ABSTRACT
Resistance to antimicrobial agents is increasing worldwide and imposes significant life-threatening risks to several different populations, especially those in intensive care units (ICUs). Bacteria can quickly develop or acquire resistance to antimicrobial drugs, and combined with their intrinsic potential to cause disease in humans, these bacteria can become deadly. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii is notorious as a frequent opportunistic pathogen associated with critically ill patients, and understanding the genetic basis of A. baumannii resistance to beta-lactams among patients in ICUs will result in better protocols to prevent the development of resistance as well as improved treatment regimens. In this study, we assessed 1333 patients in five ICUs, 56 of whom developed A. baumannii infections. Most of the A. baumannii isolates were resistant to beta-lactam antimicrobial drugs, specifically, 3rd- and 4th-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems, and 91.1% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR). The most frequent OXA gene present was OXA-23 (55.1%), which is significantly associated with MDR strains. Most of the A. baumannii isolates (76.8%) were capable of forming a biofilm. The antimicrobial drug classes that were effective against most of these isolates were polymyxins and tigecycline. The molecular profile of the isolates allowed detection of 12 different clusters comprising 2 to 8 isolates each. In conclusion, our data indicate a high incidence of resistance to carbapenems as well as MDR strains among the observed A. baumannii isolates, most of which exhibited a high prevalence of OXA-23 gene expression. Only a few selective drugs were effective, reinforcing the notion that bacterial resistance is an emerging problem that should be prioritized in every healthcare facility.
Subject(s)
Acinetobacter baumannii/isolation & purification , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Inpatients , Intensive Care Units , Acinetobacter baumannii/drug effects , Acinetobacter baumannii/genetics , Biofilms , Brazil , Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics , Genes, Bacterial , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen causes listeriosis, a fatal disease in about 30% of cases that affects mainly immunocompromised persons. The aim of this research was to characterize L. monocytogenes pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types isolated from meat products collected at public markets in Araguaina city, TO. Sixty samples of raw ground beef and frescal sausage were analyzed during the second half of 2008. Five out of 30 samples (16.7%) of raw ground beef tested positive for L. monocytogenes, three of which were classified as serotype 1/2b and two as serotype 4b. Among the 30 samples of sausage collected, two strains of L. monocytogenes were isolated (6.7%), one of them belonging to serotype 1/2a and the other belonging to serotype 1/2b. The restriction enzymes used were ApaI and SmaI. Similarities among the strains were determined by Dice coefficient. The macro restriction profile obtained by using SmaI enzyme allowed the distribution of seven strains in two clusters, two pulsotypes and two subtypes. The result indicates that L. monocytogenes isolates, belonging to serotype 4b, 1/2a and 1/2b, are strongly correlated within the same serotype group, and in some cases among different serotypes, suggesting that they have a common source.
Listeria monocytogenes é um patógeno de origem alimentar que causa a listeriose, doença fatal em aproximadamente 30% dos casos, e que afeta principalmente pessoas imunocomprometidas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar os perfis PFGE de cepas de L. monocytogenes isoladas de produtos de origem animal, obtidos em mercados públicos da cidade de Araguaína, TO. Foram analisadas 60 amostras de carne moída crua e de linguiça frescal, no segundo semestre de 2008. Cinco (16,7%) das 30 amostras de carne moída crua foram positivas ao patógeno, sendo que três pertenciam ao sorotipo 1/2b e duas ao sorotipo 4b. Das 30 amostras de linguiça mista frescal, duas (6,7%) foram positivas para L. monocytogenes, sendo uma do sorotipo 1/2a e outra do 1/2b. Foram utilizadas as enzimas de restrição ApaI e SmaI. A similaridade entre eles foi determinada pelo coeficiente de Dice. A análise do perfil de macrorestrição com a enzima SmaI permitiu a distribuição dos sete isolados em dois clusters, dois pulsotipos e dois subtipos. Os resultados permitiram concluir que os isolados de L. monocytogenes sorotipos 4b, 1/2a e 1/2b foram fortemente correlacionados dentro dos mesmos sorotipos e em alguns casos entre diferentes sorotipos, sugerindo uma fonte comum.
