<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0030_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial-resistant <italic>Enterococcus faecalis</italic> and <italic>E. faecium</italic> isolated from the oral cavities of captive giant pandas in China.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0030_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>The virulence-associated determinant and antimicrobial resistance genes were detected and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed on 54 strains of each bacterium.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0030_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>All isolates showed 100% multidrug resistance. <italic>E. faecalis</italic> isolates showed a higher percentage of strains resistant to gentamicin (48.1%), vancomycin (55.6%), linezolid (100%), and streptomycin (33.3%) than <italic>E. faecium</italic> isolates. The resistance genes of <italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. were present to highly varying extents according to antibiotic type, their presence breaking down for <italic>E. faecalis</italic> and <italic>E. faecium</italic> respectively as <italic>aac(6')/aph(2″)</italic> 5.56% and 5.56%; <italic>aph(3')-</italic>Ⅲ 0% and 14.81%; <italic>ant(<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_jvetres-2021-0030_ref_006">6</xref>)-I</italic> 0% and 3.7%; <italic>ant(4')-Ia</italic> 0% and 64.81%; <italic>tetL</italic> 20.37% and 100%; <italic>vanA</italic> 92.59% and 46.3%; <italic>vanB</italic> 0% and 0%; <italic>cfr</italic> 0% and 90.74%; <italic>optrA</italic> 96.3% and 3.7%; <italic>blaZ</italic> 0% and 1.85%; <italic>blaTEM</italic> 0% and 0%; <italic>tetA</italic> 20.37% and 0%; <italic>tetC</italic> 24.07% and 100%; <italic>tetM</italic> 0% and 0%; <italic>ermA</italic> 12.96% and 100%; <italic>ermB</italic> 5.56% and 3.7%; and <italic>ermC</italic> 0% and 1.85%.Virulence-associated determinants were detected in this research, which typically include <italic>efaA</italic>, <italic>gelE</italic>, <italic>asa1</italic>, <italic>ace</italic>, <italic>cylA</italic>, <italic>esp</italic> and <italic>hyl</italic>; however, the latter three were not detected. High proportions of the isolates carried the <italic>efaA</italic>, <italic>gelE</italic>, <italic>asa1</italic>, and <italic>ace</italic> genes. Respectively for <italic>E. faecalis</italic> and <italic>E. faecium</italic> their detection was <italic>efaA</italic> 98.1% and 85.2%; <italic>gelE</italic> 98.1% and 87%; <italic>asa1</italic> 92.6% and 87%; and <italic>ace</italic> 87% and 85.2%.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0030_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>This is the first study on the potential disease risk and antimicrobial-resistant characteristics of <italic>E. faecalis</italic> and <italic>E. faecium</italic> isolates in giant panda oral cavities. The results of this study show that the antimicrobial resistance rate of <italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. isolated from the oral cavity of captive pandas is very high, and thus needs to be monitored.</p></sec>


</abstract>

Introduction
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium isolated from the oral cavities of captive giant pandas in China.

Material and Methods
The virulence-associated determinant and antimicrobial resistance genes were detected and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed on 54 strains of each bacterium.

Results
All isolates showed 100% multidrug resistance. E. faecalis isolates showed a higher percentage of strains resistant to gentamicin (48.1%), vancomycin (55.6%), linezolid (100%), and streptomycin (33.3%) than E. faecium isolates. The resistance genes of Enterococcus spp. were present to highly varying extents according to antibiotic type, their presence breaking down for E. faecalis and E. faecium respectively as aac(6')/aph(2″) 5.56% and 5.56%; aph(3')-Ⅲ 0% and 14.81%; ant(6)-I 0% and 3.7%; ant(4')-Ia 0% and 64.81%; tetL 20.37% and 100%; vanA 92.59% and 46.3%; vanB 0% and 0%; cfr 0% and 90.74%; optrA 96.3% and 3.7%; blaZ 0% and 1.85%; blaTEM 0% and 0%; tetA 20.37% and 0%; tetC 24.07% and 100%; tetM 0% and 0%; ermA 12.96% and 100%; ermB 5.56% and 3.7%; and ermC 0% and 1.85%.Virulence-associated determinants were detected in this research, which typically include efaA, gelE, asa1, ace, cylA, esp and hyl; however, the latter three were not detected. High proportions of the isolates carried the efaA, gelE, asa1, and ace genes. Respectively for E. faecalis and E. faecium their detection was efaA 98.1% and 85.2%; gelE 98.1% and 87%; asa1 92.6% and 87%; and ace 87% and 85.2%.

Conclusion
This is the first study on the potential disease risk and antimicrobial-resistant characteristics of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates in giant panda oral cavities. The results of this study show that the antimicrobial resistance rate of Enterococcus spp. isolated from the oral cavity of captive pandas is very high, and thus needs to be monitored.

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor gene profiles of <italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. isolated from giant panda oral cavities

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor gene profiles of  spp. isolated from giant panda oral cavities

Introduction
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium...

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor gene profiles of Enterococcus spp. isolated from giant panda oral cavities

Published Online: Jun 08, 2021

Page range: 147 - 154

Received: Oct 20, 2020

Accepted: May 14, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0030

Keywords
spp, giant panda, antimicrobial resistance, resistance genes, virulence factors

© 2021 R. Zhong et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor gene profiles of Enterococcus spp. isolated from giant panda oral cavities

Published Online: Jun 08, 2021

Page range: 147 - 154

Received: Oct 20, 2020

Accepted: May 14, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0030

Keywordsspp, giant panda, antimicrobial resistance, resistance genes, virulence factors

© 2021 R. Zhong et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
spp, giant panda, antimicrobial resistance, resistance genes, virulence factors