J Vet Sci.  2017 Jun;18(2):229-236. 10.4142/jvs.2017.18.2.229.

Antibiotic resistance patterns and genetic relatedness of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from military working dogs in Korea

• Bang K
• An JU
• Kim W
• Dong HJ
• Kim J
• Cho S

• KMID: 2412576
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2017.18.2.229

Abstract

Enterococcus spp. are normally present in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans, but can cause opportunistic infections that can be transmitted to other animals or humans with integrated antibiotic resistance. To investigate if this is a potential risk in military working dogs (MWDs), we analyzed antibiotic resistance patterns and genetic relatedness of Enterococcus spp. isolated from fecal samples of MWDs of four different age groups. Isolation rates of Enterococcus spp., Enterococcus (E.) faecalis, and E. faecium, were 87.7% (57/65), 59.6% (34/57), and 56.1% (32/57), respectively, as determined by bacterial culture and multiplex PCR. The isolation rate of E. faecalis gradually decreased with age (puppy, 100%; adolescent, 91.7%; adult, 36.4%; and senior, 14.3%). Rates of resistance to the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, imipenem, and kanamycin among Enterococcus spp. increased in adolescents and adults and decreased in senior dogs, with some isolates having three different antibiotic resistance patterns. There were indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns among the age groups. The results suggest that Enterococcus is horizontally transferred, regardless of age. As such, periodic surveillance studies should be undertaken to monitor changes in antibiotic resistance, which may necessitate modification of antibiotic regimens to manage antibiotic resistance transmission.

Keyword

Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus faecium; antibiotic resistance; large-breed dog; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use
Dog Diseases/drug therapy/*microbiology
Dogs
Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field/veterinary
Enterococcus faecalis/*drug effects/genetics
Enterococcus faecium/*drug effects/genetics
Female
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/drug therapy/microbiology/*veterinary
Male
Microbial Sensitivity Tests/veterinary
Military Personnel
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
Republic of Korea
Anti-Bacterial Agents

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Antibiotic resistance rates among Enterococcus (E.) faecalis and E. faecium isolated from 60 healthy military working dogs. AM, ampicillin; AMC, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid; C, chloramphenicol; CIP, ciprofloxacin; E, erythromycin; GM, gentamicin; HLGM, high-level gentamicin; HLS, high-level streptomycin; IPM, imipenem; K, kanamycin; S, streptomycin; SXT, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim; SYN, quinupristin/dalfopristin; TE, tetracycline.

• 

  Fig. 2 Age-specific changes in antibiotic resistance rates of Enterococcus spp. isolated from 60 healthy military working dogs. CIP, ciprofloxacin; GM, gentamicin; IPM, imipenem; K, kanamycin; S, streptomycin; SXT, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim; SYN, quinupristin/dalfopristin.

• 

  Fig. 3 Genetic relatedness of Enterococcus (E.) faecalis and E. faecium isolates resistant to antibiotics. (A) E. faecalis (n = 34). (B) E. faecium (n = 32). Band profiles generated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis are based on 1.5% band matching tolerance. The box indicates the 90% similarity criterion. PFGE patterns were clustered with isolate characteristics including age group, breed, sex, and antibiotic resistance profiles. L and M in sample category indicate E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates, respectively. (a), (b), and (c) indicate siblings. AM, ampicillin; TE, tetracycline; CIP, ciprofloxacin; E, erythromycin; IPM, imipenem; SXT, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim; GM, gentamicin; S, streptomycin; HLS, high-level streptomycin; K, kanamycin; SYN, quinupristin/dalfopristin; BGM, Belgian Malinois; GS, German Shepherd.

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