Volume 57 (2007) Issue: 2007 No#4

Investigation of the presence of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) in multiresistant strains of E. coli and Salmonella species originated from domestic animals

Author(s): Filipović Irina, Mišić D, Ašanin Ružica

Keywords:ESBL, multiresistant, E. coli, Salmonella

Bacterial strains which possess genes to produce ESBL most often are multiresistant and also carry genes responsible for the resistance to most other antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim and fluoroquinolones. Therefore, practically the biggest contemporary clinical problem are infections of humans and animals caused by ESBL-producing strains of E. coli, Kleibsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus, Serratia, Citrobacter, Salmonella and Shigella species. The investigation of the ESBL presence was completed on multiresistant E. coli and Salmonella strains originating from dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. The investigated strains were isolated from ear, skin, vaginal, faecal, urine, egg and eggshell swabs, from healthy and diseased individual animals of various ages and breed categories. The sum of 112 E. coli and 45 Salmonella strains was investigated. All strains resistant to 3 or more antibiotics were categorized as multiresistant, which led to a conclusion that 35 E. coli and 6 Salmonella strains out of all investigated were multiresistant to antibiotics. The largest number of multiresistant E. coli strains was discovered in cattle – 12 in total, and the minimal number in goats and sheep, with two strains each. All multiresistant Salmonella strains belonged to the Salmonella Enteritidis species (S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis). The sum of multiresistant Salmonella strains compared to all investigated strains was relatively low (13.3%), but the resistance prevalence for some antibiotics in these strains was extremely high, for ampicillin and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid as high as 100%, and for tetracycline 83.3%. For the control in this investigation were used ESBL positive E. coli strains originated in human urine specimens. No presence of positive ESBL strains was established. However, when the screening investigation was performed, almost all the strains were suspect, thus a confirmatory test had to be performed for all strains.