Porcine-origin gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in humans, Denmark

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• High-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) in Enterococcus faecalis is a growing concern in healthcare settings.
• Enterococcus faecalis can be transmitted between animals and humans, posing a One Health challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clonal relationship between HLGR Enterococcus faecalis isolates from human infective endocarditis cases and animal sources in Denmark.
• To determine if pigs represent a potential reservoir for human infections caused by HLGR E. faecalis.

Main Methods:

• Detection of HLGR Enterococcus faecalis isolates from two patients with infective endocarditis.
• Detection of HLGR Enterococcus faecalis isolates from pigs and pork products.
• Molecular typing (e.g., MLST or PFGE) to assess clonal relatedness between isolates from different sources.

Main Results:

• Identical clonal groups of HLGR Enterococcus faecalis were identified in both human and porcine isolates.
• The genetic similarity strongly suggests a common origin for the detected HLGR E. faecalis strains.
• The findings link porcine sources to human infective endocarditis cases.

Conclusions:

• Pigs and pork products are a likely source of HLGR Enterococcus faecalis infections in humans.
• This highlights the importance of surveillance and control measures in both animal husbandry and clinical settings.
• Understanding animal-to-human transmission pathways is crucial for preventing resistant bacterial infections.