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P2-211 Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Factors in Enterococcus Species Isolated from Horses in Korea

Monday, July 27, 2015
Exhibit Hall (Oregon Convention Center)
Dae Ho Kim , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Yeon Soo Chung , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Jae Won Song , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Young Kyung Park , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Sook Shin , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Sook Kyung Lim , Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Yong Ho Park , Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea, Republic of (South)
Introduction: Enterococci are Gram-positive oval cocci that are present as the part of the normal microflora of the intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Their ability to acquire resistance against numerous antibiotics and harbor putative virulence traits are considered as one of the reasons for the rise of their opportunistic infections. As the growth rate of horse industry for leisure and food increases in Korea, the surveillance for Enterococcus spp. obtained from horses should be needed.

Purpose: In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors among enterococci collected from horses in Korea.

Methods: A total of 3,078 swab samples were obtained from horses and horse-associated environments in Korea and Enterococcus spp. were speciated using specific PCR and VITEK II. After antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed by using disc diffusion method according to CLSI guideline, presence of the six antibiotic resistance genes and five virulence genes were determined by PCR. The biofilm formation ability was evaluated and PFGE was performed to analyze for clonal relatedness among the isolates.

Results: Overall, 265 samples of all examined contained Enterococcus isolates and E. faecalis (49.8%) and E. facium (22.3%) were the major species in all samples. Antibiotic resistance rates were very low but the biofilm production was detected from 134 (50.6%) enterococcal isolates, especially in E. faecalis. The PFGE results revealed that horse isolates were closely related to horse-associated environmental isolates in same places.

Significance: In this study the horses were well taken care of and antibiotics were rarely prescribed. However, continuous monitoring was needed to prevent transmission to human by food and direct contact, since the spread of Enterococcus spp. between horses and environments was possible and nearly half of enterococcal isolates had ability to product biofilm.

Back to: Poster Session 2 – Laboratory and Detection Methods; Meat, Poultry and Eggs; Dairy and Beverages; Food Law and Regulation; General Microbiology; Modeling and Risk Assessment
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