Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in meat and environmental samples.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• Food Safety

Background:

• Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a significant public health concern.
• Enterococci are commonly found in food products and the environment.
• Understanding the prevalence and genetic basis of VRE is crucial for controlling its spread.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of VRE in meat and environmental samples.
• To determine the location of glycopeptide-resistance determinants in VanA isolates.
• To evaluate antimicrobial resistance patterns of VRE and vancomycin-sensitive enterococci (VSE).

Main Methods:

• Isolation and identification of enterococci from meat and environmental samples.
• Phenotypic characterization of vancomycin resistance (VanA, VanB, VanC).
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against six antimicrobials.
• Plasmid analysis and PCR to confirm the presence and location of the vanA gene cluster.

Main Results:

• Glycopeptide-resistant enterococci were detected in 35% of meat and 26.5% of environmental isolates.
• VanA, VanB, and VanC phenotypes were identified in both sample types, with varying prevalence.
• High rates of resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamycin were observed in both VRE and VSE.
• The vanA gene cluster was confirmed to be located on plasmids in VanA isolates, indicating extrachromosomal location of resistance determinants.

Conclusions:

• Food and environmental sources serve as potential reservoirs for vancomycin resistance determinants.
• The extrachromosomal location of vanA genes facilitates their potential mobility.
• Further epidemiological and molecular studies are needed to assess the transmission dynamics of these resistance genes.