Pathogenicity and drug resistance of animal streptococci responsible for human infections.

Bacteria of the genus Streptococcus, earlier considered typically animal, currently have also been causing infections in humans. It is necessary to make clinicians aware of the emergence of new species that may cause the development of human diseases. There is an increasing frequency of isolation of streptococci such as S. suis, S. dysgalactiae, S. iniae and S. equi from people. Isolation of Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex bacteria has also been reported. The streptococcal species described in this review are gaining new properties and virulence factors by which they can thrive in new environments. It shows the potential of these bacteria to changes in the genome and the settlement of new hosts. Information is presented on clinical cases that concern streptococcus species belonging to the groups Bovis, Pyogenic and Suis. We also present the antibiotic resistance profiles of these bacteria. The emerging resistance to ß-lactams has been reported. In this review, the classification, clinical characteristics and antibiotic resistance of groups and species of streptococci considered as animal pathogens are summarized.

Are zoonotic Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains a growing threat for humans?

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a species often isolated from animals, as a common element of their microbiota or an agent of infection, and from people associated with an animal habitat, including owners of home pets-dogs and cats. As with many other species, adaptation of these bacteria to the human body can occur, and they become important human pathogens. 59 S. pseudintermedius strains were investigated in this study to determine the factors contributing to human body colonization: inhibition growth of human skin residents isolated from human skin (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium spp., Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes)), biofilm formation, and the presence of ten genes encoding infection-promoting features (including ebpS, spsE, lukS, lukF, pvl, lip, hlgA, hlgB). The ability of human skin to be colonized and the presence of genes that promote the development of skin infections showed the significant potential of the studied strains in their adaptation to the host. However, while a comparison of the characteristics of animal strains and those isolated from human infections does not allow us to claim that we are the witnesses of the speciation of a new human pathogen, it does indicate their gradual adaptation to the human organism.

[Animal Staphylococcus felis with the potential to infect human skin]. / Zwierzecy Staphylococcus felis o potencjale zakazania skóry czlowieka.

INTRODUCTION: Breaking interspecies barrier by microorganisms has become in the recent years an alarming phenomenon that threatens public health worldwide. An important potential interspecies transmission risk factor is close contact animal-human including occupational exposure of pet breeders and veterinarians. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The features of Staphylococcus felis ZMF 13 strain isolated from a swab from a cat's wound connected with potential pathogenicity were investigated. Results: The virulence factors of strain found were hydroxamate siderophores, production of invasins - intracellular proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes and the ability of biofilm production. The ability of bacteriocin-like substance production was also observed. The substance has an antagonistic activity against bacteria belong to physiological flora of the human skin which may be important in breaking the colonization resistance of human organism. Although the strain of S. felis ZMF 13 was methicillin-susceptible it demonstrated the constutive type of MLSB resistance mechanism. The genes ermA, msrB, linA connected with macrolide, lincosamides and streptogramin B resistance were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggest that Staphylococcusfelis has a number of features that can be crucial in its potential interspecies transmission.

[New insight into bacterial zoonotic pathogens posing health hazards to humans]. / Nowe spojrzenie na bakteryjne patogeny odzwierzece stanowiace zagrozenie dla czlowieka.

This article presents the problem of evolutionary changes of zoonotic pathogens responsible for human diseases. Everyone is exposed to the risk of zoonotic infection, particularly employees having direct contact with animals, i.e. veterinarians, breeders, butchers and workers of animal products' processing industry. The article focuses on pathogens monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which has been collecting statistical data on zoonoses from all European Union countries for 19 years and publishing collected data in annual epidemiological reports. Currently, the most important 11 pathogens responsible for causing human zoonotic diseases are being monitored, of which seven are bacteria: Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium bovis, Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetti and Verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC)/Shiga-like toxin producing E. coli (STEC). As particularly important are considered foodborne pathogens. The article also includes new emerging zoonotic bacteria, which are not currently monitored by ECDC but might pose a serious epidemiological problem in a foreseeable future: Streptococcus iniae, S. suis, S. dysgalactiae and staphylococci: Staphylococcus intermedius, S. pseudintermedius. Those species have just crossed the animal-human interspecies barrier. The exact mechanism of this phenomenon remains unknown, it is connected, however, with genetic variability, capability to survive in changing environment. These abilities derive from DNA rearrangement and horizontal gene transfer between bacterial cells. Substantial increase in the number of scientific publications on this subject, observed over the last few years, illustrates the importance of the problem.

[Coagulase-negative staphylococci in municipal waste]. / Gronkowce koagulazoujemne w odpadach komunalnych.

The total of 259 coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates gained from aerosols created during dumping and utilisation of municipal waste were investigated. Species and subspecies identification allowed to determine predominance of novobiocin-resistant species which primarily colonise rodents or other animals. However, about 30% of isolates were species originating from humans. Metabolic properties of the studied group of isolates were examined, as well as their sensitivity to a set of 8 commonly used antibiotics: amoxicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. Many isolates resistant to erythromycin (19%), tetracycline (13%) and a considerably smaller group resistant to clindamycin (6.2%), chloramphenicol (2%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (1%) were found. It appeared that processes of occurring at the time of dumping and utilisation of waste affect the prevalence of only some features. The examined metabolic features were found to be relatively stable and no changes were observed, which would indicate the tendency of adaptation to existence in the inanimate matter environment. Only isolates with active nitrate reductase were more frequently detected. The increase in frequency of occurrence of isolates resistant to tetracycline and chloramphenicol and simultaneous elimination of isolates resistant to other antibiotics were observed.