Abstract
Linezolid resistance in Enterococcus spp. is increasingly considered critically important and a public health threat which mandates the need to understand their genomic contents and dissemination patterns. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to characterize the resistome, virulome and mobile genetic elements of nine linezolid-resistant (LZDR) enterococci (seven optrA-E. faecalis, one poxtA-E. faecium and one optrA-E. casseliflavus) previously obtained from the nares of healthy dogs, pigs, pig farmers and tracheal samples of nestling storks in Spain. Also, the relatedness of the isolates with publicly available genomes was accessed by core-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. The optrA gene of the E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus isolates was located downstream of the fexA gene. The optrA gene in the E. casseliflavus isolate was carried in a plasmid (pURX4962), while those in the seven E. faecalis isolates were chromosomally located. The OptrA proteins were mostly variants of wild type (DP-2: Y176D/T481P; RDK: I104R/Y176D/E256K; DD-3: Y176D/G393D; and EDD: K3E/Y176D/G393D), except two that were wild type (one E. faecalis and one E. casseliflavus). The poxtA gene in the E. faecium isolate was found alone within its contig. The cfrD was upstream of ermB gene in the E. casseliflavus isolate and flanked by ISNCY and IS1216. All the LZDR enterococci carried plasmid rep genes (2–3) containing tetracycline, chloramphenicol and aminoglycoside resistance genes. All isolates except E. casseliflavus carried at least one intact prophage, of which E. faecalis-ST330 (X4957) from a pig carried the highest (n = 5). Tn6260 was associated with lnuG in E. faecalis-ST330 while Tn554 was with fexA in E. feaecalis-ST59 isolates. All except E. casseliflavus (n = 0) carried at least two metal resistance genes (MRGs), of which poxtA-carrying E. faecium-ST1739 isolate contained the most (arsA, copA, fief, ziaA, znuA, zosA, zupT, and zur). SNP-based analyses identified closely related optrA-E. faecalis isolates from a pig and a pig farmer on the same farm (SNP = 4). Moreover, optrA- carrying E. faecalis-ST32, -ST59, and -ST474 isolates from pigs were related to those previously described from humans (sick and healthy) and cattle in Spain, Belgium, and Switzerland (SNP range 43–86). These findings strongly suggest the transmission of LZDR-E. faecalis between a pig and a pig farmer and potential inter-country dissemination. These highlight the need to strengthen molecular surveillance of LZDR enterococci in all ecological niches and body parts to direct appropriate control strategies.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
