vanA in Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus casseliflavus detected in French cattle.

Marisa Haenni (1) , Estelle Saras (1) , Pierre Châtre (1) , Danièle Meunier (1) , Sylvie Martin (2) , Gérard Lepage (3) , Marie-Françoise Ménard (3) , Patricia Lebreton (4) , Thomas Rambaud (4) , Jean-Yves Madec (1)

1 Laboratoire d'études et de recherches en pathologie bovine et hygiène des viandes
2 LCAM - Laboratoire de Conception des Architectures Moléculaires
3 LVD53
4 LVD76

The goal of this study was to assess the presence of enterococci species presenting van-mediated glycopeptide resistance in French cattle. Fecal samples were collected from healthy and sick animals, and enterococci were screened for vancomycin resistance. Vancomycin resistance was principally encountered in Enterococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus casseliflavus strains. However, glycopeptide resistance was detected in three different species of enterococci (E. faecalis, E. faecium, and E. casseliflavus). Molecular characterization of the genetic support proved that they all presented the prototypic VanA element. Interestingly, the E. casseliflavus strain displayed a remarkable VanB phenotype/vanA-vanC genotype. Transferability, associated resistances, and factors of vanA cotransfer were sought. This study proved that acquired vanA genes can still be detected in food-producing animals more than a decade after the avoparcin ban. Indeed, calves, which are recurrently exposed to antibiotics in France, may allow the re-emergence of glycopeptide resistance through coselection factors, and this might potentially be concerning for human health.

Domains: Bacteriology; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology

Marisa Haenni, Estelle Saras, Pierre Châtre, Danièle Meunier, Sylvie Martin, et al.. vanA in Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus casseliflavus detected in French cattle.. Foodborne Pathog Dis, 2009, 6 (9), pp.1107-11. ⟨10.1089/fpd.2009.0303⟩. ⟨hal-00452925⟩