Research Information System
Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, vol.25, no.2, pp.263-269, 2019 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, it was aimed to determine the occurence of ampicillin and vancomycin resistant enterococci (ARE and VRE) species in dogs andcats, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence genes (asa1, esp, gelE, hyl, cylA) of the isolates. Minimal inhibitor concentration (MIC) values ofampicillin and vancomycin were determined by macro dilution method and E-test, respectively. For this purpose, 531 rectal swabs collectedfrom dogs (n=276) and cats (n=255) from three different cities (İstanbul, Ankara and Mersin) were examined. ARE was detected in 60 (21.7%)of dogs and in 47 (18.4%) of cats. VRE was detected in one dog and two cats. All ARE and VRE isolates were identified as Enterococcus faeciumby polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and showed multi-drug resistance (MDR) phenotype. A small number of AREfm isolates (4.7%) carriedvirulence gene. To the authors’ knowledge, the study is first reporting vanA gene harboring VREfm in dogs in Turkey. The results indicatedthat both dogs and cats were frequent carriers of AREfm. Due to close contact with humans, dogs and cats may play an important role in thespread of these nosocomial pathogens in the community. Therefore, further molecular studies are needed to elucidate the possible role ofanimal originated AREfm and VREfm strains in human nosocomial infections.