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Isolation of vancomycin‐resistant Enterococcus from apparently healthy human animal attendants, cattle and cattle wastes in Tanzania
Author(s) -
Madoshi B.P.,
Mtambo M.M.A.,
Muhairwa A.P.,
Lupindu A.M.,
Olsen J.E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.13722
Subject(s) - enterococcus faecalis , biology , tanzania , enterococcus faecium , antimicrobial , microbiology and biotechnology , enterococcus , veterinary medicine , antibiotic resistance , isolation (microbiology) , livestock , vancomycin , bacteria , antibiotics , staphylococcus aureus , medicine , geography , ecology , environmental planning , genetics
Aim The study aimed to isolate and characterize Enterococcus species from apparently healthy waste attendants, cattle and cattle waste in Tanzania. Emphasis was given to antimicrobial resistance and in particular occurrence of vancomycin (VA)‐resistant enterococci. Methods and Results Faecal samples were collected from healthy cattle, cattle waste attendants and cattle house wastes, and isolation of Enterococcus species was performed using Slanetz Bartley agar. Isolates were characterized with regard to species, antimicrobial susceptibility and presence of VA resistance genes. Enterococcus 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 resistance to VA by disc diffusion test, were analysed for VA‐resistant Enterococcus ( VRE ) by PCR . The vanA gene was detected in 14 isolates of E. faecium and 12 isolates of E. faecalis , while vanB was detected in three isolates. No isolates were found to carry vanC1‐ gene. Conclusion VRE was detected in both human and cattle samples, despite no known use of antimicrobial agents that can select for VRE in livestock in Tanzania. Enterococcus faecalis was the most commonly isolated species from cattle and humans. Significance and Impact of the Study The study provides information on the prevalence of VRE in human and nonhuman samples in Tanzania calling for further studies on the origin of VRE in such isolates, since no selection mechanism in Tanzania are known.