Antimicrobial resistance and class 1 integrons in pathogenic Escherichia coli from dairy farms

The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and class 1 integrons, including integron-associated genes, in 24 Escherichia coli isolates from dairy farms. Escherichia coli isolates (n = 14) from dairy cows with mastitis (ECDM), Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) O157:H7 from cull dairy cow fecal samples (n = 9) and bulk tank milk (n = 1) were evaluated for sensitivity to 19 antimicrobial agents used commonly in human and/or veterinary medicine. Multiplex PCR was used to determine presence of genes associated with class 1 integrons (intI1, qacEDelta1, and sulI1). Class 1 integrons were found only in eight of 10 isolates (one STEC O157:H7 and seven ECDM) that demonstrated antimicrobial resistance, and seven of these were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. Eight of 10 STEC O157:H7 and six of 14 ECDM were susceptible to all commonly used antibiotics. Five ECDM demonstrated multiple resistances to four or more antibiotics. Most of the 24 isolates examined exhibited resistance against sulfamethoxazole, followed by streptomycin and tetracycline. STEC O157:H7 strains had less prevalence of antibiotic resistance and integron carriage than ECDM. The multiplex PCR method developed for detection of intI1, qacEDelta1, and sulI1 can be used routinely for monitoring presence of these genes. Class 1 integrons were found in eight of 10 E. coli strains that demonstrated antimicrobial resistance; seven of these were resistant to two or more antibiotics. It appears that integrons played a role in the incidence of antimicrobial resistance of the strains used in this study.