8.0), and osmotic (up to 30% NaCl) stress is reported here. This paper focuses on the key issue of killing of the acid-adapted L. monocytogenes cells under adverse environmental conditions.

Análisis clínico-epidemiológico de la portación intestinal de enterococos resistentes a vancomicina en una unidad de terapia intensiva Clinical and epidemiologic analysis of intestinal tract colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci in an intensive care unit

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A.M. Togneri

2005-03-01

Full Text Available En un período de cinco meses y 25 días se investigó la portación intestinal de enterococos resistentes a vancomicina (EVR. Se estudiaron 124 pacientes (73% de 171 admitidos en la unidad de terapia intensiva (UTI, 35 de los cuales (28% resultaron ser portadores. Los aislamientos de EVR (n=35 fueron identificados como Enterococcus faecium (n=18, Enterococcus gallinarum (n=16 y Enterococcus raffinosus (n=1. Todos los aislamientos estudiados fueron resistentes a vancomicina (VAN (CIM90= 512 µg/ml y teicoplanina (CIM90= 32 µg/ml y portaban el gen vanA. Los estudios de tipificación molecular mostraron un alto grado de homología entre los aislamientos de E. faecium (un clon dominante y E. gallinarum (dos tipos clonales, sugiriendo su diseminación a modo de brote. No se encontraron diferencias significativas con la edad y el sexo de los pacientes no portadores (p>0,05, pero si con el tiempo de hospitalización y el uso de esquemas antibióticos de amplio espectro (pIntestinal tract colonization with vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE was studied during five months and 25 days. Out of 171 patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, 124 (73% were included in this study. Thirty five of them (28% were recognized as colonized with VRE. VRE isolates (n = 35 were identified as Enterococcus faecium (n=18, Enterococcus gallinarum (n=16, and Enterococcus raffinosus (n=1. All of them were resistant to vancomycin (MIC90= 512 µg/ml and to teicoplanin (MIC90= 32 µg/ml, having the vanA gene. By means of molecular methods a high homology was found among E. faecium and E. gallinarum isolates, respectively, suggesting their spread as a kind of outbreak. No significant differences in age or sex were found among colonized and non-colonized patients (p>0.05. On the other hand, the hospitalization time and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics were associated with colonization. From this study we highlight the importance of enhancing all measures of

Avaliação da suscetibilidade antimicrobiana de bactérias anaeróbias facultativas isoladas de canais radiculares de dentes com insucesso endodôntico frente aos antibióticos de uso sistêmico

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Bárbara Trindade Di Santi

Full Text Available ResumoIntroduçãoBactérias associadas ao insucesso do tratamento endodôntico são capazes de adquirir e expressar resistência aos agentes antimicrobianos comumente empregados para tratar infecções, o que torna necessário, em determinadas situações, a realização de testes laboratoriais para detectar a resistência ou a suscetibilidade antimicrobiana desses micro-organismos.Objetivoavaliar a suscetibilidade antimicrobiana das cepas de Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Actinomyces viscosus e Staphylococcus aureus isoladas de canais radiculares de dentes com insucesso endodôntico.Material e métodoCepas clínicas de Enterococcus faecalis (n=3, Enterococcus faecium (n=3, Actinomyces viscosus (n=3 e Staphylococcus aureus (n=3, coletadas in vivo de canais radiculares com insucesso endodôntico, foram testadas quanto à suscetibilidade antimicrobiana por meio do método E-test em duplicata, utilizando os antibióticos: Amoxicilina (AC, Rifampicina (RI, Moxifloxacina (MX, Vancomicina (VA, Tetraciclina (TC, Ciprofloxacina (CI, Cloranfenicol (CL, Benzilpenicilina (PG, Amoxicilina + ácido clavulânico (XL, Doxiciclina (DC, Eritromicina (EM e Azitromicina (AZ.ResultadoTodas as cepas clínicas testadas foram suscetíveis aos antibióticos AC, XL, PG, DC, MX, TC e VA. Todos os isolados das espécies de S. aureus foram suscetíveis aos 12 antibióticos testados. As cepas de E. faecalis, E. faecium e A. viscosus mostraram padrão de suscetibilidade intermediário contra EM. Algumas cepas de E. faecalis e E. faecium foram resistentes a AZ e RI.ConclusãoAs cepas clínicas isoladas dos canais radiculares de dentes com insucesso endodôntico mostraram perfis diferentes de suscetibilidade antimicrobiana e nenhum isolado de E. faecalis e E. faeciumapresentou-se suscetível a AZ e EM.

Biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria in Moroccan soft white cheese (Jben).

Science.gov (United States)

Ouadghiri, Mouna; Amar, Mohamed; Vancanneyt, Marc; Swings, Jean

2005-10-15

The bacterial diversity occurring in traditional Moroccan soft white cheese, produced in eight different regions in Morocco, was studied. A total of 164 lactic acid bacteria were isolated, purified and identified by whole-cell protein fingerprinting and rep-PCR genomic fingerprinting. The majority of the strains belonged to the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc and Enterococcus. Sixteen species were identified: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus garvieae, Lactococcus raffinolactis, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc citreum, Eterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus saccharominimus and Streptococcus sp.

Repurposing Clinical Molecule Ebselen to Combat Drug Resistant Pathogens.

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Shankar Thangamani

Full Text Available Without a doubt, our current antimicrobials are losing the battle in the fight against newly-emerged multidrug-resistant pathogens. There is a pressing, unmet need for novel antimicrobials and novel approaches to develop them; however, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to develop new antimicrobials. One strategy to reduce the time and cost associated with antimicrobial innovation is drug repurposing, which is to find new applications outside the scope of the original medical indication of the drug. Ebselen, an organoselenium clinical molecule, possesses potent antimicrobial activity against clinical multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus, but not against Gram-negative pathogens. Moreover, the activity of ebselen against Gram-positive pathogens exceeded those activities determined for vancomycin and linezolid, drugs of choice for treatment of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus infections. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of ebselen at which 90% of clinical isolates of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus were inhibited (MIC90 were found to be 0.5 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively. Ebselen showed significant clearance of intracellular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA in comparison to vancomycin and linezolid. We demonstrated that ebselen inhibits the bacterial translation process without affecting mitochondrial biogenesis. Additionally, ebselen was found to exhibit excellent activity in vivo in a Caenorhabditis elegans MRSA-infected whole animal model. Finally, ebselen showed synergistic activities with conventional antimicrobials against MRSA. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ebselen, with its potent antimicrobial activity and safety profiles, can be potentially used to treat multidrug resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections alone or in combination with other antibiotics and should be further clinically evaluated.

Histopathological changes induced in an animal model by potentially pathogenic Enterococcus faecalis strains recovered from ready-to-eat food outlets in Osun State, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Olawale, Adetunji Kola; David, Oluwole Moses; Oluyege, Adekemi Olubukunola; Osuntoyinbo, Richard Temitope; Laleye, Solomon Anjuwon; Famurewa, Oladiran

2015-01-01

Enterococci have been implicated as an emerging important cause of several diseases and multiple antibiotic resistance. However, there is little information about the prevalence of pathogenic and/or antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in ready-to-eat foods in Nigeria. Here we report the pathogenic potential of three selected antibiotic-resistant E. faecalis strains isolated from food canteens and food outlets with different virulence determinant genes, including EFC 12 (with gel (+), esp (+), cylA (+), and asa1 (+)), EFT 148 (with gel (+), ace (+), and asa1 (+)), and EFS 18 (with esp (+) and cylA (+)) in an animal model. Enterococcemia, hematological parameters, and histopathological changes in organ tissues were examined in experimental animals. The results showed differences in enterococcemia and hematological parameters between the control group and experimental animal group. Enterococcemia was observed for 7 days, and the animal group infected with EFC 12 showed the highest growth rate, followed by EFT 148, with the lowest growth rate seen in the EFS 18-infected group. White blood cell count, packed cell volume, and platelets were significantly reduced (Pfood canteens and food outlets; hence, there is a need for strict adherence to good hygiene practices in the study area owing to the epidemiological significance of foods.

Outbreaks caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in hematology and oncology departments: A systematic review

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Nikos Ulrich

2017-12-01

Conclusion: A rational use of antibiotics in hematology and oncology units is recommended in order to reduce selection pressure on resistant pathogens such as VRE. In addition the importance of hand hygiene should be stressed to all staff whenever possible.

Enterococcus spp. Resistant to Multiple Antimicrobial Drugs and Determination of Fecal Contamination Levels in Mangrove Oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae

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Cynthia Annes Rubião

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine and compare the Most Probable Number (MPN of Total Coliforms (TC, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. and to characterize the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Enterococcus spp. isolated from oysters collected in the Barra de Guaratiba Mangrove, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The enumeration of E. coli has been used to indicate fecal contamination and hygienic-sanitary conditions of bivalve molluscs. Enterococci are capable to transfer several antimicrobial resistance genes to pathogenic bacteria, including those from Gram-negative group. The oysters were bought from local fishermen and a total of 123 individuals were analyzed. The TC, E. coli and Enterococcus spp. MPN mean were 26,300/100 g, 3,260/100 g and 2,820/100 g, respectively. The only correlation found was between TC and E. coli. Two strains of Enterococcus spp. were resistant to three different antimicrobial categories, including a high level resistance to streptomycin. One strain presented intermediate resistance to vancomycin. The E. coli levels exceeded the limits established by international legislation. This microbiological contamination in oysters reflects the water pollution and indicates a probable contamination of other seafood species from this mangrove, which can represent a risk for consumers and a threat to the environment and public health.

CRISPR-Cas and Restriction-Modification Act Additively against Conjugative Antibiotic Resistance Plasmid Transfer in Enterococcus faecalis

OpenAIRE

Price, Valerie J.; Huo, Wenwen; Sharifi, Ardalan; Palmer, Kelli L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen and a leading cause of nosocomial infections. Conjugative pheromone-responsive plasmids are narrow-host-range mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that are rapid disseminators of antibiotic resistance in the faecalis species. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas and restriction-modification confer acquired and innate immunity, respectively, against MGE acquisition in bacteria. Most multidrug-resistant E.?fa...

Dominant lactic acid bacteria in artisanal Pirot cheeses of different ripening period

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Terzić-Vidojević Amarela

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this study two raw cow's milk cheeses of a different ripening period were examined. The cheeses were taken from a country household in the region of mountain Stara Planina and manufactured without adding of starter culture. A total 106 lactic acid bacteria (LAB strains were isolated from both cheeses. They are tested by classical physiological tests as well as by API 50 CH tests. Proteolytic and antimicrobial activities were done too. Identification of LAB isolates was done by repetitive extragenic palindromic-polimerase chain reaction (rep-PCR with (GTG5 primer. The LAB isolates from cheese BGPT9 (four days old belonged to the eight species of LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus brevis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus durans and Leuconostoc garlicum, while in the BGPT10 cheese (eight months old only two species were present (Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium. Proteolytic activity showed 30 LAB from BGPT9 cheese, mainly enterococci. From BGPT10 cheese only one isolate (which belonged to the Lactobacillus plantarum species possessed partial ability to hydrolyze β-casein. Seven enterococci from BGPT9 cheese and four enterococci from BGPT10 cheese produced antimicrobial compounds.

Causative Organisms and Associated Antimicrobial Resistance in Healthcare-Associated, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections From Oncology Settings, 2009-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

See, Isaac; Freifeld, Alison G; Magill, Shelley S

2016-05-15

Recent antimicrobial resistance data are lacking from inpatient oncology settings to guide infection prophylaxis and treatment recommendations. We describe central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns reported from oncology locations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). CLABSI data reported to NHSN from 2009 to 2012 from adult inpatient oncology locations were compared to data from nononcology adult locations within the same hospitals. Pathogen profile, antimicrobial resistance rates, and CLABSI incidence rates per 1000 central line-days were calculated. CLABSI incidence rates were compared using Poisson regression. During 2009-2012, 4654 CLABSIs were reported to NHSN from 299 adult oncology units. The most common organisms causing CLABSI in oncology locations were coagulase-negative staphylococci (16.9%), Escherichia coli (11.8%), and Enterococcus faecium (11.4%). Fluoroquinolone resistance was more common among E. coli CLABSI in oncology than nononcology locations (56.5% vs 41.5% of isolates tested; P oncology compared to nononcology locations for fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli (rate ratio, 7.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.20-8.76) and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (rate ratio, 2.27, 95% CI, 2.03-2.53). However, resistance rates for some organisms, such as Klebsiella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were lower in oncology than in nononcology locations. Antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and E. faecium have become significant pathogens in oncology. Practices for antimicrobial prophylaxis and empiric antimicrobial therapy should be regularly assessed in conjunction with contemporary antimicrobial resistance data. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Use of a high resolution melt real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the environmental monitoring of Vibrio cholerae

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Le Rouw, Wouter J

2011-10-01

Full Text Available ATCC 9207 Shigella sonnei ATCC 9290 Enterococcus faecium ATCC 6569 Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 Klebsiella pneumoniae Vermaak and Partners Pathologists, S.A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 Proteus...

Cytotoxic and antibacterial substances against multi-drug resistant pathogens from marine sponge symbiont: Citrinin, a secondary metabolite of Penicillium sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Subramani, Ramesh; Kumar, Rohitesh; Prasad, Pritesh; Aalbersberg, William; Retheesh, S T

2013-04-01

To Isolate, purify, characterize, and evaluate the bioactive compounds from the sponge-derived fungus Penicillium sp. FF001 and to elucidate its structure. The fungal strain FF001 with an interesting bioactivity profile was isolated from a marine Fijian sponge Melophlus sp. Based on conidiophores aggregation, conidia development and mycelia morphological characteristics, the isolate FF001 was classically identified as a Penicillium sp. The bioactive compound was identified using various spectral analysis of UV, high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR spectral data. Further minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay and brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay were also carried out to evaluate the biological properties of the purified compound. Bioassay guided fractionation of the EtOAc extract of a static culture of this Penicillium sp. by different chromatographic methods led the isolation of an antibacterial, anticryptococcal and cytotoxic active compound, which was identified as citrinin (1). Further, citrinin (1) is reported for its potent antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), rifampicin-resistant S. aureus, wild type S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium showed MICs of 3.90, 0.97, 1.95 and 7.81 µg/mL, respectively. Further citrinin (1) displayed significant activity against the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC 3.90 µg/mL), and exhibited cytotoxicity against brine shrimp larvae LD50 of 96 µg/mL. Citrinin (1) is reported from sponge associated Penicillium sp. from this study and for its strong antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant human pathogens including cytotoxicity against brine shrimp larvae, which indicated that sponge associated Penicillium spp. are promising sources of natural bioactive metabolites.

Characterization of non-starter lactic acid bacteria in traditionally produced home-made Radan cheese during ripening

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Jokovic Natasa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Two hundred thirteen non-starter lactic acid bacteria isolated from Radan cheese during ripening were identified with both a classical biochemical test and rep-PCR with (GTG5 primer. For most isolates, which belong to the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paraplantarum and Enterococcus faecium, a phenotypic identification was in good agreement with rep-PCR identification. Lactococeus lactis subsp. lactis, Enterococcus faecium and subspecies from the Lenconostoc mesenteroides group were the dominant population of lactic acid bacteria in cheese until 10 days of ripening and only one Streptococcus thermophilus strain was isolated from the 5-day-old cheese sample. As ripening progressed, Lactobacillus plantarum became the predominant species together with the group of heterofermentative species of lactobacilli that could not be precisely identified with rep-PCR.

Mengen Peynirinden Laktik Asit Bakterilerinin İzolasyonu, Moleküler Tanımlanması ve Bazı Starter Kültür Özelliklerinin Belirlenmesi

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Aylin AKOĞLU

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Çalışmada 50 adet Mengen peyniri örneğinden toplam 117 adet laktik asit bakterisi izole edilmiş ve laktik asit bakteri florası % 44.5 Enterococcus spp., % 29.9 Lactobacillus spp., % 25.6 Lactococcus spp. olarak belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen izolatların asidifikasyon kapasiteleri ile proteolitik aktiviteleri tespit edilmiş, en iyi asidifikasyona ve proteolitik aktiviteye sahip 22 adet suş 16S rDNA dizi analizi ile tanımlanmıştır. Tanımlaması yapılan suşların 15’i (% 63 Enterococcus spp., 5’i (% 21, Lactococcus spp., 1’i (% 4 Lactobacillus spp. ve 1’i (% 4 Weissella spp. olarak belirlenmiştir. 15 adet Enterococcus spp. izolatından; 9’u (% 60 Enterococcus faecium, 4’ü (% 26.7 Enterococcus faecalis ve 2’si (% 13.3 Enterococcus durans olarak; 5 adet Lactococcus spp. izolatından, 3’ü (% 60 Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, 2’si (% 40 Lactococcus garvieae olarak tanımlanmıştır. Lactobacillus spp. ve Weissella spp. olarak tanımlanan suşların ise sırasıyla Lactobacillus casei ve Weissella viridescens olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Tanımlanan suşlar içerisinden aynı anda hem düşük proteolitik aktivite hem de yüksek asidifikasyon aktivitesi özelliği gösteren bir adet Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis suşu, Enterokoklar arasından bir adet Enterococcus faecalis, bir adet Enterococcus faecium ve iki adet Enterococcus durans suşu en iyi starter kültür özelliklerine sahip suşlar olarak belirlenmiştir.

The in vitro activity of flomoxef compared to four other cephalosporins and imipenem.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, P M; Knothe, H

1991-01-01

The antibacterial activity of the oxacephalosporin flomoxef was evaluated in comparison to cefpirome, cefuzoname, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and imipenem against fresh clinical isolates. Flomoxef is an antibiotic with strong antibacterial activity against staphylococci including methicillin-resistant strains and streptococci with the exception of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. It is very active against gram-negative cocci and rods including gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobes. Against Pseudomonas sp. flomoxef has no activity.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Enterococcus faecium aminoglycoside-2′′-phosphotransferase-Ib [APH(2′′)-Ib

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walanj, Rupa; Young, Paul; Baker, Heather M.; Baker, Edward N.; Metcalf, Peter; Chow, Joseph W.; Lerner, Stephen; Vakulenko, Sergei; Smith, Clyde A.

2005-01-01

APH(2′′)-Ib is an enzyme responsible for high-level gentamicin resistance in E. faecium isolates. Native crystals of this enzyme have been prepared and preliminary X-ray diffraction experiments have been undertaken. Bacterial resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotics is primarily the result of deactivation of the drugs. Three families of enzymes are responsible for this activity, with one such family being the aminoglycoside phosphotransferases (APHs). The gene encoding one of these enzymes, APH(2′′)-Ib, has been cloned and the protein (comprising 299 amino-acid residues) expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized in the presence of 16%(w/v) PEG 3350 and gentamicin. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2 1 , with approximate unit-cell parameters a = 79.7, b = 58.8, c = 81.4 Å, β = 98.4°, and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis is consistent with the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Synchrotron diffraction data to approximately 2.65 Å resolution were collected from a native APH(2′′)-Ib crystal at beamline BL9-2 at SSRL (Stanford, CA, USA). Selenium-substituted crystals have also been produced and structure determination is proceeding

Probiotic assessment of Enterococcus faecalis CP58 isolated from human gut.

Science.gov (United States)

Nueno-Palop, Carmen; Narbad, Arjan

2011-02-28

A total of seventy lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from the faeces of healthy humans and their identities were confirmed by sequencing of their 16S rDNA genes. Of these only 5 isolates were found to resist bile salts and indicated survival in the simulated in vitro digestion assay which reproduces the stomach and intestinal digestion indicating their tolerance to gastric enzymes and the low pH conditions. Species that showed the best resistance to these conditions were: Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus sp., uncultured bifidobacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus anginosus. These strains were investigated further to study their capacity to adhere to human intestinal Caco-2 cells. E. faecalis was the most adherent strain. Examination of the virulence determinants for this strain indicated that it was positive for efaAfs, gelE, agg, cpd, cob, ccf and cad, a profile that is similar to that of many E. faecalis isolates from food sources. The cytolysin biosynthetic genes cylA, cylB and cylM that are more associated with the clinical isolates of E. faecium were not detected in this strain. The antibiotic susceptibility tests indicated that the strain was sensitive to vancomycin, tetracycline, rifampicin and erythromycin but resistant only to kanamycin and chloramphenicol. These data suggest that the strain E. faecalis CP58 may be tested further for beneficial properties and developed as a new probiotic. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presence of Glycopeptide-Encoding Plasmids in Enterococcal Isolates from Food and Humans in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Migura, Lourdes Garcia; Valenzuela, Antonio Jesus Sanchez; Jensen, Lars Bogø

2011-01-01

developed techniques for classification of plasmids. Replicons associated with sex pheromone-inducible plasmids were detected in all GR E. faecalis, whereas GR Enterococcus faecium contained plasmids known to be widely distributed among enterococci. vanA resistance is common in E. faecium isolates from meat...... and animals in Europe and is rarely found in E. faecalis. This article describes the first characterization of MGE from vanA mediated E. faecalis, thus linking this resistance genotype to pheromone responding plasmids....

Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of enterocin producing enterococci against pathogenic bacteria

OpenAIRE

Sandra Mojsova; Kiril Krstevski; Igor Dzadzovski; Zagorka Popova; Pavle Sekulovski

2015-01-01

The study investigated the antimicrobial activity of 13 enterococcal strains (E. faecalis -8, E. faecium-2, E. hirae-2, E. spp.-1) isolated from our traditional cheeses against pathogen microorganisms. Also, it includes the detection of the following enterocin structural genes: enterocin A, enterocin B, enterocin P, enterocin L50A/B, bacteriocin 31, enterocin AS48, enterocin Q, enterocin EJ97 and cytolysin by using PCR method. All isolates inhibited growth of L. monocytogenes and L.innocua...

Occurrence of mastitis pathogens in relation to somatic cells

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Marcela Vyletělová Klimešová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There were examined 161 cows from 4 farms in total. The suspect animals were selected according to viscosity test results, clinical symptoms and somatic cell count (SCC. Milk samples were examined for the presence of pathogens and for SCC. 55 mastitis pathogens were identified. The most frequently isolated species was Enterococcus faecalis (n = 20, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 6 and Streptococcus uberis (n = 5. The SCC ranged from 9 to 24 204 ths.ml−1. There was positive occurrence of bacteria genus Staphylococcus and Enterococcus at lower SCC (50 ths.ml−1 and at higher SCC numbers (> 300 ths. ml−1 bacteria genus Streptococcus, Enterobacter and Escherichia coli. Differences in SCC were significant (P < 0.001 in negative samples xg 131 SCC versus 491 for positive, 611 for staphylococci and 464 ths.ml−1 for other positive. SCC discrimination limit for practical likelihood of pathogen occurrence estimation in infectious sample groups was calculated. This limit for suspicion of infection is 159 for positive group, 113 for staphylococci and 174 ths.ml−1 for other positive. This could be possible to recommend the value 174 ths.ml−1 for practical use with target to apply preventive or curative measures.

Bacteriocinogenic potential and genotypic characterization of three ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Louiza

2015-08-06

Aug 6, 2015 ... Maximal activity from BRO2 strain was at pH 7 (20480 AU/ml) and ... Key words: Butter, milk, Enterococcus faecium, antibacterial activity, .... Phenotypic identification of enterococcal strains .... The effect of temperature on the.

Confirmation of putative stormwater impact on water quality at a Florida beach by microbial source tracking methods and structure of indicator organism populations.

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Brownell, M J; Harwood, V J; Kurz, R C; McQuaig, S M; Lukasik, J; Scott, T M

2007-08-01

The effect of a stormwater conveyance system on indicator bacteria levels at a Florida beach was assessed using microbial source tracking methods, and by investigating indicator bacteria population structure in water and sediments. During a rain event, regulatory standards for both fecal coliforms and Enterococcus spp. were exceeded, contrasting with significantly lower levels under dry conditions. Indicator bacteria levels were high in sediments under all conditions. The involvement of human sewage in the contamination was investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the esp gene of Enterococcus faecium and for the conserved T antigen of human polyomaviruses, all of which were negative. BOX-PCR subtyping of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus showed higher population diversity during the rain event; and higher population similarity during dry conditions, suggesting that without fresh inputs, only a subset of the population survives the selective pressure of the secondary habitat. These data indicate that high indicator bacteria levels were attributable to a stormwater system that acted as a reservoir and conduit, flushing high levels of indicator bacteria to the beach during a rain event. Such environmental reservoirs of indicator bacteria further complicate the already questionable relationship between indicator organisms and human pathogens, and call for a better understanding of the ecology, fate and persistence of indicator bacteria.

Hiding in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Opportunistic Pathogens May Cross Geographical Barriers

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Zahra S. Al-Kharousi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Different microbial groups of the microbiome of fresh produce can have diverse effects on human health. This study was aimed at identifying some microbial communities of fresh produce by analyzing 105 samples of imported fresh fruits and vegetables originated from different countries in the world including local samples (Oman for aerobic plate count and the counts of Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The isolated bacteria were identified by molecular (PCR and biochemical methods (VITEK 2. Enterobacteriaceae occurred in 60% of fruits and 91% of vegetables. Enterococcus was isolated from 20% of fruits and 42% of vegetables. E. coli and S. aureus were isolated from 22% and 7% of vegetables, respectively. Ninety-seven bacteria comprising 21 species were similarly identified by VITEK 2 and PCR to species level. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus casseliflavus, and Enterobacter cloacae were the most abundant species; many are known as opportunistic pathogens which may raise concern to improve the microbial quality of fresh produce. Phylogenetic trees showed no relationship between clustering of the isolates based on the 16S rRNA gene and the original countries of fresh produce. Intercountry passage of opportunistic pathogens in fresh produce cannot be ruled out, which requires better management.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacteraemia as a complication of Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfonate, SPS) in sorbitol-induced ischaemic colitis.

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Cerrud-Rodriguez, Roberto Christian; Alcaraz-Alvarez, Diego; Chiong, Brian Bobby; Ahmed, Abdurhman

2017-11-09

We present the case report of an 80-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease stage G5 admitted to the hospital with fluid overload and hyperkalaemia. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS, Kayexalate) in sorbitol suspension was given orally to treat her hyperkalaemia, which precipitated an episode of SPS in sorbitol-induced ischaemic colitis with the subsequent complication of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteraemia. SPS (Kayexalate) in sorbitol suspension has been implicated in the development of intestinal necrosis. Sorbitol, which is added as a cathartic agent to decrease the chance of faecal impaction, may be primarily responsible through several proposed mechanisms. The gold standard of diagnosis is the presence of SPS crystals in the colon biopsy. On a MEDLINE search, no previous reports of a VRE bacteraemia as a complication of biopsy-confirmed SPS in sorbitol ischaemic colitis were found. To the best of our knowledge, ours would be the first such case ever reported. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cloning, overexpression, purification of bacteriocin enterocin-B and structural analysis, interaction determination of enterocin-A, B against pathogenic bacteria and human cancer cells.

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Ankaiah, Dasari; Palanichamy, Esakkiraj; Antonyraj, Christian Bharathi; Ayyanna, Repally; Perumal, Venkatesh; Ahamed, Syed Ibrahim Basheer; Arul, Venkatesan

2018-05-02

In this present study, a gene (ent-B) encoding the bacteriocin enterocin-B was cloned, overexpressed and purified from Enterococcus faecium por1. The molecular weight of the bacteriocin enterocin-B was observed around 7.2 kDa and exhibited antimicrobial activity against several human pathogenic bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of cloned enterocin-B was increased effectively by combining with another bacteriocin enterocin-A from the same microorganism. Protein-protein docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies revealed that the bacteriocin enterocin-B is interacting with enterocin-A and formation of a heterodimer (enterocin A + B). The heterodimer of bacteriocin enterocin-A + B exhibited potential anti-bacterial, anti-biofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli. The bacteriocin enterocin-B, A and heterodimer of bacteriocin enterocin A + B showed no haemolysis on human RBC cells. This is the first report that the cell growth inhibitory activity of the bacteriocin enterocin B against HeLa, HT-29 and AGS human cancer cells and this cell growth inhibitory activity was significantly increased when cancer cells treated with the heterodimer of bacteriocins enterocin-A + B. The cell growth inhibitory activity of the bacteriocin enterocin-B and the heterodimer of bacteriocin enterocin-A + B were not observed in non-cancerous INT-407 cells (intestinal epithelial cells). Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Prevalence and Removal Efficiency of Enterococcal Species and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci of a Hospital Wastewater Treatment Plant

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Fatemeh Karimi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Simultaneous presence of various antibiotics and bacteria in hospital wastewaters creates a suitable environment, in which the bacteria, such as ‎enterococci become resistant to the antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of different units of the hospital wastewater treatment plant (HWTP to remove Enterococcus spp and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE. The study was performed on the 27 samples collected from HWTP in Hamedan, Iran during December 2014 to August 2015. Enterococcus spp and VRE were identified by biochemical tests and then the isolates were confirmed by PCR. Finally, the antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using disk diffusion methods. Of the 27 samples examined, 315 a total of enterococcal isolates were obtained. Of the 315 isolates of enterococci investigated, 162 (51.42% were identified as E. faecium, 87 (27.61% as E. hirae, 35 (11.11% as E. faecalis, 11 (3.5% as E. gallinarum, 7 (2.22% as E. casseliflavus, 4 (1.26% E. avium, and 9 (2.85% isolates VR E. faecium.The results of antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that of the total 315 isolates, 146 (46.34% were resistance to tetracycline, 9 (2.85% were resistance to vancomycin and Teicoplanin. Lower antibiotic resistance was seen with Nitrofurantoin 2 (1.26%. This study indicates a high prevalence of multidrug resistance among E. faecium isolated from HWTP, thus, it could be considered as a threat to the health and safety of ‎wastewater workers and even public health.

Linezolid-resistant enterococci in Polish hospitals: species, clonality and determinants of linezolid resistance.

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Gawryszewska, I; Żabicka, D; Hryniewicz, W; Sadowy, E

2017-07-01

The significant increase of the linezolid-resistant enterococci (LRE) has been observed in Polish hospitals since 2012 and our study aimed at elucidating the possible reasons for this phenomenon. Polish LRE isolates were analysed by multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) and multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to establish clonal relatedness and mechanism of linezolid resistance, respectively. Fifty analysed LRE (2008-2015) included mostly Enterococcus faecium (82%) and Enterococcus faecalis (16%). Enterococcus faecium belonged to the hospital-adapted lineages 17/18 and 78, while E. faecalis isolates represented ST6, a hospital-associated type, and ST116, found in both humans and food-production animals. The G2576T 23S rRNA mutation was the most frequent (94%) mechanism of linezolid/tedizolid resistance of LRE. None of the isolates carried the plasmid-associated gene of Cfr methyltransferase, whereas optrA, encoding the ABC-type drug transporter, was identified in two E. faecalis isolates. In these isolates, optrA was located on a plasmid, transferable to both E. faecium and E. faecalis, whose partial (36.3 kb) sequence was 100% identical to the pE394 plasmid, identified previously in China in both clinical and farm animal isolates. The optrA-E. faecium transconjugant displayed a significant growth deficiency, in contrast to the optrA-E. faecalis. Our study indicates the role of mutation acquisition by hospital-adapted clones of enterococci as a major driver of increasing resistance to linezolid and tedizolid. Transferability and apparent lack of a biological cost of resistance suggest that E. faecalis may be a natural reservoir of optrA, an emerging mechanism of oxazolidinone resistance.

In Vivo Characterization of the Activation and Interaction of the VanR-VanS Two-Component Regulatory System Controlling Glycopeptide Antibiotic Resistance in Two Related Streptomyces Species

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotná, Gabriela; Kwun, Min Jung, M.J.; Hong, H.J.

2016-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 3 (2016), s. 1627-1637 ISSN 0066-4804 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM BM4147 * DEPSIPEPTIDE PEPTIDOGLYCAN PRECURSORS * BACTERIAL SIGNALING PROTEINS Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.302, year: 2016

Characterization of a Bacteriocin-Like Substance Produced by a Vaginal Lactobacillus salivarius Strain

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Ocaña, Virginia S.; Pesce de Ruiz Holgado, Aída A.; Nader-Macías, María Elena

1999-01-01

A novel bacteriocin-like substance produced by vaginal Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius CRL 1328 with activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was characterized. The highest level of production of this heat-resistant peptide or protein occurred during the late exponential phase. Its mode of action was shown to be bactericidal. L. salivarius subsp. salivarius CRL 1328 could be used for the design of a probiotic to prevent urogenital infections. PMID:10584033

Survival of microorganisms representing the three Domains of life inside the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Francesco, Canganella; Giovanna, Bianconi

2007-09-01

The present work was mainly focused to study the response of representative non pathogenic microorganisms to the environment inside the space vehicle at different mission stages (10, 56, and 226 days) within the frame of the Italian ENEIDE mission, from Feb to Oct 2005. Microorganisms were chosen according to their phylogenetic position and cell structures; they were representatives of the three taxonomic domains and belonged to different ecosystems (food, soil, intestinal tract, plants, deep-sea). They were the followings: Thermococcus guaymasensis (Domain Archaea); Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Domain Eucarya); Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Rhizobium tropici (Domain Bacteria). As main environmental parameters we were interested in: a) space radiations; b) microgravity; c) temperature. The response of microorganisms was investigated in terms of survival rates, cell structure modifications, and genomic damages. The survival of cells was affected by both radiation doses and intrinsec cell features. As expected, only samples kept on the ISS for 226 days showed significant levels of mortality. Asfar as regard the effect on cell structures, these samples showed also remarkable morphological changes, particularly for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The data collected allowed to get new insights into the biological traits of microorganisms exposed to space environment during the flight on a spacecraft. Moreover, the result obtained may be important for the improvement of human conditions aboard space vehicles (nutraceuticals for astronauts and disinfections of ISS modules) and also for the potential development of closed systems devoted to vegetable productions and organic recycling.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Enterococcus faecium aminoglycoside-2′′-phosphotransferase-Ib [APH(2′′)-Ib

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Walanj, Rupa; Young, Paul; Baker, Heather M.; Baker, Edward N.; Metcalf, Peter [Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand); Chow, Joseph W.; Lerner, Stephen [Division of Infectious Diseases, Wayne State University School of Medicine and VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan 48201 (United States); Vakulenko, Sergei [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Smith, Clyde A., E-mail: csmith@slac.stanford.edu [Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand)

2005-04-01

APH(2′′)-Ib is an enzyme responsible for high-level gentamicin resistance in E. faecium isolates. Native crystals of this enzyme have been prepared and preliminary X-ray diffraction experiments have been undertaken. Bacterial resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotics is primarily the result of deactivation of the drugs. Three families of enzymes are responsible for this activity, with one such family being the aminoglycoside phosphotransferases (APHs). The gene encoding one of these enzymes, APH(2′′)-Ib, has been cloned and the protein (comprising 299 amino-acid residues) expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized in the presence of 16%(w/v) PEG 3350 and gentamicin. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}, with approximate unit-cell parameters a = 79.7, b = 58.8, c = 81.4 Å, β = 98.4°, and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis is consistent with the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Synchrotron diffraction data to approximately 2.65 Å resolution were collected from a native APH(2′′)-Ib crystal at beamline BL9-2 at SSRL (Stanford, CA, USA). Selenium-substituted crystals have also been produced and structure determination is proceeding.

Atividade antimicrobiana in vitro de quinupristina/dalfopristina para cocos gram-positivos isolados de cinco centros brasileiros: resultado do estudo de vigilância L-SMART Antimicrobial in vitro activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin against gram-positive cocci isolated from 5 Brazilian centers: results from the local smart (L-SMART surveillance study

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Caio Mendes

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Há alguns anos tem-se verificado um aumento progressivo da resistência de alguns cocos gram-positivos a determinados antimicrobianos. Este aumento da resistência tem sido observado principalmente no ambiente hospitalar, e as bactérias mais comumente envolvidas são os Staphylococcus spp. e os Enterococcus spp. Devido a este fato, novos antimicrobianos são avaliados para o tratamento de infecções causadas por estas cepas multirresistentes. A associação quinupristina/dalfopristina (Q/D, também conhecida como Synercid®, é um antibacteriano da classe das estreptograminas, de uso endovenoso, composto por dois derivados semi-sintéticos da pristinamicina. A combinação das estreptograminas B e A na razão de 30:70 tem atividade antimicrobiana voltada para cocos gram--positivos, como Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., incluindo S. pneumoniae e Enterococcus faecium, sendo o E. faecalis habitualmente resistente. Neste estudo foi avaliada a atividade in vitro de Q/D e outros oito antimicrobianos frente a 631 amostras de cocos gram-positivos isoladas de cinco centros brasileiros, complementadas com outras 20 cepas de E. faecium resistentes à vancomicina, provenientes dos Estados Unidos. Para a avaliação da sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos foi determinada a concentração inibitória mínima (MIC pelo método do Etest (AB Biodisk, Solna, Suécia e as cepas testadas foram: Staphylococcus aureus (n = 267, Staphylococcus coagulase negativo (n = 131, Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 130, Streptococcus beta-hemolíticos (n = 28, Enterococcus faecalis (n = 44 e E. faecium (n = 51. A Q/D demonstrou excelente atividade contra Staphylococcus spp., independente de serem sensíveis ou resistentes à oxacilina. Para S. pneumoniae, a Q/D apresentou igualmente uma ótima atividade, inclusive para as cepas com resistência intermediária ou total para penicilina. Entre as cepas de E. faecium sensíveis à vancomicina, o MIC90 de Q/D obtido foi de 3µg

Prevalence of Bovine Mastitis Pathogens in Bulk Tank Milk in China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ya Jing; Qin, Yun; Guix Vallverdú, Roger; Maldonado García, Jaime; Sun, Wei; Li, Shengli; Cao, Zhijun

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to estimate the herd prevalence of major mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) in China dairy herds, to determine the relationship between the presence of mastitis pathogens and bulk tank milk somatic cell counts (BTSCC), and to investigate the impact of different dairy cattle farming modes and region on bacterial species. BTM samples collected from 894 dairy herds in China were examined for the presence of mastitis pathogens. The Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards were used for BTM sample collection, storage, and transportation and bacterial DNA amplification by real-time PCR. Among contagious pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae were detected in 50.1, 92.2, and 72.3% of the 894 BTM samples, respectively. Among environmental pathogens, E. coli, Streptococcus uberis, Enterococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Serratia marcescens, Corynebacterium bovis, and Arcanobacterium pyogenes were detected in 28.6, 8.9, 35.7, 20.0, 1.3, 17.0, and 67.2% of the BTM samples, respectively. Staphylococcal β-lactamase gene was detected in 61.7% of the BTM samples. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Arcanobacterium pyogenes were significantly associated with high BTSCC, respectively. Significant differences were found in presence of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae in BTM sampled from the small household farms, dairy-farming communities, and large-scaled dairy farms. There were significant differences in the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, staphylococcal β-lactamase gene, Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Enterococcus spp., and Streptococcus uberis in BTM among Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and Hebei province. In conclusion, contagious mammary pathogens are predominated among pathogens in BTM samples in China. PMID:27187065

A second dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (Type A) of the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis: expression, purification, and steady-state kinetic mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcinkeviciene, J; Jiang, W; Locke, G; Kopcho, L M; Rogers, M J; Copeland, R A

2000-05-01

We report the identification, expression, and characterization of a second Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODase A) from the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. The enzyme consists of a polypeptide chain of 322 amino acids that shares 68% identity with the cognate type A enzyme from the bacterium Lactococcus lactis. E. faecalis DHODase A catalyzed the oxidation of l-dihydroorotate while reducing a number of substrates, including fumarate, coenzyme Q(0), and menadione. The steady-state kinetic mechanism has been determined with menadione as an oxidizing substrate at pH 7.5. Initial velocity and product inhibition data suggest that the enzyme follows a two-site nonclassical ping-pong kinetic mechanism. The absorbance of the active site FMN cofactor is quenched in a concentration-dependent manner by titration with orotate and barbituric acid, two competitive inhibitors with respect to dihydroorotate. In contrast, titration of the enzyme with menadione had no effect on FMN absorbance, consistent with nonoverlapping binding sites for dihyroorotate and menadione, as suggested from the kinetic mechanism. The reductive half-reaction has been shown to be only partially rate limiting, and an attempt to evaluate the slow step in the overall reaction has been made by simulating orotate production under steady-state conditions. Our data indicate that the oxidative half-reaction is a rate-limiting segment, while orotate, most likely, retains significant affinity for the reduced enzyme, as suggested by the product inhibition pattern. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Typing of vancomycin-resistant enterococci with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in a nosocomial outbreak setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holzknecht, B J; Dargis, R; Pedersen, M

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the usefulness of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) typing as a first-line epidemiological tool in a nosocomial outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm). METHODS: Fifty-five VREfm isolates...

Diversity of enterococcal species and characterization of high-level aminoglycoside resistant enterococci of samples of wastewater and surface water in Tunisia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Said, Leila; Klibi, Naouel; Lozano, Carmen; Dziri, Raoudha; Ben Slama, Karim; Boudabous, Abdellatif; Torres, Carmen

2015-10-15

One hundred-fourteen samples of wastewater (n=64) and surface-water (n=50) were inoculated in Slanetz-Bartley agar plates supplemented or not with gentamicin (SB-Gen and SB plates, respectively) for enterococci recovery. Enterococci were obtained from 75% of tested samples in SB media (72% in wastewater; 78% in surface-water), and 85 enterococcal isolates (one/positive-sample) were obtained. Enterococcus faecium was the most prevalent species (63.5%), followed by Enterococcus faecalis (20%), Enterococcus hirae (9.4%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (4.7%), and Enterococcus gallinarum/Enterococcus durans (2.4%). Antibiotic resistance detected among these enterococci was as follows [percentage/detected gene (number isolates)]: kanamycin [29%/aph(3')-IIIa (n=22)], streptomycin [8%/ant(6)-Ia (n=4)], erythromycin [44%/erm(B) (n=34)], tetracycline [18%/tet(M) (n=6)/tet(M)-tet(L) (n=9)], chloramphenicol [2%/cat(A) (n=1)], ciprofloxacin [7%] and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [94%]. High-level-gentamicin resistant (HLR-G) enterococci were recovered from 15 samples in SB-Gen or SB plates [12/64 samples of wastewater (19%) and 3/50 samples of surface-water (6%)]; HLR-G isolates were identified as E. faecium (n=7), E. faecalis (n=6), and E. casseliflavus (n=2). These HLR-G enterococci carried the aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia and erm(B) genes, in addition to aph(3')-IIIa (n=10), ant(6)-Ia (n=9), tet(M) (n=13), tet(L) (n=8) and cat(A) genes (n=2). Three HLR-G enterococci carried the esp virulence gene. Sequence-types detected among HLR-G enterococci were as follows: E. faecalis (ST480, ST314, ST202, ST55, and the new ones ST531 and ST532) and E. faecium (ST327, ST12, ST296, and the new ones ST985 and ST986). Thirty-two different PFGE patterns were detected among 36 high-level-aminoglycoside-resistant enterococci recovered in water samples. Diverse genetic lineages of HLR-G enterococci were detected in wastewater and surface-water in Tunisia. Water can represent an important source for the

Antimicrobial growth promoter ban and resistance to macrolides and vancomycin in enterococci from pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boerlin, P.; Wissing, A.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2001-01-01

Ninety-six enterococcus isolates from fecal samples of pigs receiving tylosin as an antimicrobial growth promoter and 59 isolates obtained in the same farms 5 to 6 months after the ban of antimicrobial growth promoters in Switzerland were tested for susceptibility to nine antimicrobial agents....... A clear decrease in resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and tetracycline was visible after the ban. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium belonged to the same clonal lineage as vancomycin-resistant isolates previously isolated from Danish pigs....

Author Details

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bacteriocinogenic potential and genotypic characterization of three Enterococcus faecium isolates from Algerian raw milk and traditional butter. Abstract PDF · Vol 13, No 45 (2014) - Articles Statistical optimization of lactic acid production by Lactococcus lactis strain, using the central composite experimental design

Sewage sludge and liquid pig manure as possible sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hölzel, Christina S; Schwaiger, Karin; Harms, Katrin; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Kunz, Anne; Meyer, Karsten; Müller, Christa; Bauer, Johann

2010-05-01

Within the last decades, the environmental spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria has become a topic of concern. In this study, liquid pig manure (n=305) and sewage sludge (n=111) - used as agricultural fertilizers between 2002 and 2005 - were investigated for the presence of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Bacteria were tested for their resistance against 40 chemotherapeutics including several "reserve drugs". E. coli (n=613) from pig manure were at a significantly higher degree resistant to streptomycin, doxycycline, spectinomycin, cotrimoxazole, and chloramphenicol than E. coli (n=116) from sewage sludge. Enterococci (Ent. faecalis, n=387, and Ent. faecium, n=183) from pig manure were significantly more often resistant to high levels of doxycycline, rifampicin, erythromycin, and streptomycin than Ent. faecalis (n=44) and Ent. faecium (n=125) from sewage sludge. Significant differences in enterococcal resistance were also seen for tylosin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin high level, fosfomycin, clindamicin, enrofloxacin, moxifloxacin, nitrofurantoin, and quinupristin/dalfopristin. By contrast, aminopenicillins were more effective in enterococci from pig manure, and mean MIC-values of piperacillin+tazobactam and third generation cefalosporines were significantly lower in E. coli from pig manure than in E. coli from sewage sludge. 13.4% (E. coli) to 25.3% (Ent. faecium) of pig manure isolates were high-level multiresistant to substances from more than three different classes of antimicrobial agents. In sewage sludge, high-level-multiresistance reached from 0% (Ent. faecalis) to 16% (Ent. faecium). High rates of (multi-) resistant bacteria in pig manure emphasize the need for a prudent - cautious - use of antibiotics in farm animals. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genomic analysis of 495 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium reveals broad dissemination of a vanA plasmid in more than 19 clones from Copenhagen, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pinholt, Mette; Gumpert, Heidi; Bayliss, Sion

2017-01-01

. The majority of the isolates were located in three groups (n = 44, 100 and 218) and clonal spread of VREfm between wards and hospitals was identified. Five Tn1546-like transposon types were identified. A dominant truncated transposon (type 4, 92%) was spread across all but one VREfm group. The closed van......A plasmid was highly covered by reads from isolates containing the type 4 transposon. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that it was the dissemination of the type 4 Tn1546-like transposon and plasmid via horizontal transfer to multiple populations of E. faecium, followed by clonal spread of new VREfm clones...

The Potential of Lactobacillus casei and Entercoccus faecium Combination as a Preventive Probiotic Against Entamoeba.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarjapuram, Nitya; Mekala, Niharika; Singh, Meetali; Tatu, Utpal

2017-06-01

Travellers' diarrhoea caused by enteric protozoa like Entamoeba histolytica is among the most common protozoan diseases in developing countries. In developing countries, amoebiasis is the second most prevalent protozoan disease. This protozoan parasite is often known to coexist as a part of the normal gut microbiota. It is estimated that around 50-60 % of population in developing countries might be harbouring Entamoeba in an asymptomatic manner. Due to physiological perturbation or upon immuno-compromise, it can become virulent and then cause diarrhoea, bloody stools and may invade other organs if left untreated. Nitroimidazole drugs, namely metronidazole and tinidazole, are widely used to treat protozoan infections. These drugs often show dose-dependent side effects. With emerging antibiotic resistance, novel therapeutics to prevent parasitic infections is required. This study aims to study effect of probiotics on prevention of Amoebiasis. In this study, we have investigated the effect of selected probiotics on the growth of Entamoeba. From the list of probiotics being currently used, five bacterial strains were selected for testing. These probiotic strains were co-cultured with Entamoeba, and their effect on Entamoeba proliferation was checked. Of the five probiotics chosen, individual treatments of Lactobacillus casei and Enterococcus faecium showed a significant reduction of up to 71 % in parasite survival only at higher CFUs. When the two probiotics were used in combination, the percentage of survival reduced gradually further to 80 % at a total CFU of 10 9  cells/ml of bacteria. The study lays the foundation for providing cost-effective prophylactic treatment for amoebiasis without the overuse of antibiotics.

Antimicrobial activities of epiphytic bacteria associated of the brown alga Padina pavonica

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Amel Ben Ali Ismail

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Macroalgae belonging to the genus Padina are known to produce antibacterial compounds that may inhibit growth of human- and animal pathogens. Hitherto, it was unclear whether this antibacterial activity is produced by the macroalga itself or by secondary metabolite producing epiphytic bacteria. Here we report antibacterial activities of epiphytic bacteria isolated from Padina pavonica (Peacocks tail located on northern coast of Tunisia. Eighteen isolates were obtained in pure culture and tested for antimicrobial activities. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences the isolates were closely related to Proteobacteria (12 isolates; 2 Alpha- and 10 Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes (4 isolates and Actinobacteria (2 isolates. The antimicrobial activity was assessed as inhibition of growth of twelve species of pathogenic bacteria (Aeromonas salmonicida, A. hydrophila, Enterobacter xiangfangensis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus sp., Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., Vibrio alginoliticus, V. proteolyticus, V. vulnificus and one pathogenic yeast (Candida albicans. Among the Firmicutes, isolate P8, which is closely related to Bacillus pumilus, displayed the largest spectrum of growth inhibition of the pathogenic bacteria tested. The results emphasize the potential use of P. pavonica associated antagonistic bacteria as producers of novel antibacterial compounds.

Adherence of bacteria to mucus collected from different parts of the reproductive tract of heifers and cows.

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Styková, E; Nemcová, R; Valocký, I; Novotný, F; Guba, P

2013-11-01

In the present study, we examined the adherence of indigenous vaginal bacteria, probiotic strains, and metritis pathogens to mucus collected from different parts of the reproductive tracts of heifers and cows and compared their adherence with the bacterial adherence to mucus collected from the stomach and large intestine of pigs. Most of the vaginal strains adhered to mucus collected from different parts of the reproductive tract and strongly adhered to gastric mucus, with the exception of Lactobacillus buchneri 24S8. Only Lactobacillus mucosae 29S8, Enterococcus faecium E21, and E. faecium EAC adhered to colonic mucus. Probiotic strains adhered strongly to mucus collected from the reproductive tract and gastric mucus but did not adhere to colonic mucus. Pathogenic strains were adherent to vaginal, uterine horn, and gastric mucus, except Escherichia coli O8:K88ab:H9 (65), Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Gardnerella vaginalis, which adhered to uterine cervix mucus. Only Kocuria kristinae and G. vaginalis adhered to uterine body mucus; E. coli O149:K88ac (EC) adhered to colonic mucus. The strains did not exhibit host specificity but rather strain specificity. The ability to adhere to mucus was a characteristic unique to each strain. To our knowledge, this is the first report regarding in vitro adherence of GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) lactobacilli isolated from different sources to mucus collected from different parts of the reproductive tract.

Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Film Forming Solution Enriched with Essential Oils; an in Vitro Assay.

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Raphaël, Kana Jean; Meimandipour, Amir

2017-01-01

Background: The resistance of the bacteria and fungi to the innumerous antimicrobial agents is a major challenge in the treatment of the infections demands to the necessity for searching and finding new sources of substances with antimicrobial properties. The incorporation of the essential oils (EOs) in chitosan film forming solution may enhance antimicrobial properties. However, its use as the feeding additive in the poultry nutrition needs to clarify the product's activity against both pathogen and the useful microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: In the present study, we carried out an in vitro investigation and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of chitosan film forming solution incorporated with essential oils (CFs+EOs) against microbial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus rahmnosus, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate . Material and Methods: In three replicates, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of different treatments including: 1- essential oils (EOs), 2- chitosan film solution (CFs), and 3-chitosan film solution enriched with EOs (CFs+EOs) were determined against above mentioned microbes. Results: The results indicated that the chitosan solution enriched with essential oils (CFs+EOs) is capable of inhibiting the bacterial and fungal growth even at the lowest concentrations. The MIC and MBC for all the antimicrobial agents against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were very low compared to the concentrations needed to inhibit the growth of useful bacteria, Lactobacillus rahmnosu and Enterococcus faecium . The antifungal activity of chitosan was enhanced as the concentration of EOs increased in the film solution. Conclusion: Chitosan-EOs complexes are the promising candidate for novel contact antimicrobial agents that can be used in animal feeds.

Lack of direct effects of agrochemicals on zoonotic pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria.

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Staley, Zachery R; Senkbeil, Jacob K; Rohr, Jason R; Harwood, Valerie J

2012-11-01

Agrochemicals, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and pathogens frequently contaminate water simultaneously. No significant direct effects of fertilizer, atrazine, malathion, and chlorothalonil on the survival of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enterica, human polyomaviruses, and adenovirus were detected, supporting the assertion that previously observed effects of agrochemicals on FIB were indirect.

Molecular Analysis of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Isolated from Regional Hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago

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Patrick E. Akpaka

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Geographic spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE clones in cities, countries, or even continents has been identified by molecular techniques. This study aimed at characterizing virulent genes and determining genetic relatedness of 45 VRE isolates from Trinidad and Tobago using molecular tools, including polymerase chain reaction, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, and Random Amplification Polymorphic DNA (RAPD. The majority (84% of the isolates were Enterococcus faecium possessing vanA gene while the rest (16% were Enterococcus faecalis possessing vanB. The esp gene was found in all 45 VRE isolates while hyl genes were found only in E. faecium species. The E. faecium species expressed five distinct PFGE patterns. The predominant clones with similar or common patterns belonged to clones one and three, and each had 11 (29% of the VRE isolates. Plasmid content was identified in representative isolates from each clonal group. By contrast, the E. faecalis species had one PFGE pattern suggesting the presence of an occult and limited clonal spread. The emergence of VRE in the country seems to be related to intra/interhospital dissemination of an epidemic clone carrying the vanA element. Therefore, infection control measures will be warranted to prevent any potential outbreak and spread of VRE in the country.

Complete genome sequence of Brachybacterium faecium type strain (Schefferle 6-10T)

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Lapidus, Alla; Pukall, Rudiger; LaButti, Kurt; Copeland, Alex; Glavina Del Rio, Tijana; Nolan, Matt; Chen, Feng; Lucas, Susan; Tice, Hope; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Bruce, David; Goodwin, Lynne; Pitluck, Sam; Rohde, Manfred; Goker, Markus; Pati, Amrita; Ivanova, Natalia; Mavrommatis, Konstantinos; Chen, Amy; Palaniappan, Krishna; D' haeseleer, Patrik; Chain, Patrick; Bristow, Jim; Eisen, Johnathan A.; Markowitz, Victor; Hugenholtz, Philip; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Klenk, Hans-Peter

2009-05-20

Brachybacterium faecium Collins et al. 1988 is the type species of the genus, and is of phylogenetic interest because of its location in the Dermabacteraceae, a rather isolated family within the actinobacterial suborder Micrococcineae. B. faecium is known for its rod-coccus growth cycle and the ability to degrade uric acid. It grows aerobically or weakly anaerobically. The strain described in this report is a free-living, nonmotile, Gram-positive bacterium, originally isolated from poultry deep litter. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence, and annotation. This is the first complete genome sequence of a member of the actinobacterial family Dermabacteraceae, and the 3,614,992 bp long single replicon genome with its 3129 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

Conservation of Ebp-type pilus genes among Enterococci and demonstration of their role in adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to human platelets.

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Sillanpää, Jouko; Mitchell, Jennifer; Singh, Kavindra V; Chowdhury, Shahreen A; Weinstock, George M; Sullam, Paul M; Murray, Barbara E

2011-07-01

Ebp are endocarditis- and biofilm-associated pili of Enterococcus faecalis that are also important in experimental urinary tract infections (UTIs). Our analyses, using available genomes, found that the ebp locus is unique to enterococci. In E. faecalis, the ebp locus is very highly conserved and only 1/473 E. faecalis isolates tested lacked ebpABC, while only 1.2% had the bee pilus locus. No other pilus-encoding operon was identified in 55 available genomes, indicating that the vast majority of E. faecalis strains (unlike Enterococcus faecium and streptococci) have a single pilus locus. Surface expression studies showed that Ebp pili were produced in vitro by 91/91 brain heart infusion (BHI) plus serum-grown E. faecalis isolates and that strain OG1RF expressed pili at even higher levels in rat endocarditis vegetations. However, Ebp expression was restricted to 30 to 72% of E. faecalis cells, consistent with a bistability mode of expression. We also evaluated E. faecalis interactions with human platelets and found that growth of E. faecalis in BHI plus serum significantly enhanced adherence to human platelets and that sortase deletion mutants (the ΔsrtA, Δbps, and ΔbpsΔsrtA mutants) were markedly defective. Further studies identified that Ebp pili, but not the microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) Ace and Fss2, mediate adherence of E. faecalis to platelets. Taken together, our data show that the immunogenic (in human endocarditis patients) and commonly expressed Ebp pili, which are known to be important for experimental endocarditis, are highly conserved and mediate adherence to platelets, suggesting that Ebp pili may be a reasonable immunotherapeutic target for prevention or possibly treatment of endocarditis caused by this species.

Antibiotic susceptibility of enterococci isolated from traditional fermented meat products.

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Barbosa, J; Ferreira, V; Teixeira, P

2009-08-01

Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated for 182 Enterococcus spp. isolated from Alheira, Chouriça de Vinhais and Salpicão de Vinhais, fermented meat products produced in the North of Portugal. Previously, a choice was made from a group of 1060 isolates, using phenotypic and genotypic tests. From these, 76 were previously identified as Enterococcus faecalis, 44 as Enterococcus faecium, one as Enterococcus casseliflavus and 61 as Enteroccocus spp. In order to encompass several of the known chemical and functional classes of antibiotics, resistance to ampicillin, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, rifampicin, tetracycline and vancomycin was evaluated. All the isolates were sensitive to antibiotics of clinical importance, such as penicillins and vancomycin. Some differences in Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics, could be associated with the enterococcal species.

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils from Mediterranean aromatic plants against several foodborne and spoilage bacteria.

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Silva, Nuno; Alves, Sofia; Gonçalves, Alexandre; Amaral, Joana S; Poeta, Patrícia

2013-12-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted from a variety of aromatic plants, often used in the Portuguese gastronomy was studied in vitro by the agar diffusion method. The essential oils of thyme, oregano, rosemary, verbena, basil, peppermint, pennyroyal and mint were tested against Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative strains (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). For most essential oils examined, S. aureus, was the most susceptible bacteria, while P. aeruginosa showed, in general, least susceptibility. Among the eight essential oils evaluated, thyme, oregano and pennyroyal oils showed the greatest antimicrobial activity, followed by rosemary, peppermint and verbena, while basil and mint showed the weakest antimicrobial activity. Most of the essential oils considered in this study exhibited a significant inhibitory effect. Thyme oil showed a promising inhibitory activity even at low concentration, thus revealing its potential as a natural preservative in food products against several causal agents of foodborne diseases and food spoilage. In general, the results demonstrate that, besides flavoring the food, the use of aromatic herbs in gastronomy can also contribute to a bacteriostatic effect against pathogens.

Trends in udder health and emerging mastitogenic pathogens in South African dairy herds

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I.M. Petzer

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse the results of milk samples obtained from South African dairy herds during the period 1996 to April 2007 in order to identify possible trends in isolates of microorganisms and their pathogenicity under field conditions. Milk samples were obtained from 7 of the 9 provinces in South Africa where there are low numbers of dairy cows. Although there is scientific limitation to a country wide survey, such as the variation in herd size, management skills, parity, milk yield, milking frequency and other parameters, the size of this database helps to give a fair indication of general udder health in South Africa. Cytology and routine bacteriology were performed on 379 000 milk samples of lactating cows and bacteriology on 11 946 samples from non-lactating cows. According to the results obtained, mastitis did not decrease in South Africa over the test period. The prevalence of mastitis and teat canal infection was lowest in 2002. Mastitis and teat canal infection increased from 2002 to 2006 from 8.1 % and 24.1 % to 15.4 and 30.0 % respectively. The percentage of mastitogenic pathogens isolated from cows over these years also varied. Previously unknown or almost eradicated mastitogenic pathogens such as αβ haemolytic Staphylococcus aureus which is thought to be of human origin, Streptococcus agalactiae and Enterococcus canis were responsible for numerous mastitis outbreaks seen in the test samples. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated bacteria in milk samples from both lactating and dry cows, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae. Although Staphylococcus aureus remained the principal mastitogenic pathogen in South Africa, owing to its chronic nature and resultant economic losses, most cases of mastitis were caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. This finding increases the importance of coagulase-negative staphylococci (formerly described as a

Microbial Indicators, Pathogens, and Antibiotic Resistance in Groundwater Impacted by Animal Farming: Field Scale to Basin Scale

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Harter, T.; Li, X.; Atwill, E. R.; Packman, A. I.

2015-12-01

Several surveys of microbial indicators and pathogens were conducted to determine the impact of confined animal farming operations (CAFOs) on shallow, local, and regional groundwater quality in the Central Valley aquifer system, California. The aquifer system consists of highly heterogeneous, alluvial, unconsolidated coarse- to fine-grained sediments and is among the largest aquifers in the U.S.. Overlying landuse includes 3 million ha of irrigated agriculture and 1.7 million mature dairy cows in nearly 1,500 CAFOs. A multi-scale survey of water-borne indicator pathogens (Enterococcus spp. and generic E. coli) and of three water-borne pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella, and E. coli O157:H7) was conducted at five different spatial scales, increasing with distance from animal sources of these enteric microbial organisms: moist surfaces within individual CAFO sub-systems (calf-hutches, heifer corrals, mature cow stalls, hospital barn etc.), first encountered (shallow) groundwater immediately below these sub-systems, production aquifer below CAFOs, production aquifer near CAFOs, and production aquifer away from CAFOs. Where found, indicator pathogens were tested for antibiotic resistance. Hundreds of samples were collected at each scale: continuously during irrigation events and seasonally over a multi-year period at the three smaller site-scales; and in a one-time survey at the two larger, regional scales. All three pathogens were frequently detected in moist surface samples across CAFO sub-systems, albeit at concentrations several orders of magnitude lower than enteric indicators. Two of the three pathogens (but not Campylobacter) were also detected in first encountered groundwater, at 3-9 m below ground surface, in 1% of samples. No pathogens were found at the production aquifer scales. Generic E. coli was detected in ¼ of first encountered groundwater samples, and in 4% of production aquifer samples, while Enterococcus spp. was ubiquitously present across the

Structural studies of the Enterococcus faecalis SufU [Fe-S] cluster protein

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Frazzon Jeverson

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Iron-sulfur clusters are ubiquitous and evolutionarily ancient inorganic prosthetic groups, the biosynthesis of which depends on complex protein machineries. Three distinct assembly systems involved in the maturation of cellular Fe-S proteins have been determined, designated the NIF, ISC and SUF systems. Although well described in several organisms, these machineries are poorly understood in Gram-positive bacteria. Within the Firmicutes phylum, the Enterococcus spp. genus have recently assumed importance in clinical microbiology being considered as emerging pathogens for humans, wherein Enterococcus faecalis represents the major species associated with nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to carry out a phylogenetic analysis in Enterococcus faecalis V583 and a structural and conformational characterisation of it SufU protein. Results BLAST searches of the Enterococcus genome revealed a series of genes with sequence similarity to the Escherichia coli SUF machinery of [Fe-S] cluster biosynthesis, namely sufB, sufC, sufD and SufS. In addition, the E. coli IscU ortholog SufU was found to be the scaffold protein of Enterococcus spp., containing all features considered essential for its biological activity, including conserved amino acid residues involved in substrate and/or co-factor binding (Cys50,76,138 and Asp52 and, phylogenetic analyses showed a close relationship with orthologues from other Gram-positive bacteria. Molecular dynamics for structural determinations and molecular modeling using E. faecalis SufU primary sequence protein over the PDB:1su0 crystallographic model from Streptococcus pyogenes were carried out with a subsequent 50 ns molecular dynamic trajectory. This presented a stable model, showing secondary structure modifications near the active site and conserved cysteine residues. Molecular modeling using Haemophilus influenzae IscU primary sequence over the PDB:1su0 crystal followed by a MD

In vitro study of beneficial properties and safety of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Portuguese fermented meat products.

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Todorov, S D; Franco, B D G M; Wiid, I J

2014-09-01

Many lactic acid bacteria produce bacteriocins with a rather broad spectrum of inhibition, which could offer potential applications in food preservation. Bacteriocin production by starter cultures may bring advantage to these strains in competitive interactions with pathogenic bacteria from the food matrix. The objective of this study was to determine the safety of beneficial strains (Lactobacillus plantarum ST202Ch and ST216Ch, Enterococcus faecium ST211Ch, and Lactobacillus sakei ST22Ch, ST153Ch and ST154Ch) previously isolated from fermented meat products and characterised as bacteriocin producers. Auto-aggregation was strain-specific, and values of 28.97, 27.86 and 28.56% were recorded for L. sakei ST22Ch, ST153Ch and ST154Ch, respectively, 16.95 and 14.58% for L. plantarum ST202Ch and ST216Ch, respectively, and 12.77% for E. faecium ST211Ch. Various degrees of co-aggregation between 28.85 and 44.76% for Listeria monocytogenes 211 and 409, and between 23.60 to 34.96% for E. faecium ATCC 19443 were observed. According to the results of the diffusion method, the studied strains demonstrated susceptibility to penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulonic acid, imipenem, linezolid, and tetracycline. In addition, the susceptibility of the six strains to various non-antibiotic commercial drugs was examined. Production of β-galactosidase by L. sakei ST22Ch, ST153Ch and ST154Ch, L. plantarum ST202Ch and ST216Ch, and E. faecium ST211Ch was confirmed by employing sterile filter paper discs impregnated with o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranose. A statistically significant (P<0.001) inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth by bacteriocins produced by L. plantarum ST202Ch (38.3%) and ST216Ch (48.6%), L. sakei ST153Ch (16.2%) and ST154Ch (16.1%), and E. faecium ST211Ch (21.7%) was observed. As determined by the polymerase chain reaction, the tested strains showed a low virulence gene profile.

Investigation of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and enterococci isolated from Tibetan pigs.

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Peng Li

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli and enterococci isolated from free-ranging Tibetan pigs in Tibet, China, and analyzed the influence of free-ranging husbandry on antimicrobial resistance. METHODS: A total of 232 fecal samples were collected from Tibetan pigs, and the disk diffusion method was used to examine their antimicrobial resistance. Broth microdilution and agar dilution methods were used to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations for antimicrobial agents for which disks were not commercially available. RESULTS: A total of 129 E. coli isolates and 84 Enterococcus isolates were recovered from the fecal samples. All E. coli isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and 40.4% were resistant to tetracycline. A small number of isolates were resistant to florfenicol (27.9%, ampicillin (27.9%, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (19.4%, nalidixic acid (19.4%, streptomycin (16.2% and ceftiofur (10.9%, and very low resistance rates to ciprofloxacin (7.8%, gentamicin (6.9%, and spectinomycin (2.3% were observed in E. coli. All Enterococcus isolates, including E. faecium, E. faecalis, E. hirae, and E. mundtii, were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and vancomycin, but showed high frequencies of resistance to oxacillin (92.8%, clindamycin (82.1%, tetracycline (64.3%, and erythromycin (48.8%. Resistance rates to florfenicol (17.9%, penicillin (6.0%, ciprofloxacin (3.6%, levofloxacin (1.2%, and ampicillin (1.2% were low. Only one high-level streptomycin resistant E. faecium isolate and one high-level gentamicin resistant E. faecium isolate were observed. Approximately 20% and 70% of E. coli and Enterococcus isolates, respectively, were defined as multidrug-resistant. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, E. coli and Enterococcus isolated from free-ranging Tibetan pigs showed relatively lower resistance rates than those in other areas of China, where more intensive farming practices are

Effects of dietary probiotic supplementation on promoting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

hope&shola

2010-10-25

Oct 25, 2010 ... The birds in group A received control diet during the experiment but those in ... genera displayed a growth-promoting effect that was comparable to control diet and also decreased .... Table 3. Effects of dietary probiotics on evolution of broiler weekly BW in control, Enterococcus faecium, and Bifidobacterium.

Effects of dietary probiotic supplementation on promoting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two commercially-available probiotics, based on Enterococcus faecium and Bifidobacterium genera on performance and cholesterol and triglyceride amounts of broiler chicks' sera. One hundred and fifty-six (156), day-old, Ross chicks were randomly divided into groups A, ...

The Intraperitoneal Transcriptome of the Opportunistic Pathogen Enterococcus faecalis in Mice.

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Cécile Muller

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive lactic acid intestinal opportunistic bacterium with virulence potential. For a better understanding of the adapation of this bacterium to the host conditions, we performed a transcriptome analysis of bacteria isolated from an infection site (mouse peritonitis by RNA-sequencing. We identified a total of 211 genes with significantly higher transcript levels and 157 repressed genes. Our in vivo gene expression database reflects well the infection process since genes encoding important virulence factors like cytolysin, gelatinase or aggregation substance as well as stress response proteins, are significantly induced. Genes encoding metabolic activities are the second most abundant in vivo induced genes demonstrating that the bacteria are metabolically active and adapt to the special nutrient conditions of the host. α- and β- glucosides seem to be important substrates for E. faecalis inside the host. Compared to laboratory conditions, the flux through the upper part of glycolysis seems to be reduced and more carbon may enter the pentose phosphate pathway. This may reflect the need of the bacteria under infection conditions to produce more reducing power for biosynthesis. Another important substrate is certainly glycerol since both pathways of glycerol catabolism are strongly induced. Strongly in vivo induced genes should be important for the infection process. This assumption has been verified in a virulence test using well characterized mutants affected in glycerol metabolism. This showed indeed that mutants unable to metabolize this sugar alcohol are affected in organ colonisation in a mouse model.

Conservation of Ebp-Type Pilus Genes among Enterococci and Demonstration of Their Role in Adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to Human Platelets ▿ †

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R.; Sillanpää, Jouko; Mitchell, Jennifer; Singh, Kavindra V.; Chowdhury, Shahreen A.; Weinstock, George M.; Sullam, Paul M.; Murray, Barbara E.

2011-01-01

Ebp are endocarditis- and biofilm-associated pili of Enterococcus faecalis that are also important in experimental urinary tract infections (UTIs). Our analyses, using available genomes, found that the ebp locus is unique to enterococci. In E. faecalis, the ebp locus is very highly conserved and only 1/473 E. faecalis isolates tested lacked ebpABC, while only 1.2% had the bee pilus locus. No other pilus-encoding operon was identified in 55 available genomes, indicating that the vast majority of E. faecalis strains (unlike Enterococcus faecium and streptococci) have a single pilus locus. Surface expression studies showed that Ebp pili were produced in vitro by 91/91 brain heart infusion (BHI) plus serum-grown E. faecalis isolates and that strain OG1RF expressed pili at even higher levels in rat endocarditis vegetations. However, Ebp expression was restricted to 30 to 72% of E. faecalis cells, consistent with a bistability mode of expression. We also evaluated E. faecalis interactions with human platelets and found that growth of E. faecalis in BHI plus serum significantly enhanced adherence to human platelets and that sortase deletion mutants (the ΔsrtA, Δbps, and ΔbpsΔsrtA mutants) were markedly defective. Further studies identified that Ebp pili, but not the microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) Ace and Fss2, mediate adherence of E. faecalis to platelets. Taken together, our data show that the immunogenic (in human endocarditis patients) and commonly expressed Ebp pili, which are known to be important for experimental endocarditis, are highly conserved and mediate adherence to platelets, suggesting that Ebp pili may be a reasonable immunotherapeutic target for prevention or possibly treatment of endocarditis caused by this species. PMID:21502588

Heat-Killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model

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Choi, Eun-Ju; Iwasa, Masahiro; Han, Kwon-Il; Kim, Wan-Jae; Tang, Yujiao; Hwang, Young Joung; Chae, Jeong Ryong; Han, Weon Cheol; Shin, Yu-Su; Kim, Eun-Kyung

2016-01-01

Recent reports have shown the immunomodulatory effect of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disease, caused by immune dysregulation among other factors. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 (EF-2001) on AD. We established an in vivo AD model by repeated local exposure of Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE; house dust mite extract) and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to the ears of mice. After oral administration of EF-2001 for four weeks, the epidermal and dermal ear thickness, mast cell infiltration, and serum immunoglobulin levels were measured. In addition, the gene expression levels of pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes were assayed. EF-2001 attenuated AD symptoms based on the ear thickness, histopathological analysis, and serum immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, EF-2001 decreased the DFE/DNCB-induced expression of various pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes. These results suggest that EF-2001 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD owing to its immunomodulatory effects. PMID:26959058

Heat-Killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model

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Eun-Ju Choi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Recent reports have shown the immunomodulatory effect of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria. Atopic dermatitis (AD is an allergic skin disease, caused by immune dysregulation among other factors. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 (EF-2001 on AD. We established an in vivo AD model by repeated local exposure of Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE; house dust mite extract and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB to the ears of mice. After oral administration of EF-2001 for four weeks, the epidermal and dermal ear thickness, mast cell infiltration, and serum immunoglobulin levels were measured. In addition, the gene expression levels of pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes were assayed. EF-2001 attenuated AD symptoms based on the ear thickness, histopathological analysis, and serum immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, EF-2001 decreased the DFE/DNCB-induced expression of various pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes. These results suggest that EF-2001 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD owing to its immunomodulatory effects.

Heat injury and recovery of Streptococcus faecium associated with the souring of chub-packed luncheon meat.

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Bell, R G; De Lacy, K M

1984-10-01

The presence of NaCl in the heating medium provided some protection from lethal heat damage for cells of a Streptococcus faecium strain isolated from luncheon meat whereas the presence of NaNO2 either alone or in addition to NaCl, had no significant effect on cell survival. Subsequent recovery and growth of heat-damaged cells was retarded by the presence of NaCl. When NaNO2 was present in addition to NaCl the inhibitory effect of the latter was reduced. These principal components of the luncheon-meat-cure are apparently opposed in their activities on post-heating recovery and growth of Strep. faecium. Product stability, i.e. duration of the lag before growth occurs, is directly related to the severity of the heat treatment and to the concentration of NaCl in the product. Therefore the resistance of pasteurized chub-packed luncheon meat to streptococcal spoilage during storage at temperatures conducive to microbial growth results from a prolonged heat-induced salt-maintained pre-growth adjustment phase rather than to any inherent inhibitory property of the luncheon meat to the growth of non-heat-damaged Strep. faecium cells.

Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae including metallo-β-lactamase producers are predominant pathogens of healthcare-associated infections in an Indian teaching hospital

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J B Sarma

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: A study was carried out in an Indian teaching hospital in 2009 to detect the rate of surgical site infections (SSI and peripheral vascular access site infections. Materials and Methods: The study was a point-prevalence study involving over 300 patients. The presence of infection was determined according to the CDC criteria. Swabs were taken from the infected sites and identification and sensitivity were carried out using VITEK® 2 automated system. Characterisation of β-lactamase was carried out at ARRML, Colindale, London. Results: The rate of SSI was 15% for the clean and clean-contaminated categories while that for the dirty contaminated category was 85% (NNIS risk index 0. Cultures yielded definite or probable pathogens from 64% (9/14 of the patients with SSI. In 1/3 rd of the cultures, Staphylococcus aureus was grown and the rest had Enterobacteriaceae, either extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL producers or Amp-C hyperproducers and, alarmingly, three isolates were positive for newly recognised New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1. In medicine, 87% (n = 99 of the patients had a peripheral IV access device, 55% developed associated phlebitis/infection and, in seven, probable pathogens were isolated (Candida species and Escherichia coli producing ESBL and NDM-1, respectively, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. All ESBL and metallo-β-lactamase producers were resistant to multiple classes of antimicrobials, the latter being sensitive only to colistin and tigecycline. The study also found that all post-operative patients were on antibiotics, 92% on IV [213 defined daily doses (DDD/100 post-op patients] limited mainly to the third-generation cephalosporins (26% and aminoglycosides (24% and imidazole derivatives (30%. In medicine, 83% (n = 82 were on IV antibiotics (123 DDD/100 bed-days, limited mainly to the third-generation cephalosporins (74%. Conclusion: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics is a major problem

Experimental reproduction of an Enterococcus cecorum infection in Pekin ducks.

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Jung, Arne; Metzner, Martin; Köhler-Repp, Dagmar; Rautenschlein, Silke

2013-12-01

Enterococcus cecorum (EC) was thus far only known as a pathogen for broilers and broiler breeders. Recently there was evidence of EC field outbreaks in Pekin duck flocks in Germany. In this study we experimentally reproduced an EC infection in Pekin ducks. At 12 days post hatch, groups of Pekin ducks were infected orally, via the thoracic air sac or intravenously with 1.5 × 10(9) colony-forming units (CFU) of EC per bird or via the air sac with 8.5 × 10(5) or 8.5 × 10(7) CFU per bird. Ducks of the intravenously infected group showed 100% mortality after 2 days post infection. The air sac inoculated high-dose group exhibited a mortality rate of 67%. Birds that were infected with 8.5 × 10(5) and 8.5 × 10(7) CFU showed 6.7% mortality after 7 days post infection. Dead birds displayed pneumonia, airsacculitis, pericarditis and splenitis and EC was re-isolated from these organs. Surviving birds of all groups apart from the orally infected ducks demonstrated clinical signs such as huddling, reduced mobility and diarrhoea. Furthermore, they showed gross pathological lesions including airsacculitis and splenitis and lower bodyweights than the control group at necropsy on days 7, 14 and 21 post infection. The present study clearly confirms that EC is pathogenic for Pekin ducks after experimental infection via the intravenous route or the respiratory tract. EC therefore has to be considered as an emerging avian pathogen not only in broilers but also in Pekin ducks.

9230 FECAL ENTEROCOCCUS/STREPTOCOCCUS GROUPS

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In 1903 the genus name Enterococcus was proposed for gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccoid-shaped bacterial of intestinal origin. Several years later, it was suggested that the genus name be changed to Streptococcus because of the organisms' ability to form chains of coccoid...

Antimicrobial activity and high thermostability of a novel BLIS secreted by Enterococcus Mundtii isolated from Lebanese cow’s milk

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Imad AL Kassaa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available AL Kassaa, I., Safourim, N., Mostafa, N. and Hamze, M. Antimicrobial activity and high thermostability of a novel BLIS secreted by Enterococcus Mundtii isolated from lebanese cow’s milk. 2016. Lebanese Science Journal, 17(2: 166-176. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB are used in many fields such as fermentation agents, increasing nutritional value and improving organoleptic quality of food. Also they are used as probiotics and preservatives against pathogens and spoilage microbes by producing antimicrobial substances such as bacteriocins. Fifty cow’s milk samples were collected and 175 LAB isolates were isolated and identified by using biochemical method. Fifteen isolates showed an antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC® 19115™. One strain, BL4 which showed the strongest activity, was chosen to extract and characterize its antimicrobial substance in order to evaluate its potential use as a new food protective agent. This strain was identified as Enterococcus mundtii by pyrosequencing method. The active substance was extracted using solvent method. This Bacteriocin like Inhibitory Substances “BLIS” can support a high temperature (121 ˚C for a long time and resist pH variation. The BLIS BL4 can be considered as a peptide active against many food pathogen and food-spoilage microbes, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Penicillium spp. BLIS BL4 can be used in food application as bio-preservative to reduce food-spoilage and food-borne diseases in food products.

Evaluation of the Verigene Gram-positive blood culture nucleic acid test for rapid detection of bacteria and resistance determinants.

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Wojewoda, Christina M; Sercia, Linda; Navas, Maria; Tuohy, Marion; Wilson, Deborah; Hall, Geraldine S; Procop, Gary W; Richter, Sandra S

2013-07-01

Rapid identification of pathogens from blood cultures can decrease lengths of stay and improve patient outcomes. We evaluated the accuracy of the Verigene Gram-positive blood culture (BC-GP) nucleic acid test for investigational use only (Nanosphere, Inc., Northbrook, IL) for the identification of Gram-positive bacteria from blood cultures. The detection of resistance genes (mecA in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and vanA or vanB in Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis) by the BC-GP assay also was assessed. A total of 186 positive blood cultures (in BacT/Alert FA bottles) with Gram-positive cocci observed with Gram staining were analyzed using the BC-GP assay. The BC-GP results were compared with the identification and susceptibility profiles obtained with routine methods in the clinical laboratory. Discordant results were arbitrated with additional biochemical, cefoxitin disk, and repeat BC-GP testing. The initial BC-GP organism identification was concordant with routine method results for 94.6% of the blood cultures. Only 40% of the Streptococcus pneumoniae identifications were correct. The detection of the mecA gene for 69 blood cultures with only S. aureus or S. epidermidis was concordant with susceptibility testing results. For 3 of 6 cultures with multiple Staphylococcus spp., mecA detection was reported but was correlated with oxacillin resistance in a species other than S. aureus or S. epidermidis. The detection of vanA agreed with susceptibility testing results for 45 of 46 cultures with E. faecalis or E. faecium. Comparison of the mean times to results for each organism group showed that BC-GP results were available 31 to 42 h earlier than phenotypic identifications and 41 to 50 h earlier than susceptibility results.

The human gut resistome.

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van Schaik, Willem

2015-06-05

In recent decades, the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens has become a major threat to public health. Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance genes by the mobilization and transfer of resistance genes from a donor strain. The human gut contains a densely populated microbial ecosystem, termed the gut microbiota, which offers ample opportunities for the horizontal transfer of genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes. Recent technological advances allow microbiota-wide studies into the diversity and dynamics of the antibiotic resistance genes that are harboured by the gut microbiota ('the gut resistome'). Genes conferring resistance to antibiotics are ubiquitously present among the gut microbiota of humans and most resistance genes are harboured by strictly anaerobic gut commensals. The horizontal transfer of genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes, through conjugation and transduction is a frequent event in the gut microbiota, but mostly involves non-pathogenic gut commensals as these dominate the microbiota of healthy individuals. Resistance gene transfer from commensals to gut-dwelling opportunistic pathogens appears to be a relatively rare event but may contribute to the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains, as is illustrated by the vancomycin resistance determinants that are shared by anaerobic gut commensals and the nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium.

Consumption of Camembert cheese stimulates commensal enterococci in healthy human intestinal microbiota.

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Firmesse, Olivier; Rabot, Sylvie; Bermúdez-Humarán, Luis G; Corthier, Gérard; Furet, Jean-Pierre

2007-11-01

Enterococci are natural inhabitants of the human gastrointestinal tract and the main Gram-positive and facultative anaerobic cocci recovered in human faeces. They are also present in a variety of fermented dairy and meat products, and some rare isolates are responsible for severe infections such as endocarditis and meningitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Camembert cheese consumption by healthy human volunteers on the faecal enterococcal population. A highly specific real-time quantitative PCR approach was designed and used to type enterococcal species in human faeces. Two species were found, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, and only the Enterococcus faecalis population was significantly enhanced after Camembert cheese consumption, whereas Escherichia coli population and the dominant microbiota remained unaffected throughout the trial.

Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Anders; Rasmussen, Rasmus V; Bundgaard, Henning

2013-01-01

Because of the nephrotoxic effects of aminoglycosides, the Danish guidelines on infective endocarditis were changed in January 2007, reducing gentamicin treatment in enterococcal infective endocarditis from 4 to 6 weeks to only 2 weeks. In this pilot study, we compare outcomes in patients...... with Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis treated in the years before and after endorsement of these new recommendations....

Heat resistance of thermoduric enterococci isolated from milk.

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McAuley, Catherine M; Gobius, Kari S; Britz, Margaret L; Craven, Heather M

2012-03-15

Enterococci are reported to survive pasteurisation but the extent of their survival is unclear. Sixty-one thermoduric enterococci isolates were selected from laboratory pasteurised milk obtained from silos in six dairy factories. The isolates were screened to determine log(10) reductions incurred after pasteurisation (63°C/30 min) and ranked from highest to lowest log(10) reduction. Two isolates each of Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans and Enterococcus hirae, exhibiting the median and the greatest heat resistance, as well as E. faecalis ATCC 19433, were selected for further heat resistance determinations using an immersed coil apparatus. D values were calculated from survival curves plotted from viable counts obtained after heating isolates in Brain Heart Infusion Broth at 63, 69, 72, 75 and 78°C followed by rapid cooling. At 72°C, the temperature employed for High Temperature Short Time (HTST) pasteurisation (72°C/15s), the D values extended from 0.3 min to 5.1 min, depending on the isolate and species. These data were used to calculate z values, which ranged from 5.0 to 9.8°C. The most heat sensitive isolates were E. faecalis (z values 5.0, 5.7 and 7.5°C), while the most heat resistant isolates were E. durans (z values 8.7 and 8.8°C), E. faecium (z value 9.0°C) and E. hirae (z values 8.5 and 9.8°C). The data show that heat resistance in enterococci is highly variable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacteriocin producers from traditional food products

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Thonart P.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 220 strains of LAB isolated from 32 samples of traditional fermented food from Senegal were screened for bacteriocin production. Two bacteriocin producers, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Enterococcus faecium, were identified from 12 bacteriocin-producing isolates on the basis of phenotypic analyses and 16S rDNA sequence. Both bacteriocins produced by new isolates show antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus coagulans whereas only that produced by Lactococcus lactis has an activity against Bacillus cereus. Bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis strains were found in a variety of traditional foods indicating a high potential of growth of this strain in variable ecological complex environment. Partial 16S rDNA of the two bacteriocin producers obtained in this study has been registered to Genbank databases under the accession number AY971748 for Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (named CWBI-B1410 and AY971749 for Enterococcus faecium (named CWBI-B1411. The new bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strain has been selected for identification and application of the bacteriocin to food preservation.

Molecular Characterization of Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococci from Hospitals of the Picardy Region (France

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M. Biendo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We studied 138 glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (GRE strains, consisting of 131 glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium (GREfm and 7 glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (GREfs. The GREfm strains were resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin, while the GREfs strains were only resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The van A gene was the only glycopeptide determinant present in all GRE isolates investigated. Genes coding for Hyl and Hyl+ Esp were detected in 39 (29.8% and 92 (70.2% of the 131 GREfm isolates, respectively. Three of the 7 GREfs were positive for gelE+asa 1 genes, 3 for gel E gene, and 1 for asa 1 gene. The genetic relationship between the 138 GRE was analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST. GREfm isolates were clustered in a single genogroup (pulsotype A, and GREfs were clustered in six genogroups (pulsotypes B-G. Among the isolates investigated by MLST, only 18 PCR products were sequenced (12 E. faecium and 6 E. faecalis, and 9 sequence types (STs were identified.

Virulence traits and antibiotic resistance among enterococci isolated from dogs with periodontal disease.

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Oliveira, Manuela; Tavares, Marta; Gomes, Diana; Touret, Tiago; São Braz, Berta; Tavares, Luís; Semedo-Lemsaddek, Teresa

2016-06-01

Periodontal disease - PD - is one of the most widespread diseases in dogs, but the role of this odontogenic infection in the dissemination of pathogenic bacteria present in the oral mucosa to other animals or pet owners is understudied. Trying to unveil the putative pathogenicity of enterococci present in the gums of dogs diagnosed with PD, thirty-two animals were investigated during routine visits to a private veterinary clinic. Seventy-one enterococci were recovered and characterized regarding species, genomic variability, virulence traits, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-forming ability. Isolates were mainly identified as Enterococcus faecalis, with the large majority (95%) being able to produce biofilm. Regarding antibiotic resistance, all dog-enterococci were susceptible to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, gentamicin-120, imipenem and vancomycin; while distinct levels of resistance were observed for chloramphenicol (10%), erythromycin (20%), streptomycin-300 (35%) and tetracycline (95%). For virulence traits incidence levels of 35% were observed for β-hemolysis and 25% for cylA, 25% for gelatinase and 35% for gelE; 85% harbor efaAfs and ebpABC; while ace, agg and esp are present respectively in 50, 30 and 10% of the dog-enterococci; efaAfm and acm were detected in all the Enterococcus faecium. Overall, the widespread prevalence of PD in dogs, associated with the close contact between companion animals, other animals and humans, may act as source for the dissemination of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria. Hence, aforementioned data on virulence and resistance features, emphasizes the need for active surveillance measures, such as the diagnose of PD in companion animals during routine visits to the veterinary clinic. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Novel Antibiotics for the Treatment of Acinetobacter and Related Pathogens

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2012-07-07

8217]’ . [ugmL ’] Staphylococcus aureus Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 32 ATCC 12608 2 ATCC 12608+10% serum 2 Bacillus subtilis ATCC 12608 +50% serum...March 1, 2009 to February 28, 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Development of Novel Antibiotics for the Treatment of Acinetobacter and Related Pathogens...novel antibacterial agents. 15. SUBJECT TERMS antibiotics , compound screening, complex small molecules 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT U

Isolation of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium from food

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wegener, Henrik Caspar; Madsen, Mogens; Nielsen, Niels

1997-01-01

was not detected in 124 samples of pork and 128 samples of beef from retail outlets by the direct plating method. An additional enrichment step in nutrient broth supplemented with vancomycin enhanced the detection rate of VREF by approximately three times compared to the direct plating method when investigating...... the same 160 samples of broilers by the two methods. The implications and public health aspects of VREF in food is discussed....

Daptomycin-Vancomycin–Resistant Enterococcus faecium Native Valve Endocarditis

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Khandakar Hussain MD

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Multidrug-resistant enterococcal nosocomial invasive infections are a rising concern faced by the medical community. Not many options are available to treat these highly virulent organisms. Risk factors for developing these highly resistant organisms include prolonged hospital stay, previous antibiotic use, and immunosuppression. In this article, we report a case of daptomycin-resistant enterococcal native infective endocarditis treated with off-label use of quinupristin-dalfopristin.

Effect of whey fermented by Enterococcus faeciumin consortium with Veilonella parvulaon ruminal bacteria in vitro

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Higor Fábio Carvalho Bezerra

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of whey fermented by Enterococus faecium in consortium with Veilonella parvula in vitro on ruminal microorganisms in different substrates, with or without monensin. The first experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 6 × 3 factorial arrangement (six substrates × three whey levels with two replicates. In experiment two, a 2 × 3 × 4 factorial arrangement (with and without monensin, three foods and four levels of fermented whey was used, in a randomized design with four replicates, totaling 24 treatments. There was no interaction among the wheys and the substrates in the variable for pectin, starch, and carboxymethyl cellulose. There was a greater growth of amylolytic and pectinolytic microorganisms and a lower growth of proteolytic and cellulolytic microorganisms. A significant effect of optical density was found in the media without substrate and that containing trypticase and glucose due to the addition of fermented whey. There was interaction for the pH at 24 hours among whey, food and monensin. For ammonia at 24 hours there was effect for food, whey and monensin, and interaction among factors. For microbial protein at 24 hours, there was effect for food, whey, monensin and no interaction among sources of variation. The use of whey fermented by bacteria Enterococcus faeciumand Veilonella parvula improves microbial protein synthesis by ruminal bacteria in media containing different energy sources. The combination of fermented whey and monensin shows variable results in relation to microbial growth.

Isolation and molecular identification of lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium spp. from faeces of the blue-fronted Amazon parrot in Brazil.

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Allegretti, L; Revolledo, L; Astolfi-Ferreira, C S; Chacón, J L; Martins, L M; Seixas, G H F; Ferreira, A J P

2014-12-01

In Brazil, the blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) is a common pet. The faecal microbiota of these birds include a wide variety of bacterial species, the majority of which belong to the Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) clade. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the diversity and abundance of LAB and Bifidobacterium spp. in the cloacae between wild and captive birds and to select, identify and characterise LAB for consideration as a parrot probiotic. Cloacal swabs were collected from 26 wild and 26 captive birds. Bacterial DNA was extracted, and the 16S rRNA genes were amplified. The numbers of PCR-positive Enterococcus, Pediococcus, and Lactobacillus species isolated from wild and captive birds were significantly different (PLactobacillus, Lactococcus and Bifidobacterium. Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus coryniformis, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis and Bifidobacterium bifidum were the most frequently isolated species from all birds. This study increases our understanding of the faecal microbiota, and may help to improve the nutrition and habitat management of captive and wild parrots. The bacterial population identified in the faecal microbiota of clinically healthy wild and captive parrots can serve as a database to analyse variations in the gut microbiota of pathogen-infected parrots and to develop probiotics specific to these genera.

Dogs leaving the ICU carry a very large multi-drug resistant enterococcal population with capacity for biofilm formation and horizontal gene transfer.

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Anuradha Ghosh

Full Text Available The enterococcal community from feces of seven dogs treated with antibiotics for 2-9 days in the veterinary intensive care unit (ICU was characterized. Both, culture-based approach and culture-independent 16S rDNA amplicon 454 pyrosequencing, revealed an abnormally large enterococcal community: 1.4±0.8×10(8 CFU gram(-1 of feces and 48.9±11.5% of the total 16,228 sequences, respectively. The diversity of the overall microbial community was very low which likely reflects a high selective antibiotic pressure. The enterococcal diversity based on 210 isolates was also low as represented by Enterococcus faecium (54.6% and Enterococcus faecalis (45.4%. E. faecium was frequently resistant to enrofloxacin (97.3%, ampicillin (96.5%, tetracycline (84.1%, doxycycline (60.2%, erythromycin (53.1%, gentamicin (48.7%, streptomycin (42.5%, and nitrofurantoin (26.5%. In E. faecalis, resistance was common to tetracycline (59.6%, erythromycin (56.4%, doxycycline (53.2%, and enrofloxacin (31.9%. No resistance was detected to vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, and quinupristin/dalfopristin in either species. Many isolates carried virulence traits including gelatinase, aggregation substance, cytolysin, and enterococcal surface protein. All E. faecalis strains were biofilm formers in vitro and this phenotype correlated with the presence of gelE and/or esp. In vitro intra-species conjugation assays demonstrated that E. faecium were capable of transferring tetracycline, doxycycline, streptomycin, gentamicin, and erythromycin resistance traits to human clinical strains. Multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE of E. faecium strains showed very low genotypic diversity. Interestingly, three E. faecium clones were shared among four dogs suggesting their nosocomial origin. Furthermore, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST of nine representative MLVA types revealed that six sequence types (STs originating from five

Influence of a probiotic soy product on fecal microbiota and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in an animal model

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Cavallini Daniela CU

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous work showed that daily ingestion of an aqueous soy extract fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416, supplemented or not with isoflavones, reduced the total cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol levels, increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL concentration and inhibited the raising of autoantibody against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL Ab and the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Objective The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota in order to investigate the possible correlation between fecal microbiota, serum lipid parameters and atherosclerotic lesion development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia, that ingested the aqueous soy extract fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416. Methods The rabbits were randomly allocated to five experimental groups (n = 6: control (C, hypercholesterolemic (H, hypercholesterolemic plus unfermented soy product (HUF, hypercholesterolemic plus fermented soy product (HF and hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone-supplemented fermented soy product (HIF. Lipid parameters and microbiota composition were analyzed on days 0 and 60 of the treatment and the atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the experiment. The fecal microbiota was characterized by enumerating the Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Enterococcus spp., Enterobacteria and Clostridium spp. populations. Results After 60 days of the experiment, intake of the probiotic soy product was correlated with significant increases (P Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterococcus spp. and a decrease in the Enterobacteria population. A strong correlation was observed between microbiota composition and lipid profile. Populations of Enterococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. were negatively correlated with total cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, autoantibodies against

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FLORA OF KONYA KUFLU CHEESE: A TRADITIONAL CHEESE FROM KONYA PROVINCE IN TURKEY

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Ziba Guley

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize the lactic acid bacteria flora of mature Konya Kuflu cheese. Konya Kuflu cheese is a traditional blue cheese which is produced from raw milk without starter culture addition and mould growth occurs in uncontrolled conditions during its ripening. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB isolated from 9 mature Konya Kuflu cheese samples were investigated using a combination of conventional biochemical tests, API test kits, and molecular approaches. For some isolates, different results were obtained according to the identification technique. The overall LAB profile of Konya Kuflu cheese samples revealed that Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paracasei/Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis are the predominant species. In addition, 1 Pediococcus parvulus and 1 Enterococcus durans were also identified.

A comparison of antimicrobial resistance rates in Gram-positive pathogens isolated in the UK from October 1996 to January 1997 and October 1997 to January 1998.

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Andrews, J; Ashby, J; Jevons, G; Marshall, T; Lines, N; Wise, R

2000-03-01

Rates of resistance for two consecutive years for 28 centres (10 Teaching, nine Associate Teaching and nine District General hospitals) in the UK were compared. Combined rates of resistance for each of the hospital types of Staphylococcus aureus to methicillin revealed an increase in the rate of resistance in Teaching hospitals (12.5% year 1, 23.5% year 2), but, for Associate Teaching and District General hospitals rates fell (Associate Teaching 19.1% year 1, 11.9% year 2; District General 16.5% year 1 and 11.3% year 2). Using conventional methodology to determine MICs, no strain was considered to have reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. Among coagulase-negative staphylococci, increased resistance was observed for Staphylococcus epidermidis to rifampicin, for Staphylococcus haemolyticus to clindamycin, for Staphylococcus saprophyticus to penicillin and for Staphylococcus spp. to clindamycin, methicillin and rifampicin. For Streptococcus pneumoniae an upward trend in low-level resistance to penicillin was observed (18 of the 28 centres), however, for high-level resistance the trend was in the opposite direction (only four centres showed an increase). For Enterococcus faecalis there was a trend to a fall in levels of resistance, the only exception being an increase in high-level gentamicin resistance (10.5% year 1, 15.1% year 2, P = 0.0388). For Enterococcus faecium rates of resistance were not significantly different except for increases in resistance to nitrofurantoin and rifampicin.

Rapid Assessment of Resistance to Antibiotic Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis in the Gram-Positive Pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, Based on Evaluation of the Lytic Response.

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Otero, Fátima; Tamayo, María; Santiso, Rebeca; Gosálvez, Jaime; Bou, Germán; Fernández, José Luis

2017-04-01

A novel assay for rapid determination of resistance to antibiotic inhibitors of protein synthesis was developed for the gram-positive pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. To this purpose, a lytic response was obtained by a brief incubation with lysozyme or a mixture of lysozyme, Triton X-100, and EDTA for E. faecalis (n = 82) and S. pneumoniae (n = 51), respectively. Lysis was quantified by visualizing the released nucleoids. Antibiotic-susceptible bacteria treated with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoint doses of erythromycin, azithromycin, or doxycycline that inhibited protein synthesis demonstrated a large reduction of lysed cells with respect to the control, that is, without antibiotics. However, cell lysis prevention was much lower in nonsusceptible strains, with unsuccessful inhibition of protein synthesis. ROC analysis showed that a reduction value of ≥35.6% and ≥40.4% discriminates susceptible and nonsusceptible strains for erythromycin and for doxycycline, respectively, in E. faecalis, whereas ≥20.0% is adequate for both macrolides and doxycycline in S. pneumoniae. Resistant stains were identified in 90-120 min with sensitivity and specificity between 91.7% and 100%. This is a proof of concept that evaluation of the lytic response may be a rapid and efficient test for determination of resistance to antibiotic inhibitors of protein synthesis.

Identification of surface proteins in Enterococcus faecalis V583

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Eijsink Vincent GH

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surface proteins are a key to a deeper understanding of the behaviour of Gram-positive bacteria interacting with the human gastro-intestinal tract. Such proteins contribute to cell wall synthesis and maintenance and are important for interactions between the bacterial cell and the human host. Since they are exposed and may play roles in pathogenicity, surface proteins are interesting targets for drug design. Results Using methods based on proteolytic "shaving" of bacterial cells and subsequent mass spectrometry-based protein identification, we have identified surface-located proteins in Enterococcus faecalis V583. In total 69 unique proteins were identified, few of which have been identified and characterized previously. 33 of these proteins are predicted to be cytoplasmic, whereas the other 36 are predicted to have surface locations (31 or to be secreted (5. Lipid-anchored proteins were the most dominant among the identified surface proteins. The seemingly most abundant surface proteins included a membrane protein with a potentially shedded extracellular sulfatase domain that could act on the sulfate groups in mucin and a lipid-anchored fumarate reductase that could contribute to generation of reactive oxygen species. Conclusions The present proteome analysis gives an experimental impression of the protein landscape on the cell surface of the pathogenic bacterium E. faecalis. The 36 identified secreted (5 and surface (31 proteins included several proteins involved in cell wall synthesis, pheromone-regulated processes, and transport of solutes, as well as proteins with unknown function. These proteins stand out as interesting targets for further investigation of the interaction between E. faecalis and its environment.

Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Anders; Bruun, Niels Eske

2013-01-01

Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis (IE) is a disease of increasing importance, with more patients infected, increasing frequency of health-care associated infections and increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistances. The typical clinical presentation is a subacute course with fever...... or ceftriaxone. E. faecalis infective endocarditis continues to be a very serious disease with considerable percentages of high-level gentamicin resistant strains and in-hospital mortality around 20%. Strategies to prevent E. faecalis IE, improve diagnostics, optimize treatment and reduce morbidity...

[Analysis of the spectrum and resistance of pathogen causing sepsis in patients with severe acute pancreatitis].

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Ma, H X; He, L; Cai, S W; Xin, X L; Shi, H D; Zhou, L; Shi, X J

2017-05-01

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of spectrum and drug resistance of pathogens causing sepsis in patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP). Methods: The clinical data of 63 SAP patients with sepsis admitted in Department of Hepatobiliary, People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2014 to December 2015 were retrospectively studied. There were 47 males and 16 females, aged from 22 to 73 years, with an average age of (52±11)years. Samples were collected mainly from: (1)pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis and abdominal drainage; (2)bile; (3) blood or deep venous catheter; (4) sputum and tracheal catheter and thoracic drainage; (5) urine. Strain identification and drug-resistance test were preformed on positive specimens. Results: Of 244 pathogenic isolates, mainly derived from abdominal cavity(36.0%), blood stream (14.0%), central venous catheter(11.8%), necrotic tissue(9.1%) and sputum(8.1%); 154(63.1%) were gram-negative bacteria, 68 cases(27.9%) were gram-positive bacteria and 22 cases(9.0%) were fungi respectively. The top six common pathogens isolated were E . coli(16.0%), E .faecium and faecalis(15.2%), P .aeruginosa(10.7%), K .pneumonia(9.8%), Acinetobacter baumanni(8.2%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia(5.3%)respectively. The detection rate of E . coli and K . pneumonia extended-spectrum β-lactamases(ESBL) was 84.6%(33/39) and 70.8%(17/24), the resistance rate to imipeniem was 12.8% and 25.0%, to cefperazone-sulbactam was 28.2% and 29.2%. As to P . aeruginosa and Acinetobacter bacillus, the resistance rate to imipeniem was 50.0% and 75.0%, to cefperazone-sulbactam was 42.3% and 70.0%; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was completely resistant to cefperazone-sulbactam, but sensitive to minocycline, SMZ-TMP with the resistance rate less than 40.0%. Gram-positive bacterium strains mainly included E . faecium(38.2%, 26/68), E .faecalis(16.2%, 11/68) and Staphylococcus(35.3%, 24/68) which maintained high sensitivity to vancomycin

Incidence of Type II CRISPR1-Cas Systems in Enterococcus Is Species-Dependent.

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Casandra Lyons

Full Text Available CRISPR-Cas systems, which obstruct both viral infection and incorporation of mobile genetic elements by horizontal transfer, are a specific immune response common to prokaryotes. Antiviral protection by CRISPR-Cas comes at a cost, as horizontally-acquired genes may increase fitness and provide rapid adaptation to habitat change. To date, investigations into the prevalence of CRISPR have primarily focused on pathogenic and clinical bacteria, while less is known about CRISPR dynamics in commensal and environmental species. We designed PCR primers and coupled these with DNA sequencing of products to detect and characterize the presence of cas1, a universal CRISPR-associated gene and proxy for the Type II CRISPR1-Cas system, in environmental and non-clinical Enterococcus isolates. CRISPR1-cas1 was detected in approximately 33% of the 275 strains examined, and differences in CRISPR1 carriage between species was significant. Incidence of cas1 in E. hirae was 73%, nearly three times that of E. faecalis (23.6% and 10 times more frequent than in E. durans (7.1%. Also, this is the first report of CRISPR1 presence in E. durans, as well as in the plant-associated species E. casseliflavus and E. sulfureus. Significant differences in CRISPR1-cas1 incidence among Enterococcus species support the hypothesis that there is a tradeoff between protection and adaptability. The differences in the habitats of enterococcal species may exert varying selective pressure that results in a species-dependent distribution of CRISPR-Cas systems.

New Insight into Biofilm Formation Ability, the Presence of Virulence Genes and Probiotic Potential of Enterococcus sp. Dairy Isolates

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Nikola Popović

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Enterococci have controversial status due to their emerging role in nosocomial infections and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes, while some enterococci strains are used as probiotics for humans and animals and starter cultures in dairy industry. In order to improve our understanding of factors involved in the safe use of enterococci as potential probiotics, the antibiotic susceptibility, virulence and probiotic traits of 75 dairy enterococci isolates belonging to Enterococcus durans (50, En. faecium (15, En. faecalis (6, En. italicus (3, and En. hirae (1 were evaluated. The results revealed that ciprofloxacin resistance and biofilm formation are correlated with isolates originated from Golija mountain (Serbia, while gelatinase activity was more common in isolates from Prigorje region (Croatia, pointing to uncontrolled use of antibiotics and anthropogenic impact on dairy products' microbiota in these regions. The virulence genes were sporadically present in 13 selected dairy enterococci isolates. Interestingly, biofilm formation was correlated with higher ability of strains to reduce the adhesion of E. coli and Salmonella Enteritidis to HT29-MTX cells. To our knowledge this is the first study reporting the presence of the esp gene (previously correlated with pathogenesis in dairy enterococci isolates, mostly associated with the genes involved in adhesion property. Hence, the results of this study revealed that the virulence genes are sporadically present in dairy isolates and more correlated to adhesion properties and biofilm formation, implicating their role in gut colonization rather than to the virulence traits.

Molecular characterization, technological properties and safety aspects of enterococci from 'Hussuwa', an African fermented sorghum product.

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Yousif, N M K; Dawyndt, P; Abriouel, H; Wijaya, A; Schillinger, U; Vancanneyt, M; Swings, J; Dirar, H A; Holzapfel, W H; Franz, C M A P

2005-01-01

To identify enterococci from Hussuwa, a Sudanese fermented sorghum product, and determine their technological properties and safety for possible inclusion in a starter culture preparation. Twenty-two Enterococcus isolates from Hussuwa were identified as Enterococcus faecium by using phenotypic and genotypic tests such as 16S rDNA gene sequencing, RAPD-PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 16S/23S intergenic spacer region fingerprinting. Genotyping revealed that strains were not clonally related and exhibited a considerable degree of genomic diversity. Some strains possessed useful technological properties such as production of bacteriocins and H2O2 or utilization of raffinose and stachyose. None produced alpha-amylase or tannase. A safety investigation revealed that all strains were susceptible to the antibiotics ampicillin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and streptomycin, but some were resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, penicillin and vancomycin. Production of biogenic amines or presence of genes encoding virulence determinants occurred in some strains. Enterococcus faecium strains are associated with fermentation of Sudanese Hussuwa. Some strains exhibited useful technological properties such as production of antimicrobial agents and fermentation of indigestible sugars, which may aid in stabilizing and improving the digestibility of the product respectively. Enterococci were shown to play a role in the fermentation of African foods. While beneficial properties of these bacteria are indicated, their presence in this food may also imply a hygienic risk as a result of antimicrobial resistances or presence of virulence determinants.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM FERMENTED DAIRY PRODUCTS AND BOZA

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Gamze Başbülbül

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, the resistance of 83 strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Turkish cheese, yogurt, kefir and boza samples to 6 antibiotics (gentamicin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin was evaluated. The 83 isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and according to BLAST comparisons with sequences in the data banks, those strains showing the highest similarities with the isolates were Enterococcus faecium (10, Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis (10, Lactobacillus fermentum (6, Lactobacillus plantarum (6, Lactobacillus coryniformis (7, Lactobacillus casei (13, Leuconostoc mesenteroides (14, Pediococcus pentosaceus (10, Weisella confusa (7. Antimicrobial resistance of strains to 6 antibiotics was determined using the agar dilution method. The antibiotic resistance among all the isolates was detected against chloramphenicol (31,3 % of the isolates, tetracycline (30,1 %, erythromycin (2,4 %, ciprofloxacin (2,41%, vancomycin (73,5 %, intrinsic resistance. Overall 19,3 % of the isolates showed resistance against multiple antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance genes were studied by PCR and the following genes were detected; tet(M gene in Lactobacillus fermentum (1, Lactobacillus plantarum (1, Pediococcus pentosaceus (5, Enterococcus faecium (2, Weisella confusa (4 and the vancomycin resistance gene van(A in one Weisella confusa strain.

Effect of co-culture with enterocinogenic E. faecium on L. monocytogenes key virulence gene expression

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Eleftherios H. Drosinos

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to assess the expression of key virulence genes during co-culture of L. monocytogenes with a bacteriocinogenic E. faecium strain in liquid growth medium. For that purpose, BHI broth was inoculated with 7 log CFU·mL–1 L. monocytogenes and 4, 5 or 6 log CFU·mL–1 E. faecium. Sampling took place after 8 and 24 h of incubation, corresponding to the maximum and minimum of enterocin production, respectively. The RNA was extracted, stabilized and expression of prfA, sigB, hly, plcA, plcB, inlA, inlB, inlC and inlJ, was assessed by RT-qPCR. Most of the genes were downregulated during co-culture at 5 °C. Moreover, a statistically significant effect of the inoculum level was evident in most of the cases. On the contrary, no effect on the transcription level of most of the genes was observed during co-culture at 37 °C.

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile of enterococci isolated from poultry and cattle sources in Nigeria.

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Ngbede, Emmanuel Ochefije; Raji, Mashood Abiola; Kwanashie, Clara Nna; Kwaga, Jacob Kwada Paghi

2017-03-01

This study investigated the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance and virulence of Enterococcus from poultry and cattle farms. Three hundred and ninety samples: cloacal/rectal swabs (n = 260) and manure (n = 130] were processed for recovery of Enterococcus species. Standard bacteriological methods were used to isolate, identify and characterize Enterococcus species for antimicrobial susceptibility and expression of virulence traits. Detection of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes was carried out by polymerase chain reaction. Enterococcus was recovered from 167 (42.8%) of the 390 samples tested with a predominance of Enterococcus faecium (27.7%). Other species detected were Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus raffinosus, Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Enterococcus mundtii and Enterococcus durans. All the isolates tested were susceptible to vancomycin, but resistance to tetracycline, erythromycin, ampicillin and gentamicin was also observed among 61.0, 61.0, 45.1 and 32.7% of the isolates, respectively. Sixty (53.1%) of the isolates were multidrug resistant presenting as 24 different resistance patterns with resistance to gentamicin-erythromycin-streptomycin-tetracycline (CN-ERY-STR-TET) being the most common (n = 11) pattern. In addition to expression of virulence traits (haemolysin, gelatinase, biofilm production), antibiotic resistance (tetK, tetL, tetM, tetO and ermB) and virulence (asa1, gelE, cylA) genes were detected among the isolates. Also, in vitro transfer of resistance determinants was observed among 75% of the isolates tested. Our data revealed poultry, cattle and manure in this area are hosts to varying Enterococcus species harbouring virulence and resistance determinants that can be transferred to other organisms and also are important for causing nosocomial infection.

[Prevalence and features of pathogenic bacteria in the department of hematology without bone marrow transplantation in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2010 to 2012].

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Wnag, Lu; Yang, Chen; Zhang, Qian; Han, Bing; Zhuang, Jun-jing; Chen, Miao; Zou, Nong; Li, Jian; Duan, Ming-hui; Zhang, Wei; Zhu, Tie-nan; Xu, Ying; Wang, Shu-jie; Zhou, Dao-bin; Zhao, Yong-qiang; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Peng; Xu, Ying-chun

2014-08-01

To investigate the incidence, pathogens, and clinical features of infection in consecutive cases from 2010 to 2012 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The incidence, pathogen, treatment, and outcomes of patients with hematological diseases who had positive findings of bacterium in their samples from 2010 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 449 positive samples (5.8%) from 4 890 patients during this period, among which 388 were proved to be with pathogenic bacteria. Samples separated from patients with community-aquired infections accounted for 8.4% of all positive samples. Most community-aquired infections were caused by Gram-negative bacteria (75%), although no multidrug-resistant bacteria was observed. Samples separated from patients with nosocomial infections accounted for 91.6% of all positive samples. Respiratory tract (49.4%) and peripheral blood (32.6%) were the most common samples with positive results. Skin soft tissues (10.4%), and urine (3.7%) were less common samples. Most of the pathogenic bacteria of the nosocomial infections were Gram-negative (66.9%). The most common Gram-negative bacteria included Escherichia coli (13.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.1%), and Klebsiella pneumonia (12.1%), while Staphylococcus aureus (10.4%), Enterococcus faecium (7.0%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (5.1%) were the most common Gram-positive bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria consisted of most of sputum samples and peripheral blood samples. Samples from the surface of skin wound and anal swab were composed largely by Gram-positive bacteria (63.8%). The detection rates of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumonia/Klebsiella oxytoca, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis were 24.0%, 87.9% and 38.4%, respectively. The resistance to Acinetobacter baumannii was serious. Multidrug-resistant, extensive drug resistant and pan drug resistant A. baumannii acountted for 74% of all A. Baumannii infections. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Adaptation of Enterococcus faecalis to daptomycin reveals an ordered progression to resistance.

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Miller, Corwin; Kong, Jiayi; Tran, Truc T; Arias, Cesar A; Saxer, Gerda; Shamoo, Yousif

2013-11-01

With increasing numbers of hospital-acquired antibiotic resistant infections each year and staggering health care costs, there is a clear need for new antimicrobial agents, as well as novel strategies to extend their clinical efficacy. While genomic studies have provided a wealth of information about the alleles associated with adaptation to antibiotics, they do not provide essential information about the relative importance of genomic changes, their order of appearance, or potential epistatic relationships between adaptive changes. Here we used quantitative experimental evolution of a single polymorphic population in continuous culture with whole-genome sequencing and allelic frequency measurements to study daptomycin (DAP) resistance in the vancomycin-resistant clinical pathogen Enterococcus faecalis S613. Importantly, we sustained both planktonic and nonplanktonic (i.e., biofilm) populations in coculture as the concentration of antibiotic was raised, facilitating the development of more ecological complexity than is typically observed in laboratory evolution. Quantitative experimental evolution revealed a clear order and hierarchy of genetic changes leading to resistance, the signaling and metabolic pathways responsible, and the relative importance of these mutations to the evolution of DAP resistance. Despite the relative simplicity of this ex vivo approach compared to the ecological complexity of the human body, we showed that experimental evolution allows for rapid identification of clinically relevant adaptive molecular pathways and new targets for drug design in pathogens.

Anticancer and enhanced antimicrobial activity of biosynthesizd silver nanoparticles against clinical pathogens

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Rajeshkumar, Shanmugam; Malarkodi, Chelladurai; Vanaja, Mahendran; Annadurai, Gurusamy

2016-07-01

The present investigation shows the biosynthesis of eco-friendly silver nanoparticles using culture supernatant of Enterococcus sp. and study the effect of enhanced antimicrobial activity, anticancer activity against pathogenic bacteria, fungi and cancer cell lines. Silver nanoparticles was synthesized by adding 1 mM silver nitrate into the 100 ml of 24 h freshly prepared culture supernatant of Enterococcus sp. and were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Selected Area Diffraction X-Ray (SAED), Energy Dispersive X Ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infra red Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The synthesized silver nanoparticles were impregnated with commercial antibiotics for evaluation of enhanced antimicrobial activity. Further these synthesized silver nanoparticles were assessed for its anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. In this study crystalline structured nanoparticles with spherical in the size ranges from 10 to 80 nm and it shows excellent enhanced antimicrobial activity than the commercial antibiotics. The in vitro assay of silver nanoparticles on anticancer have great potential to inhibit the cell viability. Amide linkages and carboxylate groups of proteins from Enterococcus sp. may bind with silver ions and convert into nanoparticles. The activities of commercial antibiotics were enhanced by coating silver nanoparticles shows significant improved antimicrobial activity. Silver nanoparticles have the great potential to inhibit the cell viability of liver cancer cells lines (HepG2) and lung cancer cell lines (A549).

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in enterococci from wild game meat in Spain.

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Guerrero-Ramos, Emilia; Cordero, Jorge; Molina-González, Diana; Poeta, Patrícia; Igrejas, Gilberto; Alonso-Calleja, Carlos; Capita, Rosa

2016-02-01

A total of 55 enterococci (45 Enterococcus faecium, 7 Enterococcus faecalis, and three Enterococcus durans) isolated from the meat of wild game animals (roe deer, boar, rabbit, pheasant, and pigeon) in North-Western Spain were tested for susceptibility to 14 antimicrobials by the disc diffusion method. All strains showed a multi-resistant phenotype (resistance to between three and 10 antimicrobials). The strains exhibited high percentages of resistance to erythromycin (89.1%), tetracycline (67.3%), ciprofloxacin (92.7%), nitrofurantoin (67.3%), and quinupristin-dalfopristin (81.8%). The lowest values (9.1%) were observed for high-level resistance to gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin. The average number of resistances per strain was 5.8 for E. faecium isolates, 7.9 for E. faecalis, and 5.7 for E. durans. Genes encoding antimicrobial resistance and virulence were studied by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 15 (57.7%) of the 26 vancomycin-resistant isolates harboured the vanA gene. Other resistance genes detected included vanB, erm(B) and/or erm(C), tet(L) and/or tet(M), acc(6')-aph(2″), and aph(3')-IIIa in strains resistant to vancomycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, and kanamycin, respectively. Specific genes of the Tn5397 transposon were detected in 54.8% of the tet(M)-positive enterococci. Nine virulence factors (gelE, agg, ace, cpd, frs, esp, hyl, efaAfs and efaAfm) were studied. All virulence genes, with the exception of the frs gene, were found to be present in the enterococcal isolates. At least one virulence gene was detected in 20.0% of E. faecium, 71.4% of E. faecalis and 33.3% of E. durans isolates, with ace and cpd being the most frequently detected genes (6 isolates each). This suggests that wild game meat might play a role in the spreading through the food chain of enterococci with antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants to humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of the structural enterocin A, P, B, L50B genes in enterococci of different origin.

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Strompfová, Viola; Lauková, Andrea; Simonová, Monika; Marcináková, Miroslava

2008-12-10

Enterococci are well-known producers of antimicrobial peptides--bacteriocins (enterocins) and the number of characterized enterocins has been significantly increased. Recently, enterocins are of great interest for their potential as biopreservatives in food or feed while research on enterocins as alternative antimicrobials in humans and animals is only at the beginning. The present study provides a survey about the occurrence of enterocin structural genes A, P, B, L50B in a target of 427 strains of Enterococcus faecium (368) and Enterococcus faecalis (59) species from different sources (animal isolates, food and feed) performed by PCR method. Based on our results, 234 strains possessed one or more enterocin structural gene(s). The genes of enterocin P and enterocin A were the most frequently detected structural genes among the PCR positive strains (170 and 155 strains, respectively). Different frequency of the enterocin genes occurrence was detected in strains according to their origin; the strains from horses and silage showed the highest frequency of enterocin genes presence. All possible combinations of the tested genes occurred at least twice except the combination of the gene of enterocin B and L50B which possessed neither strain. The gene of enterocin A was exclusively detected among E. faecium strains, while the gene of enterocin P, B, L50B were detected in strains of both species E. faecium and E. faecalis. In conclusion, a high-frequency and variability of enterocin structural genes exists among enterococci of different origin what offers a big possibility to find effective bacteriocin-producing strains for their application in veterinary medicine.

Incidence of the enterococcal surface protein (esp) gene in human and animal fecal sources

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Whitman, R.L.; Przybyla-Kelly, K.; Shively, D.A.; Byappanahalli, M.N.

2007-01-01

The occurrence of the enterococcal surface protein (esp) gene in the opportunistic pathogens Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium is well-documented in clinical research. Recently, the esp gene has been proposed as a marker of human pollution in environmental waters; however, information on its relative incidence in various human and animal fecal sources is limited. We have determined the occurrence of the esp gene in enterococci from human (n = 64) and animal (n = 233) fecal samples by polymerase chain reaction using two primer sets: one presumably specific for E. faecium (espfm) and the other for both E. faecalis and E. faecium (espfs/fm). We believe that this research is the first to explore the use of espfs/fm for the detection of human waste in natural environmental settings. The incidence in human sources was 93.1% espfm and 100% espfs/fm in raw sewage influent; 30% for both espfm and espfs/fm in septic waste; and 0% espfm and 80% espfs/fm in active pit toilets. The overall occurrence of the gene in animal feces was 7.7% (espfs/fm) and 4.7% (espfm); animal types with positive results included dogs (9/43, all espfm), gulls (10/34, espfs/fm; 2/34, espfm), mice (3/22, all espfs/fm), and songbirds (5/55, all espfs/fm). The esp gene was not detected in cat (0/34), deer (0/4), goose (0/18), or raccoon (0/23) feces. The inconsistent occurrence, especially in septic and pit toilet sewage, suggests a low statistical power of discrimination between animal and human sources, which means a large number of replicates should be collected. Both espfm and espfs/fm were common in raw sewage, but neither one efficiently differentiated between animal and other human sources.

Serological diagnosis of experimental Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjerulf, A; Espersen, F; Gutschik, E

1998-01-01

A modified rat model of endocarditis with catheterization for 2 days was established in female Lewis rats using different inocula of Enterococcus faecalis (strain no. EF 19) in order to measure IgG antibodies in serum during the course of infection. Increasing the inocula intravenously resulted...

Analysis of the lactic acid bacteria microflora in traditional Caucasus cow's milk cheeses

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Terzić-Vidojević Amarela

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 157 lactic acid bacteria (LAB were isolated from three hand-made cheeses taken from different households in the region of the Caucasus Mountains. The cheeses were manufactured from cow's milk without the addition of a starter culture. The isolates of LAB were characterized by subjecting them to phenotypic and genotypic tests. The results of identification of LAB indicate that the examined cheeses contained 10 species, viz., Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lactobacillus arizonensis, Lactobacillus farciminis, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis. The strains within the species L. plantarum, L. arizonensis, L. paraplantarum, L. farciminis, and L. pseudomesenteroides showed good proteolytic activity.

In vitro antibacterial activity of ceftobiprole against clinical isolates from French teaching hospitals: proposition of zone diameter breakpoints.

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Lascols, C; Legrand, P; Mérens, A; Leclercq, R; Muller-Serieys, C; Drugeon, H B; Kitzis, M D; Reverdy, M E; Roussel-Delvallez, M; Moubareck, C; Brémont, S; Miara, A; Gjoklaj, M; Soussy, C-J

2011-03-01

The aims of this study were to determine the in vitro activity profile of ceftobiprole, a pyrrolidinone cephalosporin, against a large number of bacterial pathogens and to propose zone diameter breakpoints for clinical categorisation according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints. MICs of ceftobiprole were determined by broth microdilution against 1548 clinical isolates collected in eight French hospitals. Disk diffusion testing was performed using 30 μg disks according to the method of the Comité de l'Antibiogramme de la Société Française de Microbiologie (CA-SFM). The in vitro activity of ceftobiprole, expressed by MIC(50/90) (MICs for 50% and 90% of the organisms, respectively) (mg/L), was as follows: meticillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, 0.25/0.5; meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), 1/2; meticillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), 0.12/0.5; meticillin-resistant CoNS, 1/2; penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, ≤ 0.008/0.03; penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, 0.12/0.5; viridans group streptococci, 0.03/0.12; β-haemolytic streptococci, ≤ 0.008/0.016; Enterococcus faecalis, 0.25/1; Enterococcus faecium, 64/128; Enterobacteriaceae, 0.06/32; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 4/16; Acinetobacter baumannii, 0.5/64; Haemophilus influenzae, 0.03/0.12; and Moraxella catarrhalis, 0.25/0.5. According to the regression curve, zone diameter breakpoints could be 28, 26, 24 and 22 mm for MICs of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/L respectively. In conclusion, this study confirms the potent in vitro activity of ceftobiprole against many Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA but not E. faecium, whilst maintaining a Gram-negative spectrum similar to the advanced-generation cephalosporins such as cefepime. Thus ceftobiprole appears to be well suited for the empirical treatment of a variety of healthcare-associated infections. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. and the

Pathogens in Dairy Farming: Source Characterization and Groundwater Impacts

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Atwill, E. R.; Watanabe, N.; Li, X.; Hou, L.; Harter, T.; Bergamaschi, B.

2007-12-01

Intense animal husbandry is of growing concern as a potential contamination source of enteric pathogens as well as antibiotics. To assess the public health risk from pathogens and their hydrologic pathways, we hypothesize that the animal farm is not a homogeneous diffuse source, but that pathogen loading to the soil and, therefore, to groundwater varies significantly between the various management units of a farm. A dairy farm, for example, may include an area with calf hutches, corrals for heifers of various ages, freestalls and exercise yards for milking cows, separate freestalls for dry cows, a hospital barn, a yard for collection of solid manure, a liquid manure storage lagoon, and fields receiving various amounts of liquid and solid manure. Pathogen shedding and, hence, therapeutic and preventive pharmaceutical treatments vary between these management units. We are implementing a field reconnaissance program to determine the occurrence of three different pathogens ( E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter) and one indicator organism ( Enterococcus) at the ground-surface and in shallow groundwater of seven different management units on each of two farms, and in each of four seasons (spring/dry season, summer/irrigation season, fall/dry season, winter/rainy season). Initial results indicate that significant differences exist in the occurrence of these pathogens between management units and between organisms. These differences are weakly reflected in their occurrence in groundwater, despite the similarity of the shallow geologic environment across these sites. Our results indicate the importance of differentiating sources within a dairy farm and the importance of understanding subsurface transport processes for these pathogens.

Probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from stool samples of longevous people in regions of Hotan, Xinjiang and Bama, Guangxi, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Rui-Xia; Yang, Zhen-Quan; Li, Zheng-Hua; Chen, Shun-Li; Luo, Zhen-Lan

2008-12-01

A total of 567 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from the stool samples of longevous people in regions of Hotan, Xinjiang and Bama, Guangxi, China. In order to reduce the number of strains for further examinations, 36 isolates were screened out for further examination whilst the other strains, which had lower probiotic properties, were not suitable for yogurt production due to the absence of growth in pH 3.5 MRS medium and no curding during fermentation, and so were excluded. The result of identification by API, sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis showed that there were three strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus, 10 strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, three strains of Lactobacillus casein, three strains of Lactobacillus brevis, two strains of Enterococcus faecium, two strains of Enterococcus faecalis, four strains of Bifdibacterium infantis, three strains of Bifdibacterium brevise, three strains of Bifdibacterium bifidium, two strains of Bifdibacterium adolecentis and one strain of Bifdibacterium longam among the 36 isolates. These strains were evaluated by in vitro methods including survival upon exposure to pH 2.0, 3.0 and/or 0.3% oxgall and adhesion to the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 as well as antimicrobial activity against potential pathogens. The results presented here show that L. rhamnosus LV108, L. rhamnosus F, B. brevise R39 and B. infantis R42 are acid and bile tolerant, adhere to the cultured human intestinal Caco-2 cell line, antagonistic activity against potential pathogenic bacteria infection in vitro, and so are potential strains for probiotic use.

Potential probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus strains isolated from traditional dadih fermented milk against pathogen intestinal colonization.

Science.gov (United States)

Collado, M Carmen; Surono, Ingrid S; Meriluoto, Jussi; Salminen, Seppo

2007-03-01

Traditional fermented buffalo milk in Indonesia (dadih) has been believed to have a beneficial impact on human health, which could be related to the properties of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in its fermentation process. In previous studies, it was discovered that strains of dadih lactic isolates possessed some beneficial properties in vitro. In the present study, the adhesion capacity of specific LAB isolates from dadih to intestinal mucus was analyzed. Further, the ability to inhibit model human pathogens and displace them from mucus was assessed. The adhesion of tested LAB strains was strain-dependent and varied from 1.4 to 9.8%. The most adhesive Lactobacillus plantarum strain was IS-10506, with 9.8% adhesion. The competition assay between dadih LAB isolates and pathogens showed that a 2-h preincubation with L. plantarum at 37 degrees C significantly reduced pathogen adhesion to mucus. All tested LAB strains displaced and inhibited pathogen adhesion, but the results were strain-specific and dependent on time and pathogen strains. In general, L. plantarum IS-10506 showed the best ability against pathogen adhesion.

Chromosome and cell wall segregation in Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, M.L.; Glaser, D.; Dicker, D.T.; Zito, E.T.

1989-01-01

Segregation was studied by measuring the positions of autoradiographic grain clusters in chains formed from single cells containing on average less than one radiolabeled chromosome strand. The degree to which chromosomal and cell wall material cosegregated was quantified by using the methods of S. Cooper and M. Weinberger, dividing the number of chains labeled at the middle. This analysis indicated that in contrast to chromosomal segregation in Escherichia coli and, in some studies, to that in gram-positive rods, chromosomal segregation in Streptococcus faecium was slightly nonrandom and did not vary with growth rate. Results were not significantly affected by strand exchange. In contrast, labeled cell wall segregated predominantly nonrandomly

Efficiency of peracetic acid in inactivating bacteria, viruses, and spores in water determined with ATP bioluminescence, quantitative PCR, and culture-based methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eunyoung; Lee, Cheonghoon; Bisesi, Michael; Lee, Jiyoung

2014-03-01

The disinfection efficiency of peracetic acid (PAA) was investigated on three microbial types using three different methods (filtration-based ATP (adenosine-triphosphate) bioluminescence, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), culture-based method). Fecal indicator bacteria (Enterococcus faecium), virus indicator (male-specific (F(+)) coliphages (coliphages)), and protozoa disinfection surrogate (Bacillus subtilis spores (spores)) were tested. The mode of action for spore disinfection was visualized using scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that PAA concentrations of 5 ppm (contact time: 5 min), 50 ppm (10 min), and 3,000 ppm (5 min) were needed to achieve 3-log reduction of E. faecium, coliphages, and spores, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy observation showed that PAA targets the external layers of spores. The lower reduction rates of tested microbes measured with qPCR suggest that qPCR may overestimate the surviving microbes. Collectively, PAA showed broad disinfection efficiency (susceptibility: E. faecium > coliphages > spores). For E. faecium and spores, ATP bioluminescence was substantially faster (∼5 min) than culture-based method (>24 h) and qPCR (2-3 h). This study suggests PAA as an effective alternative to inactivate broad types of microbial contaminants in water. Together with the use of rapid detection methods, this approach can be useful for urgent situations when timely response is needed for ensuring water quality.

Prevalence and antibiotics susceptibility profile of Enterococcus spp ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the prevalence and antibiotics susceptibility of Enterococcus spp. isolated from patients and some selected hospital environment in Abuja, Nigeria. The samples included clinical and environmental. The clinical samples included stool, urine and wound swabs while the environmental samples ...

Isolation and characterisation of an enterocin P-producing Enterococcus lactis strain from a fresh shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Braïek, Olfa; Ghomrassi, Hamdi; Cremonesi, Paola; Morandi, Stefano; Fleury, Yannick; Le Chevalier, Patrick; Hani, Khaled; Bel Hadj, Omrane; Ghrairi, Taoufik

2017-06-01

Screening for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fresh shrimp samples (Penaeus vannamei) collected from retail seafood markets in the Tunisian's coast, resulted in the isolation of an Enterococcus strain termed Q1. This strain was selected for its antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus garvieae and against fungi (Aspergillus niger and Fusarium equiseti). The Q1 strain was characterised using standard morphological and biochemical tests, growth assays at different temperatures, pH and salinity. 16S rRNA, rpoA and pheS gene sequencing, as well as the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer analyses, were combined to identify strain Q1 as a strain of Enterococcus lactis. The bacteriocin produced by E. lactis Q1 is thermostable, active in the pH range from 4.0 to 9.0 and has a bactericidal mode of action. The enterocin P structural gene was detected by specific PCR in strain E. lactis Q1, which is in good agreement with SDS-PAGE data of the purified bacteriocin. A lack of significant antibiotic resistance genes and virulence determinants was confirmed by specific PCRs. This work provides the first description of an enterocin P producer E. lactis strain isolated from a fresh shrimp. Based on its safety properties (absence of haemolytic activity, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes), this strain has the potential to be used as a natural additive or adjunct protective culture in food biopreservation and/or probiotic culture.

A 1.5 hour procedure for identification of Enterococcus Species directly from blood cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Margie A; Marlowe, Elizabeth; Novak-Weekly, Susan; Miller, J M; Painter, T M; Salimnia, Hossein; Crystal, Benjamin

2011-02-10

Enterococci are a common cause of bacteremia with E. faecalis being the predominant species followed by E. faecium. Because resistance to ampicillin and vancomycin in E. faecalis is still uncommon compared to resistance in E. faecium, the development of rapid tests allowing differentiation between enterococcal species is important for appropriate therapy and resistance surveillance. The E. faecalis OE PNA FISH assay (AdvanDx, Woburn, MA) uses species-specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes in a fluorescence in situ hybridization format and offers a time to results of 1.5 hours and the potential of providing important information for species-specific treatment. Multicenter studies were performed to assess the performance of the 1.5 hour E. faecalis/OE PNA FISH procedure compared to the original 2.5 hour assay procedure and to standard bacteriology methods for the identification of enterococci directly from a positive blood culture bottle.

Increased resistance to first-line agents among bacterial pathogens isolated from urinary tract infections in Latin America: time for local guidelines?

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Soraya S Andrade

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Emerging resistance phenotypes and antimicrobial resistance rates among pathogens recovered from community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTI is an increasing problem in specific regions, limiting therapeutic options. As part of the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, a total of 611 isolates were collected in 2003 from patients with CA-UTI presenting at Latin American medical centers. Each strain was tested in a central laboratory using Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI broth microdilution methods with appropriate controls. Escherichia coli was the leading pathogen (66%, followed by Klebsiella spp. (7%, Proteus mirabilis (6.4%, Enterococcus spp. (5.6%, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.6%. Surprisingly high resistance rates were recorded for E. coli against first-line orally administered agents for CA-UTI, such as ampicillin (53.6%, TMP/SMX (40.4%, ciprofloxacin (21.6%, and gatifloxacin (17.1%. Decreased susceptibility rates to TMP/SMX and ciprofloxacin were also documented for Klebsiella spp. (79.1 and 81.4%, respectively, and P. mirabilis (71.8 and 84.6%, respectively. For Enterococcus spp., susceptibility rates to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and vancomycin were 88.2, 85.3, 55.9, and 97.1%, respectively. High-level resistance to gentamicin was detected in 24% of Enterococcus spp. Bacteria isolated from patients with CA-UTI in Latin America showed limited susceptibility to orally administered antimicrobials, especially for TMP/SMX and fluoroquinolones. Our results highlight the need for developing specific CA-UTI guidelines in geographic regions where elevated resistance to new and old compounds may influence prescribing decisions.

Study on the susceptibility of Enterococcus faecalis from infectious processes to ciprofloxacin and vancomycin

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A. Genaro

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecalis is considered a pathogen responsible for hospital infections and, due to its frequent multi-resistant profile, has caused preoccupations among many medical authorities. The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of 74 strains isolated from blood cultures and purulent secretions to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin through the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC by using the Microdilution test. The results showed a greater efficacy of vancomycin compared to ciprofloxacin (98.6% of the strains were inhibited by vancomycin at lower concentrations: 0.06 - 1 µg/ml. However, in the MBC analysis 73% of the strains showed a MBC of vancomycin only at high concentrations (equal to or higher than 64 µg/ml. For ciprofloxacin, the strains showed a broad sensitivity with MICs and MBCs distributed along all the MIC classes. Results also revealed a probability that some strains are tolerant to vancomycin, which indicates the need of other tests to confirm this characteristic.

Probiotic treatment decreases the number of CD14 expressing cells in porcine milk which correlates with several intestinal immune parameters in the piglets.

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Lydia eScharek-Tedin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Modulating the mucosal immune system of neonates by probiotic treatment of their mothers is a promising approach which can only be investigated through the use of animal models. Here, we used sows and their piglets to investigate the impact of a bacterial treatment on the sow´s milk and on the neonate piglet intestinal immune system.In previous experiments, feed supplementation of sows with the probiotic Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 during pregnancy and lactation had been shown to affect intestinal microbiota and cytokine expression of the offspring during the suckling and weaning periods. We therefore investigated the composition of the milk from treated sows in comparison to samples from a control group. In treated sows, the amount of lactose increased, and the somatic cell numbers were reduced. In all milk samples, the percentage of cells expressing membranous CD14 (mCD14 was greater than the fractions of immune cells, indicating expression of mCD14 on mammary epithelial cells. However, in the milk of E. faecium-treated sows, mCD14+ cells were reduced. Furthermore, the number of CD14+ milk cells was positively correlated with the percentages of B cells and activated T cells in the ileal MLN of the piglets. This study provides evidence for the expression of mCD14 by the porcine mammary epithelium, and suggests an immunological effect of mCD14+ milk cells on the piglets’ intestinal immune system. Our study further suggests that mCD14+ mammary epithelial cell populations can be modulated by probiotic feed supplementation of the sow. Keywords: pig, Enterococcus faecium, milk, mCD14, intestinal, B cells, T cells.

Insusceptibility to disinfectants in bacteria from animals, food and humans – is there a link to antimicrobial resistance?

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Karin eSchwaiger

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus faecalis (n = 834 and Enterococcus faecium (n = 135 from blood and feces of hospitalized humans, from feces of outpatients and livestock and from food were screened for their susceptibility to a quaternary ammonium compound (didecyldimethyl-ammoniumchloride, DDAC and to 28 antibiotics by micro-/macrodilution. The maximum DDAC-MIC in our field study was 3.5 mg/l, but after adaptation in the laboratory, MIC values of 21.9 mg/l were observed. Strains for which DDAC had MICs > 1.4 mg/l (non-wildtype, in total: 46 of 969 isolates / 4. 7 % were most often found in milk and dairy products (14.6 %, while their prevalence in livestock was generally low (0-4 %. Of human isolates, 2.9 to 6.8 % had a non-wildtype phenotype. An association between reduced susceptibility to DDAC, high-level-aminoglycoside resistance and aminopenicillin resistance was seen in E. faecium (p In addition, bacteria (n = 42 of different genera were isolated from formic acid based boot bath disinfectant (20 ml of 55 % formic acid /l. The MICs of this disinfectant exceeded the wildtype MICs up to 20fold (staphylococci, but were still one to three orders of magnitude below the used concentration of the disinfectant (i. e. 1.1 % formic acid. In conclusion, the bacterial susceptibility to disinfectants still seems to be high. Thus, the proper use of disinfectants in livestock surroundings along with a good hygiene praxis should still be highly encouraged. Hints to a link between antibiotic resistance and reduced susceptibility for disinfectants – as seen for E. faecium - should be substantiated in further studies and might be an additional reason to confine the use of antibiotics.

Is there a need for bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy?

Science.gov (United States)

Patanè, Salvatore

2014-04-01

Heart valve repair or replacement is a serious problem. Patients can benefit from an open dialogue between both cardiologists and gastroenterologists for the optimal effective patients care. The focused update on infective endocarditis of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 2008 (ACC/AHA guidelines) and guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infective endocarditis (new version 2009) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC guidelines) describe prophylaxis against infective endocarditis (IE) as not recommended for gastroscopy and colonoscopy in the absence of active infection but increasing evidence suggests that the role of IE antibiotic prophylaxis remains a dark side of the cardio-oncology prevention. New evidences concerning infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus bovis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, and new findings indicate that there is a need for bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy especially in elderly patients and in cancer and immunocompromised patients, to avoid serious consequences.

Endocarditis due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus raffinosus successfully treated with linezolid: case report and review of literature Endocarditis por Enterococcus raffinosus resistente a vancomicina exitosamente tratada con linezolid: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura

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A. Jasovich

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus raffinosus is scarcely found in clinical samples and even less frequently as etiologic agent of endocarditis. We are herein presenting one case of mitral prosthetic-valve endocarditis in a 77-y-o male due to a vancomycinresistant Enterococcus raffinosus isolate, successfully treated with 6 weeks of linezolid, and a two-year follow up.Enterococcus raffinosus es una especie poco frecuente en materiales clínicos y menos aún como agente etiológico de endocarditis. En este trabajo se presenta un caso de endocarditis de válvula mitral protésica en un paciente de 77 años debida a Enterococcus raffinosus resistente a vancomicina y que fue exitosamente tratada con linezolid durante 6 semanas, con un seguimiento de 2 años.

Identification of Predominant Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts of Turkish Sourdoughs and Selection of Starter Cultures for Liquid Sourdough Production Using Different Flours and Dough Yields

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Yağmur Gülten

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Eight samples of mature sourdough were collected from five provinces of Turkey. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were isolated and identified and used in different combinations to produce liquid sourdoughs. Microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the experimental sourdoughs made with different flour types and dough yields were studied. The main lactic acid bacteria species identified were Lactobacillus (L. sanfranciscensis, Pediococcus pentosaceus, L. plantarum, L. namurencis, L. rossiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and L. zymae. L. spicheri, L. paralimentarius, L. mindensis, L. farciminis, L. acetotolerans, L. casei, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus durans were also found in sourdoughs at subdominant levels. Among yeasts, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but also Pichia guiliermondii and Torulaspora delbrueckii were the predominant species of yeasts identified in sourdoughs.

Purification and characterization of enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4.

Science.gov (United States)

Joosten, H M; Nunez, M; Devreese, B; Van Beeumen, J; Marugg, J D

1996-01-01

A simple two-step procedure was developed to obtain pure enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4. Chemical and genetic characterization revealed that the primary structure of enterocin 4 is identical to that of peptide antibiotic AS-48 from Enterococcus faecalis S-48. In contrast to the reported inhibitory spectrum of AS-48, enterocin 4 displayed no activity against gram-negative bacteria. PMID:8900014

Purification and characterization of enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4.

OpenAIRE

Joosten, H M; Nunez, M; Devreese, B; Van Beeumen, J; Marugg, J D

1996-01-01

A simple two-step procedure was developed to obtain pure enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4. Chemical and genetic characterization revealed that the primary structure of enterocin 4 is identical to that of peptide antibiotic AS-48 from Enterococcus faecalis S-48. In contrast to the reported inhibitory spectrum of AS-48, enterocin 4 displayed no activity against gram-negative bacteria.

Evaluation of the quality of coastal bathing waters in Spain through fecal bacteria Escherichia coli and Enterococcus.

Science.gov (United States)

Aragonés, L; López, I; Palazón, A; López-Úbeda, R; García, C

2016-10-01

Sun. and beach tourism is very important to the economy of Spain, so the control of the quality of the environment on the beaches is essential. Therefore, the analysis and control of the quality of bathing water is necessary, which is defined by the European Directive 2006/7/EC as excellent, good or sufficient depending on the presence of microbiological contamination or other organisms or waste presenting a risk to bathers' health. For that, 1392 beaches of the Iberian Peninsula and its islands were analysed, taking into account: fecal bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus), physical characteristics of sediment, level of urbanization, climatic and anthropogenic factors, and maritime climate. Thus, it was observed that urban sand beaches located in seas with fewer hours of sunshine and important tide have higher concentrations of E. coli and Enterococcus. There is also an indirect relationship between these microorganisms with salinity (R(2) 0.746 for E. coli and 0.606 for Enterococcus), temperature (R(2) 0.743 for E. coli and 0.604 for Enterococcus) and hours of sunshine (R(2) 0.781 for E. coli and 0.706 for Enterococcus), while this relationship is direct with rainfall (R(2) 0.640 for E. coli and 0.607 for Enterococcus) or wave height (R(2) 0.769 for E. coli and 0.601 for Enterococcus). From all this, it follows that the Directive 2006/7/EC should define more specific criteria as to the place and time of sampling, and take into account the different environment variables that influence the survival of bacteria, so that the results may reflect reality, and avoid staff responsible for sampling freely choose the place and time of sampling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison between syringe irrigation and RinsEndo in reduction of Enterococcus faecalis in experimentally infected root canal

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Sharareh Mousavi Zahed

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: To ensure root canal treatment success, endodontic microbiota should be efficiently reduced. Several irrigation devices have been recently introduced with the main objective of improving root canal disinfection.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rinsing effect of RinsEndo system in reduction of enterococcus faecalis in comparison with conventional hand syringe in infected root canals.   Materials and Methods: 60 extracted single canal anterior teeth were infected with enterococcus faecalis and divided into 3 groups: RinsEndo system, conventional hand syringe and control group. The enterococcus faecalis colonies were counted in each group before and after rinsing. Data were analyzed using Variance and Kruskal Wallis test.   Results: The mean of enterococcus faecalis growth after rinsing was 3.50×103 in group with conventional syring rinsing, 2.04×103 in group with RinsEndo washing and 6.11×103 in control group. Reduction of enterococcus faecalis after rinsing was statistically significant in each group (P<0.001. The amount of reduction in number of colonies with RinsEndo and conventional syringe rinsing was higher in comparison with control group and this difference was significant (P<0.001. RinsEndo rinsing effect was statistically significantly higher in comparison to conventional syringe as well (P<0.001.   Conclusion: Rinsing with RinsEndo system was significantly more efficient in reduction of enterococcus faecalis from root canal in comparison with hand syringe washing.

ANTIBACTERIAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF SENNA HIRSUTA MILL USING ANIMAL MODEL-MICE

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Fred Coolborn Akharaiyi

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to investigate the in-vitro and in-vivo antibacterial and biochemical activities of 50, 100 and 200mg.mL-1 concentrations of ethanol leaf extract of Senna hirsuta (hairy senna against seven human pathogenic bacteria species namely: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus cereus and Salmonella typhi. The in-vitro bioassay revealed the leaf extracts of valuable antibacterial activity where zones of inhibition ranging from 12.1mm to 39.1mm were observed on the test bacteria species. Among the test bacteria, K. pneumoniae was the most inhibited and S. typhi the least inhibited. On mice infection with the bacteria species for three days, decrease in weight of mice was observed. The in-vivo therapeutic use of the extracts in mice infected with the bacteria pathogens resulted to weight gain of the mice and other physiological changes that indicated health improvement of the mice and was also of hepatoprotective potential. The in-vivo antioxidant assay exhibited satisfactory therapeutic effects where improvement in aspartate aminotransferase (AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP status of mice was observed on comparing results of the positive and negative controls.

Draft genome sequences of two commensal Enterococcus cecorum strains isolated from chickens in Belgium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dolka, Beata; Boyen, Filip; Butaye, Patrick

2015-01-01

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two commensal Enterococcus cecorum strains (1710s23 and 1711s24), cultivated from the ceca of healthy laying hens originating from different farms in Belgium.......Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two commensal Enterococcus cecorum strains (1710s23 and 1711s24), cultivated from the ceca of healthy laying hens originating from different farms in Belgium....

Molecular characterization of van genes found in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. isolated from Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, São Paulo, Brazil

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H.H. Caiaffa Filho

Full Text Available Vancomycin-resistant enterococci strains (VRE is an important pathogen related with hospital infections in many countries, presenting limited or no therapeutic options for treating serious infections. VRE has presented some different genotypes been VanA and VanB considered to be the most important in hospital environments. In the present study the authors investigated the prevalence of van genes (A, B an C among clinical isolates of VRE in a five month period at a large tertiary hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The results showed the presence of vanA, but not vanB or vanC in all 43 strains of E. faecalis and five E. faecium studied. The results bring an important issue, due to the possibility of resistance spread of vanA genes, to be monitored and solved by the hospital infection control team and the microbiology and molecular biology laboratories at tertiary Hospitals.

Phage therapy against Enterococcus faecalis in dental root canals

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Leron Khalifa

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance is an ever-growing problem faced by all major sectors of health care, including dentistry. Recurrent infections related to multidrug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE in hospitals are untreatable and question the effectiveness of notable drugs. Two major reasons for these recurrent infections are acquired antibiotic resistance genes and biofilm formation. None of the traditionally known effective techniques have been able to efficiently resolve these issues. Hence, development of a highly effective antibacterial practice has become inevitable. One example of a hard-to-eradicate pathogen in dentistry is Enterococcus faecalis, which is one of the most common threats observed in recurrent root canal treatment failures, of which the most problematic to treat are its biofilm-forming VRE strains. An effective response against such infections could be the use of bacteriophages (phages. Phage therapy was found to be highly effective against biofilm and multidrug-resistant bacteria and has other advantages like ease of isolation and possibilities for genetic manipulations. The potential of phage therapy in dentistry, in particular against E. faecalis biofilms in root canals, is almost unexplored. Here we review the efforts to develop phage therapy against biofilms. We also focus on the phages isolated against E. faecalis and discuss the possibility of using phages against E. faecalis biofilm in root canals.

Isolation, enumeration, molecular identification and probiotic potential evaluation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from sheep milk

OpenAIRE

Acurcio, L.B.; Souza, M.R.; Nunes, A.C.; Oliveira, D.L.S.; Sandes, S.H.C.; Alvim, L.B.

2014-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria species were molecularly identified in milk from Lacaune, Santa Inês and crossbred sheep breeds and their in vitro probiotic potential was evaluated. The species identified were Enterococcus faecium (56.25%), E. durans (31.25%) and E. casseliflavus (12.5%). No other lactic acid bacteria species, such as lactobacilli, was identified. Most of the isolated enterococci were resistant to gastric pH (2.0) and to 0.3% oxgall. All tested enterococci were resistant to ceftazidime,...

Procalcitonin levels in bloodstream infections caused by different sources and species of bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Sheng Tao; Sun, Li Chao; Jia, Hong Bing; Gao, Wen; Yang, Jian Ping; Zhang, Guo Qiang

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate procalcitonin (PCT) diagnostic accuracy in discriminating gram-negative (GN) from gram-positive (GP) bloodstream infections and determining the relationship between PCT levels, infection sites, and pathogen types. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from patients with blood culture (BC)-positive sepsis between January 2014 and December 2015. PCT levels at different infection sites were compared, as was the presence of GN and GP bloodstream infection. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to assess diagnostic accuracy. Of the 486 monomicrobial BCs, 254 (52.26%) were positive for GN bacteria (GNB), and 202 (42.18%) for GP bacteria (GPB). Median PCT levels were higher in BCs positive for GN (2.42ng/ml, IQR: 0.38-15.52) than in those positive for GPB (0.49ng/ml, IQR: 0.13-5.89) (PAcinetobacter baumanni/Burkholderia cepacia, Klebsiella pneumonia and Acinetobacter baumanni. PCT levels caused by GPB differed between Staphylococcus epidermidis/Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus hominis/Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis/S.hominis/S. haemolyticus. Among patients with known infection sites, there were statistical differences in PCT levels between abdominal infection and pneumonia/infective endocarditis, urinary tract infection and pneumonia/catheter-related infection/infective endocarditis. PCT can distinguish between GNB and GPB infection, as well as between different bacterial species and infection sites. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vitro antibacterial activity of doripenem against clinical isolates from French teaching hospitals: proposition of zone diameter breakpoints.

Science.gov (United States)

Lascols, C; Legrand, P; Mérens, A; Leclercq, R; Armand-Lefevre, L; Drugeon, H B; Kitzis, M D; Muller-Serieys, C; Reverdy, M E; Roussel-Delvallez, M; Moubareck, C; Lemire, A; Miara, A; Gjoklaj, M; Soussy, C-J

2011-04-01

The aims of the study were to determine the in vitro activity of doripenem, a new carbapenem, against a large number of bacterial pathogens and to propose zone diameter breakpoints for clinical categorization in France according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints. The MICs of doripenem were determined by the broth microdilution method against 1,547 clinical isolates from eight French hospitals. The disk diffusion test was performed (10-μg discs) according to the Comité de l'Antibiogramme de la Société Française de Microbiologie (CASFM) method. The MIC(50/90) (mg/L) values were as follows: methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (0.03/0.25), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (1/2), methicillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (MSCoNS) (0.03/0.12), methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) (2/8), Streptococcus pneumoniae (0.016/0.25), viridans group streptococci (0.016/2), β-hemolytic streptococci (≤0.008/≤0.008), Enterococcus faecalis (2/4), Enterococcus faecium (128/>128), Enterobacteriaceae (0.06/0.25), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (0.5/8), Acinetobacter baumannii (0.25/2), Haemophilus influenzae (0.12/0.25), and Moraxella catarrhalis (0.03/0.06). According to the regression curve, the zone diameter breakpoints were 24 and 19 mm for MICs of 1 and 4 mg/L, respectively. This study confirms the potent in vitro activity of doripenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, Enterobacteriaceae, MSSA, MSCoNS, and respiratory pathogens. According to the EUCAST MIC breakpoints (mg/L) ≤1/>4 for Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter, and ≤1/>1 for streptococci, pneumococci, and Haemophilus, the zone diameter breakpoints could be (mm) ≥24/<19 and ≥24/<24, respectively.

Influence of Streptococcus mutans on Enterococcus faecalis Biofilm Formation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deng, Dong Mei; Hoogenkamp, Michel A.; Exterkate, Rob A. M.; Jiang, Lei Meng; van der Sluis, Lucas W. M.; ten Cate, Jacob M.; Crielaard, Wim

Introduction: An important virulence factor of Enterococcus faecalis is its ability to form biofilms. Most studies on biofilm formation have been carried out by using E. faecalis monocultures. Given the polymicrobial nature of root canal infections, it is important to understand biofilm formation of

Insights into Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacies of Synthetic and Organic Agents: The Case of ZnS Nanoparticles and Zingiber officinale Rosc.

Science.gov (United States)

Obidi, O. F.; Nejo, A. O.; Ayeni, R. A.; Revaprasadu, N.

2018-03-01

The differences among the antimicrobial activities of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs), organic agents and conventional antibiotics against human pathogens are little known. We compared the antimicrobial activities of aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber officinale rhizomes with ZnS NPs and tetracycline/nystatin using agar-diffusion techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used to characterize ZnS NPs. At 100 mg/ml, ethanol and ethyl acetate extract inhibited Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecium, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging between 0-42 mm and 0-39 mm, respectively. Candida albicans had a remarkable ZOI of 42 mm and 22 mm from ethanol and ZnS NPs compared with 20 mm from conventional nystatin. TEM and FTIR revealed spherically shaped polydispersed NPs with particle size of 12.5 nm and the role of banana peel extracts in ZnS NPs synthesis. Organic and synthetic NPs proved potential alternatives to conventional antimicrobial agents.

Vancomycin resistant enterococci in farm animals – occurrence and importance

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Oskar Nilsson

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The view on enterococci has over the years shifted from harmless commensals to opportunistic but important pathogens mainly causing nosocomial infections. One important part of this development is the emergence of vancomycin resistance enterococci (VRE. The term VRE includes several combinations of bacterial species and resistance genes of which the most clinically important is Enterococcus faecium with vanA type vancomycin resistance. This variant is also the most common VRE among farm animals. The reason for VRE being present among farm animals is selection by extensive use of the vancomycin analog avoparcin for growth promotion. Once the use of avoparcin was discontinued, the prevalence of VRE among farm animals decreased. However, VRE are still present among farm animals and by spread via food products they could potentially have a negative impact on public health. This review is based on the PhD thesis Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci in Swedish Broilers – Emergence, Epidemiology and Elimination and makes a short summary of VRE in humans and food producing animals. The specific situation regarding VRE in Swedish broiler production is also mentioned.

Insights into Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacies of Synthetic and Organic Agents: The Case of ZnS Nanoparticles and Zingiber officinale Rosc.

Science.gov (United States)

Obidi, O. F.; Nejo, A. O.; Ayeni, R. A.; Revaprasadu, N.

2018-06-01

The differences among the antimicrobial activities of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs), organic agents and conventional antibiotics against human pathogens are little known. We compared the antimicrobial activities of aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber officinale rhizomes with ZnS NPs and tetracycline/nystatin using agar-diffusion techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used to characterize ZnS NPs. At 100 mg/ml, ethanol and ethyl acetate extract inhibited Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecium, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging between 0-42 mm and 0-39 mm, respectively. Candida albicans had a remarkable ZOI of 42 mm and 22 mm from ethanol and ZnS NPs compared with 20 mm from conventional nystatin. TEM and FTIR revealed spherically shaped polydispersed NPs with particle size of 12.5 nm and the role of banana peel extracts in ZnS NPs synthesis. Organic and synthetic NPs proved potential alternatives to conventional antimicrobial agents.

Characterization and application of enterocin RM6, a bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, En; Zhang, Liwen; Chung, Yoon-Kyung; Zheng, Zuoxing; Yousef, Ahmed E

2013-01-01

Use of bacteriocins in food preservation has received great attention in recent years. The goal of this study is to characterize enterocin RM6 from Enterococcus faecalis OSY-RM6 and investigate its efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes in cottage cheese. Enterocin RM6 was purified from E. faecalis culture supernatant using ion exchange column, multiple C18-silica cartridges, followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The molecular weight of enterocin RM6 is 7145.0823 as determined by mass spectrometry (MS). Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis revealed that enterocin RM6 is a 70-residue cyclic peptide with a head-to-tail linkage between methionine and tryptophan residues. The peptide sequence of enterocin RM6 was further confirmed by sequencing the structural gene of the peptide. Enterocin RM6 is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including L. monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Enterocin RM6 (final concentration in cottage cheese, 80 AU/mL) caused a 4-log reduction in population of L. monocytogenes inoculated in cottage cheese within 30 min of treatment. Therefore, enterocin RM6 has potential applications as a potent antimicrobial peptide against foodborne pathogens in food.

Whole-cell protein profiles are useful for distinguishing enterococcal species recovered from clinical specimens Los perfiles de proteínas totales son útiles para distinguir especies de enterococos recuperados de muestras clínicas

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R. Massa

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Whole-cell protein analysis was performed for differentiating 150 enterococcal isolates to the species level, which had previously been identified by extended phenotypic conventional tests. Whole-cell protein profile (WCPP showed a high degree of similarity within species and comparison between species revealed important differences in band profiles. All Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates were properly located into their corresponding species, regardless of their clinical source and susceptibility pattern. Moreover, WCPP allowed relocation of some isolates that had erroneously been identified by the usual conventional scheme (i.e. two atypical arginine-negative E. faecalis isolates. WCPP proved to be a simple method to ascertain the various enterococcal species, especially those other than E. faecalis, and may be a suitable tool for high-complexity or reference clinical laboratories.La comparación del perfil de proteínas totales permitió agrupar 150 aislamientos de enterococos dentro de la especie en la que habían sido ubicados por el esquema convencional de pruebas bioquímicas. Los patrones de proteínas totales, comparados visualmente, se mantuvieron con alto grado de similitud intraespecie y revelaron diferencias notorias en la comparación interespecie. Todos los aislamientos de Enterococcus faecalis y Enterococcus faecium, independientemente de los sitios de aislamiento, cuadro clínico del paciente, biotipo o antibiotipo, fueron fácilmente encuadrados en su especie. Asimismo, el estudio del perfil de proteínas totales de enterococos permitió reubicar taxonómicamente aislamientos que habían sido incorrectamente identificados por los métodos bioquímicos convencionales, como por ejemplo dos aislamientos atípicos de E. faecalis arginina negativos. Dado que la metodología empleada es económica y rápida, la comparación de perfiles de proteínas totales en SDS-PAGE podría ser considerada una herramienta

Convergence of PASTA kinase and two-component signaling in response to cell wall stress in Enterococcus faecalis.

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Kellogg, Stephanie L; Kristich, Christopher J

2018-04-09

Two common signal transduction mechanisms used by bacteria to sense and respond to changing environments are two-component systems (TCSs) and eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr kinases and phosphatases (eSTK/Ps). Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive bacterium and serious opportunistic pathogen that relies on both a TCS and an eSTK/P pathway for intrinsic resistance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics. The TCS consists of a histidine kinase (CroS) and response regulator (CroR) that become activated upon exposure of cells to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, leading to modulation of gene expression. The eSTK/P pathway consists of a transmembrane kinase (IreK) and its cognate phosphatase (IreP), which act antagonistically to mediate antibiotic resistance through an unknown mechanism. Because both CroS/R and IreK/P contribute to enterococcal resistance towards cell wall-targeting antibiotics, we hypothesized these signaling systems are intertwined. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed CroR phosphorylation and CroS/R-dependent gene expression to probe the influence of IreK and IreP on CroS/R signaling. In addition, we analyzed the phosphorylation state of CroS which revealed IreK-dependent phosphorylation of a Thr residue important for CroS function. Our results are consistent with a model in which IreK positively influences CroR-dependent gene expression through phosphorylation of CroS to promote antimicrobial resistance in E. faecalis Importance Two-component signaling systems (TCSs) and eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr kinases (eSTKs) are used by bacteria to sense and adapt to changing environments. Understanding how these pathways are regulated to promote bacterial survival is critical for a more complete understanding of bacterial stress responses and physiology. The opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis relies on both a TCS (CroS/R) and an eSTK (IreK) for intrinsic resistance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics. We probed the relationship between CroS/R and IreK, revealing

Bioaccumulation of pathogenic bacteria and amoeba by zebra mussels and their presence in watercourses.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosteo, R; Goñi, P; Miguel, N; Abadías, J; Valero, P; Ormad, M P

2016-01-01

Dreissena polymorpha (the zebra mussel) has been invading freshwater bodies in Europe since the beginning of the nineteenth century. Filter-feeding organisms can accumulate and concentrate both chemical and biological contaminants in their tissues. Therefore, zebra mussels are recognized as indicators of freshwater quality. In this work, the capacity of the zebra mussel to accumulate human pathogenic bacteria and protozoa has been evaluated and the sanitary risk associated with their presence in surface water has also been assessed. The results show a good correlation between the pathogenic bacteria concentration in zebra mussels and in watercourses. Zebra mussels could therefore be used as an indicator of biological contamination. The bacteria (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Salmonella spp.) and parasites (Cryptosporidium oocysts and free-living amoebae) detected in these mussels reflect a potential sanitary risk in water.

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in wild game in Slovenia

Science.gov (United States)

Križman, M.; Kirbiš, A.; Jamnikar-Ciglenečki, U.

2017-09-01

Wildlife is usually not exposed to clinically-used antimicrobial agents but can acquire antimicrobial resistance throughout contact with humans, domesticated animals and environments. Samples of faeces from intestines (80 in total) were collected from roe deer (52), wild boars (11), chamois (10) red deer (6) and moufflon (1). After culture on ChromID extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) plates to select for growth of ESBL-producing bacteria, 25 samples produced bacterial colonies for further study. Six species of bacteria were identified from the 25 samples: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Serratia fonticola, Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli. Two ESBL enzymes were amplified from group TEM and three from group CTX-M-1. Undercooked game meat and salami can be a source of resistant bacteria when animals are not eviscerated properly.

Detection of hepatitis E virus and other livestock-related pathogens in Iowa streams

Science.gov (United States)

Givens, Carrie E.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Borchardt, Mark A.; Duris, Joseph W.; Moorman, Thomas B.; Spencer, Susan K.

2016-01-01

Manure application is a source of pathogens to the environment. Through overland runoff and tile drainage, zoonotic pathogens can contaminate surface water and streambed sediment and could affect both wildlife and human health. This study examined the environmental occurrence of gene markers for livestock-related bacterial, protozoan, and viral pathogens and antibiotic resistance in surface waters within the South Fork Iowa River basin before and after periods of swine manure application on agricultural land. Increased concentrations of indicator bacteria after manure application exceeding Iowa's state bacteria water quality standards suggest that swine manure contributes to diminished water quality and may pose a risk to human health. Additionally, the occurrence of HEV and numerous bacterial pathogen genes for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella sp., and Staphylococcus aureus in both manure samples and in corresponding surface water following periods of manure application suggests a potential role for swine in the spreading of zoonotic pathogens to the surrounding environment. During this study, several zoonotic pathogens were detected including Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni, pathogenic enterococci, and S. aureus; all of which can pose mild to serious health risks to swine, humans, and other wildlife. This research provides the foundational understanding required for future assessment of the risk to environmental health from livestock-related zoonotic pathogen exposures in this region. This information could also be important for maintaining swine herd biosecurity and protecting the health of wildlife near swine facilities.

Antibiotic resistance in animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Mary D; Pratt, Rachael; Hart, Wendy S

2003-01-01

There is currently no systematic surveillance or monitoring of antibiotic resistance in Australian animals. Registration of antibiotics for use in animals is tightly controlled and has been very conservative. Fluoroquinolones have not been registered for use in food producing animals and other products have been removed from the market because of human health concerns. In the late 1970s, the Animal Health Committee coordinated a survey of resistance in Salmonella and Escherichia coli isolates from cattle, pigs and poultry and in bovine Staphylococcus aureus. Some additional information is available from published case reports. In samples collected prior to the withdrawal of avoparcin from the market, no vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium or Enterococcus faecalis were detected in samples collected from pigs, whereas some vanA enterococci, including E. faecium and E. faecalis, were found in chickens. No vanB enterococci were detected in either species. Virginiamycin resistance was common in both pig and poultry isolates. Multiple resistance was common in E. coli and salmonellae isolates. No fluoroquinolone resistance was found in salmonellae, E. coli or Campylobacter. Beta-lactamase production is common in isolates from bovine mastitis, but no methicillin resistance has been detected. However, methicillin resistance has been reported in canine isolates of Staphylococcus intermedius and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli has been found in dogs.

The prophylactic effect of probiotic Enterococcus lactis IW5 against different human cancer cells

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YOUSEF eNAMI

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Enterococcus lactis IW5 was obtained from human gut and the potential probiotic characteristics of this organism were then evaluated. Results showed that this strain was highly resistant to low pH and high bile salt and adhered strongly to Caco-2 human epithelial colorectal cell lines. The supernatant of E. lactis IW5 strongly inhibited the growth of several pathogenic bacteria and decreased the viability of different cancer cells, such as HeLa, AGS, HT-29, and MCF-7. Conversely, E. lactis IW5 did not inhibit the viability of normal FHs-74 cells. This strain did not generate toxic enzymes, including β-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and was highly susceptible to ampicillin, gentamycin, penicillin, vancomycin, clindamycin, sulfamethoxazol, and chloramphenicol but resistant to erythromycin and tetracyclin. This study provided evidence for the effect of E. lactis IW5 on cancer cells. Therefore, E. lactis IW5, as a bioactive therapeutics, should be subjected to other relevant tests to verify the therapeutic suitability of this strain for clinical applications.

Icu Pathogens: A Continuous Challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafeez, A.; Munir, T.; Najeeb, S.; Rehman, S.; Gilani, M.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency and antibiogram of pathogens in an intensive care unit (ICU). Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, from January 2013 to January 2014. Methodology: Clinical samples, received from patients admitted in ICU, were inoculated on various medias like blood agar, chocolate agar, MacConkey agar and urine samples on CLED. These were then incubated at 37 degree C for 24 hours. Isolates were identified by colony morphology, Gram reaction, catalase test, oxidase test. Species identification in case of Gram Negative Rods was done by using API 20E (BioMerieux). Antibiotic susceptibility was done by using modified KirbyBauer disc diffusion technique. Bacterial isolates were prepared and inoculated on Mueller-Hinton agar plates followed by application of various antibiotic disc (Oxoid, UK) as per manufacturer's instructions. The plates were then incubated at 37 degree C aerobically for 18 - 24 hours. Zone diameters were measured and interpreted as sensitive and resistant, according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Out of the 367 positive cultures, 116 (31.08 percent) were Acinetobacter baumanniisusceptible to minocycline and tigecycline followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=71, 16 percent) susceptible to tigecycline and meropenem. Others were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Klebsiella oxytoca, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Candida spp. Conclusion: Acinetobacter baumannii was the most frequently isolated pathogen. Most of the cultures yielding pathogens were from respiratory tract samples. Gram negative isolates were multidrug resistant but most were tigecycline and susceptible to meropenem. (author)

Growth of Enterococcus durans E204 producing bacteriocin-like ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bacteriocin-like substance E204 is an antimicrobial compound produced by Enterococcus durans E204 isolated from camel milk of Morocco that shows a broad spectrum of inhibitory activity against taxonomically related microorganisms. It is sensitive to digestive proteases. In the first study, de Man, Regosa and Sharpe ...

Patrones de resistencia a antibióticos de enterococos aislados de aguas estuarinas Antibiotic resistance patterns of enterococci isolated from estuarine waters

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M. Baldini

2008-03-01

Full Text Available La llegada al ambiente de bacterias antibiótico-resistentes compromete su calidad higiénico sanitaria. Se analizó la prevalencia de diferentes especies de Enterococcus en aguas del estuario de Bahía Blanca y sus patrones de resistencia a los antibióticos. Se identificaron bioquímicamente 103 aislamientos . Para evaluar la resistencia a antibióticos se implementó la técnica de difusión en agar utilizando discos de vancomicina (Van 30 µg, gentamicina (GenH 120 µg, estreptomicina (StrH 300 µg, teicoplanina (T 30 µg, ampicilina (Am 10 µg y ciprofloxacina (CIP 5 µg, según normas del Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Se identificaron siete especies de Enterococcus; Enterococcus faecium y Enterococcus faecalis resultaron ser las más frecuentes. El 1,9% de los enterococos presentó resistencia de alto nivel a los aminoglucósidos y no hubo aislamientos con resistencia simultánea a StrH y GenH. El 12,6% de los aislamientos resultó resistente a CIP. No se detectaron resistencias a los glucopéptidos, ni a la Am. El 34% de los aislamientos fue sensible a todos los antibióticos probados. Tradicionalmente, la vigilancia de la dispersión de resistencias bacterianas se realiza con microorganismos de muestras clínicas. Los hallazgos de este trabajo constituyen un dato relevante para el control de cepas resistentes, las que se creían circunscriptas al ámbito hospitalario y que, sin embargo, se encuentran circulando en el ambiente.The introduction of antibioticresistant bacteria to the environment, affects its hygienic-sanitary quality. The objective of this work is to study the prevalence and the antibiotic resistance patterns of enterococci species isolated from Bahía Blanca estuarine waters. One hundred and three isolates were biochemically identified as Enterococcus spp. The diffusion technique was implemented, by using disks of: vancomycin (Van 30 µg, gentamicin (GenH 120 µg, streptomycin (StrH 300 µg, teicoplanin (T

PHYSICHOCHEMICAL CHACTERIZATION OF BACTERIOCIN PRODUCING ENTEROCOCCUS DURANS ISOLATED FROM COLON’S BALI CATTLE

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I Wayan Suardana

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria can excrete antimicrobial compounds like bacteriocins. The study  aimed  to  find  out  the  characteristic  of  physic-chemical  of  bacteriocin  producing Enterococcus durans          isolate 18A isolated from  colon’s bali cattle. The study initiated by Gram staining and catalase test, followed by isolation and purification  of bacteriocin.       The result of the research showed  that bacteriocins of    Enterococcus durans    isolate 18A as a protein with it’s concentrationis  0,272?g/ml  and  it  does  not  contain  carbohydrate.  On  the  other  hand,  the bacteriocins was not showed a band while tested on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE. The result showed, the bacteriocin producing            Enterococcus durans isolate 18A has antimicrobial activity to Bacillus cereus  as 23,88%.

Trends in antimicrobial resistance among clinical isolates of enterococci in a Brazilian tertiary hospital: a 4-year study Evolução da resistência aos antimicrobianos entre isolados clínicos de enterococos em um hospital terciário brasileiro: um estudo de 4 anos

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Natália Conceição

2011-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: In the past two decades members of the genus Enterococcus have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens worldwide. This study prospectively analyzed the distribution of species and trends in antimicrobial resistance among clinical isolates of enterococci in a Brazilian tertiary hospital from 2006-2009. METHODS: Enterococcal species were identified by conventional biochemical tests. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile was performed by disk diffusion in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI. A screening test for vancomycin was also performed. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC for vancomycin was determined using the broth dilution method. Molecular assays were used to confirm speciation and genotype of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE. RESULTS: A total of 324 non-repetitive enterococcal isolates were recovered, of which 87% were E. faecalis and 10.8% E. faecium. The incidence of E. faecium per 1,000 admissions increased significantly (p 256µg/ mL and harbored vanA genes. The majority (89.5% of VRE belonged to E. faecium species, which were characteristically resistant to ampicillin and quinolones. Overall, ampicillin resistance rate increased significantly from 2.5% to 21.4% from 2006-2009. Resistance rates for gentamicin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and erythromycin significantly decreased over time, although they remained high. Quinolones resistance rates were high and did not change significantly over time. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained show a significant increasing trend in the incidence of E. faecium resistant to ampicillin and vancomycin.INTRODUÇÃO: Nas últimas duas décadas, os enterococos emergiram como importantes patógenos nosocomiais no mundo inteiro. Neste estudo, foi analisada a distribuição das espécies e a evolução da resistência aos antimicrobianos entre isolados clínicos de enterococos obtidos em um hospital terciário, no período de 2006 a 2009. M�

Fate of pathogens in a simulated bioreduction system for livestock carcasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwyther, Ceri L.; Jones, David L.; Golyshin, Peter N.; Edwards-Jones, Gareth; Williams, A. Prysor

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Bioreduction is a novel on-farm storage option for livestock carcasses. ► Legislation demands that pathogens are contained and do not proliferate during carcass storage. ► We examined the survival of key pathogens in lab-scale bioreduction vessels. ► Pathogen numbers reduced in the resulting liquor waste and bioaerosols. ► The results indicate that bioreduction should be validated for industry use. - Abstract: The EU Animal By-Products Regulations generated the need for novel methods of storage and disposal of dead livestock. Bioreduction prior to rendering or incineration has been proposed as a practical and potentially cost-effective method; however, its biosecurity characteristics need to be elucidated. To address this, Salmonella enterica (serovars Senftenberg and Poona), Enterococcus faecalis, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and a lux-marked strain of Escherichia coli O157 were inoculated into laboratory-scale bioreduction vessels containing sheep carcass constituents. Numbers of all pathogens and the metabolic activity of E. coli O157 decreased significantly within the liquor waste over time, and only E. faecalis remained detectable after 3 months. Only very low numbers of Salmonella spp. and E. faecalis were detected in bioaerosols, and only at initial stages of the trial. These results further indicate that bioreduction represents a suitable method of storing and reducing the volume of livestock carcasses prior to ultimate disposal.

Characterization of microbiota in Arapaima gigas intestine and isolation of potential probiotic bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

do Vale Pereira, G; da Cunha, D G; Pedreira Mourino, J L; Rodiles, A; Jaramillo-Torres, A; Merrifield, D L

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine the intestinal microbiota of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) in different growth stages (adult and fingerlings) and to isolate and identify potential probiotic bacteria. High-throughput sequencing analysis of the intestinal contents revealed that the majority of sequences belonged to the Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria and Firmicutes phyla. At the genus level, the greatest number of sequences belonged to Bradyrhizobium in adult fish, while Cetobacterium was the most abundant in juvenile fish. Twenty-three lactic-acid bacteria (LABs) were isolated on MRS agar from healthy juvenile fish. The isolates were tested in vitro for probiotic properties. Two isolates (identified as strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Enterococcus faecium) displayed antagonism against all 10 pathogens tested, were nonhaemolytic and maintained good viability for at least 3 weeks when supplemented to fish diets. The presence of a number of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), conferring resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol, was investigated by PCR. The absence of ARGs investigated the potential to antagonize pathogens, and favourable growth and survival characteristics indicate that these autochthonous isolates have the potential to be considered probiotics, which will be studied in future in vivo experiments. This study has demonstrated, for the first time, the normal microbiota in the A. gigas intestine during different life stages and the presence of LAB strains. It also demonstrated LAB antibiotic resistance and antagonistic behaviour against pathogens isolated from the same fish. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A study of aerobic bacterial pathogens associated with vaginitis in reproductive age group women (15-45 years) and their sensitivity pattern

OpenAIRE

Sangeetha K. T.; Saroj Golia; Vasudha C. L.

2015-01-01

Background: Aerobic vaginitis (AV) is caused by a displacement of the healthy vaginal Lactobacillus species with aerobic pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus that triggers a localized vaginal inflammatory immune response. AV if it is not diagnosed and treated early, especially during pregnancy can place the health of both the mother and the foetus at risk as it is associated with preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and chorioamni...

Longer Intestinal Persistence of Enterococcus faecalis Compared to Enterococcus faecium Clones in Intensive-Care-Unit Patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruiz-Garbajosa, Patricia; del Campo, Rosa; Coque, Teresa M.; Asensio, Angel; Bonten, Marc; Willems, Rob; Baquero, Fernando; Canton, Rafael

The dynamics of intestinal colonization with enterococcal clones in intensive-care-unit (ICU) patients was evaluated. Eight patients admitted directly to the neurosurgical ICU at the Ramon y Cajal University Hospital (Madrid, Spain) from the community and with no overlapping stay during a 10-month

Bacteriological research for the contamination of digital portable radiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Seong Gyu [Dept. of Radiology, Dong A University Hospital, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hyo Yeong [Dept. of Radiological Science, Dong Eui University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

The study was performed to investigate the bacteriological contamination of portable digital radiography system and their detectors in a university hospital. CNS and VRE were detected in the samples collected from vinyl cover on detectors used for the infection control patients. On the other hand, no bacteria was detected in the samples collected from detectors with vinyl cover removed. In the series of imaging of patients from general wards, no bacteria was detected from the patient 1. However, CNS was detected from the patients 2 and 3, CNS and Enterococcus faecalis detected from the patient 4, CNS and Enterococcus casseliflavus detected from the patient 5, and CNS, Enterococcus casseliflavus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae all detected from the patient 6. CNS and Enterococcus faecium were detected in the controller handle of collimator. Also, CNS was detected from the handle of detector and exposure switch. In the treatment gloves of the radiological technologist after the imaging, CNS, Enterococcus gallinarum, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected. Therefore, it is recommended for DR portable to take images after sterilizing the detector after taking each image and to use disposable vinyl covers on detectors to remove after imaging. And treatment gloves must be changed after each imaging. Also, hospital infection via portables must be prevented by complete sterilization of the controller handles of collimator which are in frequent contact during imaging and infection education of employees.

In vitro inhibition of Eimeria tenella sporozoite invasion into host cells by probiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hessenberger, S; Schatzmayr, G; Teichmann, K

2016-10-15

The aim was to study the effects of probiotics isolated from the intestinal tract of livestock animals on Eimeria tenella invasion into Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells in vitro. E. tenella sporozoites were purified and labeled with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate N-succinimidyl ester before seeding on cell cultures, and invasion was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Two protocols (A and B) were used. In protocol A, Enterococcus faecium # 589 or Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius # 505 were added together with sporozoites to MDBK cell cultures and invasion was evaluated after incubation for approximately 20h. Viable, dead, or spent culture supernatants of probiotics were tested. In protocol B, viable probiotics were incubated with MDBK cells for one hour before sporozoites were added and invasion was evaluated after two more hours of incubation. Parasite invasion of viable, dead, or spent culture supernatant of E. faecium # 589 was assessed. Using protocol A, it was shown that parasite invasion was inhibited by viable (80%) or dead (75%) E. faecium # 589. While inhibition by viable L. salivarius subsp. salivarius # 505 was not valid at the highest concentration and not significant at the other test concentrations, dead cells inhibited parasite invasion up to 45%. Spent culture supernatants of both probiotics had no influence on parasite invasion. Using protocol B, it was shown that viable Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis # 503, E. faecium # 497, E. faecium # 589, L. reuteri # 514, L. salivarius subsp. salivarius # 505, and Bacillus subtilis # 588 inhibited parasite invasion into MDBK cells up to 80%. Anticoccidial activity was strain-specific for E. faecium strains, and the strongest effect was shown by E. faecium # 589. Anticoccidial effects of some of the tested probiotics have already been shown in vivo, which makes them candidates to prevent coccidiosis. These findings have now been confirmed in vitro. The used parasite invasion

Growth- and Stress-Induced PASTA Kinase Phosphorylation in Enterococcus faecalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Labbe, Benjamin D; Kristich, Christopher J

2017-11-01

Transmembrane Ser/Thr kinases containing extracellular PASTA domains are ubiquitous among Actinobacteria and Firmicutes Such PASTA kinases regulate critical processes, including antibiotic resistance, cell division, toxin production, and virulence, and are essential for viability in certain organisms. Based on in vitro studies with purified extracellular and intracellular fragments of PASTA kinases, a model for signaling has been proposed, in which the extracellular PASTA domains bind currently undefined ligands (typically thought to be peptidoglycan, or fragments thereof) to drive kinase dimerization, which leads to enhanced kinase autophosphorylation and enhanced phosphorylation of substrates. However, this model has not been rigorously tested in vivo Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive intestinal commensal and major antibiotic-resistant opportunistic pathogen. In E. faecalis , the PASTA kinase IreK drives intrinsic resistance to cell wall-active antimicrobials, suggesting that such antimicrobials may trigger IreK signaling. Here we show that IreK responds to cell wall stress in vivo by enhancing its phosphorylation and that of a downstream substrate. This response requires both the extracellular PASTA domains and specific phosphorylatable residues in the kinase domain. Thus, our results provide in vivo evidence, with an intact full-length PASTA kinase in its native physiological environment, that supports the prevailing model of PASTA kinase signaling. In addition, we show that IreK responds to a signal associated with growth and/or cell division, in the absence of cell wall-active antimicrobials. Surprisingly, the ability of IreK to respond to growth and/or division does not require the extracellular PASTA domains, suggesting that IreK monitors multiple parameters for sensory input in vivo IMPORTANCE Transmembrane Ser/Thr kinases containing extracellular PASTA domains are ubiquitous among Actinobacteria and Firmicutes and regulate critical processes. The

Purification and characterization of two bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated from Mongolian airag.

Science.gov (United States)

Batdorj, B; Dalgalarrondo, M; Choiset, Y; Pedroche, J; Métro, F; Prévost, H; Chobert, J-M; Haertlé, T

2006-10-01

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) issued from Mongolian airag (traditional fermented mare's milk), and to purify and characterize bacteriocins produced by these LAB. Identification of the bacteria (Enterococcus durans) was carried out on the basis of its morphological, biochemical characteristics and carbohydrate fermentation profile and by API50CH kit and 16S rDNA analyses. The pH-neutral cell-free supernatant of this bacterium inhibited the growth of several Lactobacillus spp. and food-borne pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria innocua. The antimicrobial agent (enterocin A5-11) was heat stable and was not sensitive to acid and alkaline conditions (pH 2-10), but was sensitive to several proteolytic enzymes. Its inhibitory activity was completely eliminated after treatment with proteinase K and alpha-chymotrypsin. The activity was however not completely inactivated by other proteases including trypsin and pepsin. Three-step purification procedure with high recovery yields was developed to separate two bacteriocins. The applied procedure allowed the recovery of 16% and 64% of enterocins A5-11A and A5-11B, respectively, present in the culture supernatant with purity higher than 99%. SDS-PAGE analyses revealed that enterocin A5-11 has a molecular mass of 5000 Da and mass spectrometry analyses demonstrates molecular masses of 5206 and 5218 Da for fractions A and B, respectively. Amino acid analyses of both enterocins indicated significant quantitative difference in their contents in threonine, alanine, isoleucine and leucine. Their N-termini were blocked hampering straightforward Edman degradation. Bacteriocins A5-11A and B from Ent. durans belong to the class II of bacteriocins. Judging from molecular masses, amino acid composition and spectrum of activities, bacteriocins A5-11A and B from Ent. durans show high degree of similarity with enterocins L50A and L50B

Bacterial Flora Changes in Conjunctiva of Rats with Streptozotocin-Induced Type I Diabetes.

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Yang, Chao; Fei, Yuda; Qin, Yali; Luo, Dan; Yang, Shufei; Kou, Xinyun; Zi, Yingxin; Deng, Tingting; Jin, Ming

2015-01-01

The microbiota of both humans and animals plays an important role in their health and the development of disease. Therefore, the bacterial flora of the conjunctiva may also be associated with some diseases. However, there are no reports on the alteration of bacterial flora in conjunctiva of diabetic rats in the literature. Therefore, we investigated the changes in bacterial flora in bulbar conjunctiva of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes. A high dose of STZ (60 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected into Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to induce type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The diabetic rats were raised in the animal laboratory and at 8 months post-injection of STZ swab samples were taken from the bulbar conjunctiva for cultivation of aerobic bacteria. The bacterial isolates were identified by Gram staining and biochemical features. The identified bacteria from both diabetic and healthy rats were then compared. The diabetic and healthy rats had different bacterial flora present in their bulbar conjunctiva. In total, 10 and 8 bacterial species were found in the STZ and control groups, respectively, with only three species (Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus gallinarum and Escherichia coli) shared between the two groups. Gram-positive bacteria were common in both groups and the most abundant was Enterococcus faecium. However, after the development of T1DM, the bacterial flora in the rat bulbar conjunctiva changed considerably, with a reduced complexity evident. STZ-induced diabetes caused alterations of bacterial flora in the bulbar conjunctiva in rats, with some bacterial species disappearing and others emerging. Our results indicate that the conjunctival bacterial flora in diabetic humans should be surveyed for potential diagnostic markers or countermeasures to prevent eye infections in T1DM patients.

Risk Factors of Endocarditis in Patients with Enterococcus faecalis Bacteremia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Anders; Lauridsen, Trine K; Arpi, Magnus

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND:  The NOVA score is a recently developed diagnostic tool to identify patients with increased risk of infective endocarditis (IE) among patients with Enterococcus faecalis (EF) bacteremia. We aim to validate an adapted version of the NOVA score and to identify risk factors for IE...

Antibacterial effect of four endodontic cements against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. An in vitro study.

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Marcos J. Carruitero

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To compare the in vitro antibacterial effect of the root canal cements Endobalsam®, Top Seal®, Apexit® and Endofill® against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. Materials and method: Eighty-five applications of cements on Enterococcus faecalis, cultured in vitro on solid media in Petri dishes, were analyzed. Five groups were evaluated: four for each cement, and the fifth for the positive control (amoxicillin. The antibacterial effect was measured by the diameters of the bacterial inhibition halos at 24 hours, 48 hours, and seven days. Student´s t-test, ANOVA and the Tukey test were used for the statistical analysis. Results: No statistically significant differences were found at 24 hours (p>0.05; at 48 hours and seven days, Endofill® and Apexit® had the greatest effect (p0.05. Conclusion: Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 was susceptible to all cements. Endofill® had greater in vitro antibacterial effect than Apexit®, Top Seal® and Endobalsam®.

Root Canal Irrigation: Chemical Agents and Plant Extracts Against Enterococcus faecalis

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Borzini, Letizia; Condò, Roberta; De Dominicis, Paolo; Casaglia, Adriano; Cerroni, Loredana

2016-01-01

Background: There are various microorganisms related to intra and extra-radicular infections and many of these are involved in persistent infections. Bacterial elimination from the root canal is achieved by means of the mechanical action of instruments and irrigation as well as the antibacterial effects of the irrigating solutions. Enterococcus faecalis can frequently be isolated from root canals in cases of failed root canal treatments. Antimicrobial agents have often been developed and optimized for their activity against endodontic bacteria. An ideal root canal irrigant should be biocompatible, because of its close contact with the periodontal tissues during endodontic treatment. Sodium hypoclorite (NaOCl) is one of the most widely recommended and used endodontic irrigants but it is highly toxic to periapical tissues. Objectives: To analyze the literature on the chemotherapeutic agent and plant extracts studied as root canal irrigants. In particularly, the study is focused on their effect on Enterococcus faecalis. Method: Literature search was performed electronically in PubMed (PubMed Central, MEDLINE) for articles published in English from 1982 to April 2015. The searched keywords were “endodontic irrigants” and “Enterococcus faecalis” and “essential oil” and “plant extracts”. Results: Many of the studied chemotherapeutic agents and plant extracts have shown promising results in vitro. Conclusion: Some of the considered phytotherapic substances, could be a potential alternative to NaOCl for the biomechanical treatment of the endodontic space. PMID:28217184

Characterization and Application of Enterocin RM6, a Bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis

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En Huang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Use of bacteriocins in food preservation has received great attention in recent years. The goal of this study is to characterize enterocin RM6 from Enterococcus faecalis OSY-RM6 and investigate its efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes in cottage cheese. Enterocin RM6 was purified from E. faecalis culture supernatant using ion exchange column, multiple C18-silica cartridges, followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The molecular weight of enterocin RM6 is 7145.0823 as determined by mass spectrometry (MS. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS analysis revealed that enterocin RM6 is a 70-residue cyclic peptide with a head-to-tail linkage between methionine and tryptophan residues. The peptide sequence of enterocin RM6 was further confirmed by sequencing the structural gene of the peptide. Enterocin RM6 is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including L. monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. Enterocin RM6 (final concentration in cottage cheese, 80 AU/mL caused a 4-log reduction in population of L. monocytogenes inoculated in cottage cheese within 30 min of treatment. Therefore, enterocin RM6 has potential applications as a potent antimicrobial peptide against foodborne pathogens in food.

Isolation of cultivable thermophilic lactic acid bacteria from cheeses made with mesophilic starter and molecular comparison with dairy-related Lactobacillus helveticus strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Marie Elisabeth Penderup; Ardö, Ylva Margareta; Vogensen, Finn Kvist

2009-01-01

-related Lact. helveticus strains indicated that one isolate was a Lact. helveticus. Partial sequencing of 16S rRNA confirmed this, and the remaining four strains were identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum and Enterococcus faecium. The rep-PCR profile of the isolated Lact. helveticus......Aims: To isolate cultivable thermophilic lactic acid bacteria from cheeses made with mesophilic starter and compare them with dairy-related Lactobacillus helveticus strains using molecular typing methods. Methods and Results: The number of thermophilic bacteria in seven commercial cheeses...

Antibiotic resistant enterococci—Tales of a drug resistance gene trafficker

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Werner, Guido; Coque, Teresa M.; Franz, Charles M.A.P.

2013-01-01

Enterococci have been recognized as important hospital-acquired pathogens in recent years, and isolates of E. faecalis and E. faecium are the third- to fourth-most prevalent nosocomial pathogen worldwide. Acquired resistances, especially against penicilin/ampicillin, aminoglycosides (high-level) ...

Comparison of filters for concentrating microbial indicators and pathogens in lake-water samples

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Francy, Donna S.; Stelzer, Erin A.; Brady, Amie M.G.; Huitger, Carrie; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Ip, Hon S.; Ware, Michael W.; Villegas, Eric N.; Gallardo, Vincent; Lindquist, H.D. Alan

2013-01-01

Bacterial indicators are used to indicate increased health risk from pathogens and to make beach closure and advisory decisions; however, beaches are seldom monitored for the pathogens themselves. Studies of sources and types of pathogens at beaches are needed to improve estimates of swimming-associated health risks. It would be advantageous and cost-effective, especially for studies conducted on a regional scale, to use a method that can simultaneously filter and concentrate all classes of pathogens from the large volumes of water needed to detect pathogens. In seven recovery experiments, stock cultures of viruses and protozoa were seeded into 10-liter lake water samples, and concentrations of naturally occurring bacterial indicators were used to determine recoveries. For the five filtration methods tested, the highest median recoveries were as follows: glass wool for adenovirus (4.7%); NanoCeram for enterovirus (14.5%) and MS2 coliphage (84%); continuous-flow centrifugation (CFC) plus Virocap (CFC+ViroCap) for Escherichia coli (68.3%) and Cryptosporidium (54%); automatic ultrafiltration (UF) for norovirus GII (2.4%); and dead-end UF for Enterococcus faecalis (80.5%), avian influenza virus (0.02%), and Giardia (57%). In evaluating filter performance in terms of both recovery and variability, the automatic UF resulted in the highest recovery while maintaining low variability for all nine microorganisms. The automatic UF was used to demonstrate that filtration can be scaled up to field deployment and the collection of 200-liter lake water samples.

Comparison of the Antibacterial effect of Diapaste with Sealapex and Zinc Oxide-Eugenol (ZOE on Enterococcus Faecalis: A Laboratory Study

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Reza Bahram Abadi

Full Text Available Introduction: The antiseptic characteristic of root canal filling materials seems very critical in pulpectomy procedure to eliminate residual pathogens of root canals. The aim of this laboratory study was to compare the antibacterial activity of a newly introduced premixed calcium hydroxide root canal filling paste of deciduous teeth (Diapaste with Zinc Oxide-Eugenol (ZOE and Sealapex on Enterococcus faecalis. Materials & Methods: In this study, agar diffusion inhibitory test was used to assess antibacterial activity. Ten 10-cm-diameter dishes with 4.0mm thickness of agar inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis were used and four 5-mm-diameter wells per dish at equidistant points were filled with the three test root canal filling materials (Diapaste, ZOE and Sealapex and distilled water as a negative control was used to fill the fourth well. After incubation of the plates at 37oC for 48 hours, the diameter of the zones of bacterial growth inhibition produced around the wells was measured (in mm with a caliper. Data were analyzed by Kruskall-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Kruskall-Wallis test indicated that there were statistically significant differences (P<0.001 among median of the zones of bacterial growth inhibition produced by the three different materials. Mean diameter of inhibition zones of bacterial growth was significantly higher in Diapaste than Sealapex (P<0.001 and ZOE (P<0.001. Conclusion: With respect to the limitations of an in vitro study, it appears that Diapaste has more antibacterial activity than ZOE and Sealapex.

Five-Year Summary of In Vitro Activity and Resistance Mechanisms of Linezolid against Clinically Important Gram-Positive Cocci in the United States from the LEADER Surveillance Program (2011 to 2015).

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Pfaller, Michael A; Mendes, Rodrigo E; Streit, Jennifer M; Hogan, Patricia A; Flamm, Robert K

2017-07-01

This report describes linezolid susceptibility testing results for 6,741 Gram-positive pathogens from 60 U.S. sites collected during 2015 for the LEADER Program. In addition, the report summarizes linezolid in vitro activity, resistance mechanisms, and molecular typing obtained for 2011 to 2015. During 2015, linezolid showed potent activity in testing against Staphylococcus aureus , inhibiting >99.9% of 3,031 isolates at ≤2 µg/ml. Similarly, linezolid showed coverage against 99.2% of coagulase-negative staphylococci, 99.7% of enterococci, and 100.0% of Streptococcus pneumoniae , virdans group, and beta-hemolytic streptococcus isolates tested. The overall linezolid resistance rate remained a modest linezolid resistance mechanisms. Increased annual trends for the presence of cfr among Staphylococcus aureus isolates were not observed, but 64.3% (9/14) of the isolates with decreased susceptibility (MIC, ≥4 µg/ml) to linezolid carried this transferrable gene (2011 to 2015). The cfr gene was detected in 21.9% (7/32) of linezolid-resistant staphylococci other than S. aureus from 2011 to 2015. The optrA gene was noted in half (2/4) of the population of linezolid-nonsusceptible Enterococcus faecalis isolates from 2011 to 2015, while linezolid-nonsusceptible Enterococcus faecium isolates showed alterations predominantly (16/16) in the 23S rRNA gene (G2576T). This report confirms a long record of linezolid activity against Gram-positive isolates in the United States since regulatory approval in 2000 and reports the oxazolidinones evolving resistance mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

[Study of marine actinomycetes isolated from the central coast of Peru and their antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis].

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León, Jorge; Aponte, Juan José; Rojas, Rosario; Cuadra, D'Lourdes; Ayala, Nathaly; Tomás, Gloria; Guerrero, Marco

2011-06-01

To determine the antimicrobial potential of marine actinomycetes against drug-resistant pathogens represented by strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE). Strains of actinomycetes (29) isolated from marine sediment were evaluated by their characteristics in two culture media and by testing their inhibitory capacity by in vitro antagonism against multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria for MRSA and VRE. Organic extracts of 3 selected actinomicetes were processed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the active compound. Most isolated actinomycetes belong to a homogeneous group of write-gray actinomycetes with a good growth in Marine Agar. The inhibitory rates of the isolates were above 85% for both pathogens with inhibition zones greater than 69 and 78 mm in diameter for MRSA and VRE respectively. Dichloromethane extracts of 3 isolates (I-400A, B1-T61, M10-77) showed strong inhibitory activity of both pathogens, M10-77 being the highest actinomycete strain with antibiotic activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 and vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis ATCC 51299 with a minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 7.9 and 31.7 μg/ml respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of M10-77 strain showed 99% similarity with the marine species Streptomyces erythrogriseus. Marine sediments of the central coast of Peru, are a source of actinomycetes strains showing high capacity to produce bioactive compounds able to inhibit pathogens classified as multi-drug-resistant such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis.

Enterocin T, a novel class IIa bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus sp. 812.

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Chen, Yi-Sheng; Yu, Chi-Rong; Ji, Si-Hua; Liou, Min-Shiuan; Leong, Kun-Hon; Pan, Shwu-Fen; Wu, Hui-Chung; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Yu, Bi; Yanagida, Fujitoshi

2013-09-01

Enterococcus sp. 812, isolated from fresh broccoli, was previously found to produce a bacteriocin active against a number of Gram-positive bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. Bacteriocin activity decreased slightly after autoclaving (121 °C for 15 min), but was inactivated by protease K. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed the bacteriocin mass to be approximately 4,521.34 Da. N-terminal amino acid sequencing yielded a partial sequence, NH2-ATYYGNGVYXDKKKXWVEWGQA, by Edman degradation, which contained the consensus class IIa bacteriocin motif YGNGV in the N-terminal region. The obtained partial sequence showed high homology with some enterococcal bacteriocins; however, no identical peptide or protein was found. This peptide was therefore considered to be a novel bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus sp. 812 and was termed enterocin T.

Changes in human fecal microbiota due to chemotherapy analyzed by TaqMan-PCR, 454 sequencing and PCR-DGGE fingerprinting.