Spread and persistence of VIM-1 Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in three German swine farms in 2011 and 2012.

The occurrence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in livestock is considered as a threat for public health. In Germany, VIM-1-producing Escherichia (E.) coli sequence type (ST) 88 and Salmonella Infantis isolates harbouring blaIncHI2 plasmids have been isolated from swine and poultry farms.

Diversity of STs, plasmids and ESBL genes among Escherichia coli from humans, animals and food in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare ESBL-producing Escherichia coli causing infections in humans with infecting or commensal isolates from animals and isolates from food of animal origin in terms of the strain types, the ESBL gene present and the plasmids that carry the respective ESBL genes.

Methods: A collection of 353 ESBL-positive E. coli isolates from the UK, the Netherlands and Germany were studied by MLST and ESBL genes were identified.

Comparative genome analysis of IncHI2 VIM-1 carbapenemase-encoding plasmids of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica isolated from a livestock farm in Germany.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae are not any more isolated only from human settings, but also from livestock. We reported for the first time the presence of VIM-1 carbapenemases in a livestock farm in Germany. The VIM-1 resistance gene found in these farms was located on IncHI2 plasmids.

[Increase in antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella from food to fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins--a review of data from ten years].

Animal derived food is a relevant source of human infections with Salmonella enterica. In this paper we analyse the presence of Salmonella in meat with respect to the observed serovars and their resistance to the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin and 3rd generation cephalosporins in the years 2003 to 2012. Data originated from 8176 isolates that were isolated from meat, characterized in the National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella and tested for antimicrobial resistance in the National Reference Laboratory for antimicrobial resistance in this time period.

Characterization of illegal food items and identification of foodborne pathogens brought into the European Union via two major German airports.

Foods of animal origin brought illegally from third party countries into the European Community pose a risk for the introduction of diseases. This can lead to animal disease outbreaks with significant economic and social costs and subsequent severe trade restrictions. Further, disease outbreaks in humans due to illegally imported foods of animal origin have been described, yet, there are very few studies examining the potential human health impact.

Subgrouping of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli from animal and human sources: an approach to quantify the distribution of ESBL types between different reservoirs.

Escherichia (E.) coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are an increasing problem for public health. The success of ESBLs may be due to spread of ESBL-producing bacterial clones, transfer of ESBL gene-carrying plasmids or exchange of ESBL encoding genes on mobile elements.

blaCTX-M-₁₅-carrying Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates from livestock and food in Germany.

Objectives: The characterization of CTX-M-₁₅ β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates originating mainly from German livestock and food.

Methods: E. coli (526, mainly commensals) and Salmonella (151) non-human isolates resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, originating from routine and monitoring submissions (2003-12) to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and different national targeted studies (2011-12), were examined for the presence of blaCTX-M-₁₅ genes by PCR amplification/sequencing.

An emerging public health problem: acquired carbapenemase-producing microorganisms are present in food-producing animals, their environment, companion animals and wild birds.

Worldwide, the emergence and global spread of microorganisms with acquired carbapenemases is of great concern. The reservoirs for such organisms are increasing, not only in hospitals, but also in the community and environment. A new and important development is the presence of such organisms in livestock, companion animals and wildlife.

Diversity of plasmids encoding virulence and resistance functions in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium monophasic variant 4,[5],12:i:- strains circulating in Europe.

Plasmids encoding resistance and virulence properties in multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica (S.) serovar Typhimurium monophasic variant 4,[5],12:i:- isolates recovered from pigs and humans (2006-2008) in Europe were characterised. The isolates were selected based on the detection by PCR-amplification of S.

Molecular epidemiology of Salmonella enterica serovar Kottbus isolated in Germany from humans, food and animals.

Salmonella enterica serovar Kottbus has been continuously isolated from poultry and poultry meat, especially from turkey. We investigated by comparative molecular typing 95 S. Kottbus isolates obtained in Germany between 2000 and 2011 from poultry/poultry meat, pig/pork, cattle, reptiles, the environment as well as from human cases to identify potential infection sources for humans, especially the role of poultry and poultry products as vehicle in transmission of S.

Comparative analysis of ESBL-positive Escherichia coli isolates from animals and humans from the UK, The Netherlands and Germany.

The putative virulence and antimicrobial resistance gene contents of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive E. coli (n=629) isolated between 2005 and 2009 from humans, animals and animal food products in Germany, The Netherlands and the UK were compared using a microarray approach to test the suitability of this approach with regard to determining their similarities. A selection of isolates (n=313) were also analysed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium virulence-resistance plasmids derived from the pSLT carrying nonconventional class 1 integrons with dfrA12 gene in their variable region and sul3 in the 3' conserved segment.

Drug-resistant derivatives of serovar-specific virulence plasmids, such as pSLT, in clinically-relevant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains, represent a threat for human health. We have analysed 14 S. Typhimurium isolates recovered in Italy and the United Kingdom from swine and from cases of human infection for the presence of virulence-resistance (VR) plasmids.

Population structure of Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:b:- strains and likely sources of human infection.

Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:b:- is a monophasic serovar not able to express the second-phase flagellar antigen (H2 antigen). In Germany, the serovar is occasionally isolated from poultry, reptiles, fish, food, and humans. In this study, a selection of 67 epidemiologically unrelated Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:b:- strains isolated in Germany between 2000 and 2011 from the environment, animal, food, and humans was investigated by phenotypic and genotypic methods to better understand the population structure and to identify potential sources of human infections.

Characterisation of plasmids implicated in the mobilisation of extended-spectrum and AmpC β-lactamase genes in clinical Salmonella enterica isolates and temporal stability of the resistance genotype.

Plasmids implicated in the mobilisation of β-lactamase genes in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC-producing Salmonella enterica isolates recovered from three Spanish hospitals were characterised. The temporal stability of these plasmids and of the resistance phenotype without antimicrobial pressure was also assessed in the laboratory setting. The resistance determinants and their genetic environments were characterised by PCR sequencing, and their genomic location was analysed by S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and I-CeuI PFGE, followed by Southern blot hybridisation.

pMdT1, a small ColE1-like plasmid mobilizing a new variant of the aac(6')-Ib-cr gene in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

Objectives: To characterize a 5.9 kb aac(6')-Ib-cr-harbouring plasmid that was detected in a clinical Salmonella Typhimurium DT104B strain.

Methods: Extraction and purification of plasmid DNA and electrotransformation assays were carried out in order to obtain kanamycin-resistant transformants.

Human infections attributable to the D-tartrate-fermenting variant of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B in Germany originate in reptiles and, on rare occasions, poultry.

In this study, the population structure, incidence, and potential sources of human infection caused by the d-tartrate-fermenting variant of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B [S. Paratyphi B (dT+)] was investigated. In Germany, the serovar is frequently isolated from broilers.

Clonal dissemination of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis in Germany.

Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (Salmonella Infantis) is consistently isolated from broiler chickens, pigs, and humans worldwide. This study investigated 93 epidemiologically unrelated Salmonella Infantis strains isolated in Germany between 2005 and 2008 in respect to their transmission along the food chain. Various phenotypic and genotypic methods were applied, and the pathogenicity and resistance gene repertoire was determined.

[Report on Salmonella isolates submitted to the German National Reference Laboratory for running analyses and tests on zoonoses (Salmonella) in the year 2009].

The present report deals with Salmonella strains received at the German National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella (NRL-Salm) for routine diagnostic in the year 2009. Hence, the working group continues the previous report from Friedrich et al. (2010) about the documentation on the serovar distribution of Salmonella received at the NRL-Salm in the years 2004-2008.

Diversity of Salmonella enterica serovar Derby isolated from pig, pork and humans in Germany.

Salmonella enterica serovar Derby (S. Derby) is one of the most prevalent serovars in pigs in Europe and in the U.S.