Characterization of biofilm formation by Exiguobacterium strains in response to arsenic exposure.

IMPORTANCE: In this work, we characterized the composition, structure, and functional potential for biofilm formation of Exiguobacterium strains isolated from the Salar de Huasco in Chile in the presence of arsenic, an abundant metalloid in the Salar that exists in different oxidation states. Our results showed that the Exiguobacterium strains tested exhibit a significant capacity to form biofilms when exposed to arsenic, which would contribute to their resistance to the metalloid. The results highlight the importance of biofilm formation and the presence of specific resistance mechanisms in the ability of microorganisms to survive and thrive under adverse conditions.

Mobile genetic elements drive the multidrug resistance and spread of Salmonella serotypes along a poultry meat production line.

The presence of mobile genetic elements in Salmonella isolated from a chicken farm constitutes a potential risk for the appearance of emerging bacteria present in the food industry. These elements contribute to increased pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance through genes that are related to the formation of biofilms and resistance genes contained in plasmids, integrons, and transposons. One hundred and thirty-three Salmonella isolates from different stages of the production line, such as feed manufacturing, hatchery, broiler farm, poultry farm, and slaughterhouse, were identified, serotyped and sequenced. The most predominant serotype was Salmonella Infantis. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the diversity and spread of strains in the pipeline are serotype-independent, and that isolates belonging to the same serotype are very closely related genetically. On the other hand, Salmonella Infantis isolates carried the pESI IncFIB plasmid harboring a wide variety of resistance genes, all linked to mobile genetic elements, and among carriers of these plasmids, the antibiograms showed differences in resistance profiles and this linked to a variety in plasmid structure, similarly observed in the diversity of Salmonella Heidelberg isolates carrying the IncI1-Iα plasmid. Mobile genetic elements encoding resistance and virulence genes also contributed to the differences in gene content. Antibiotic resistance genotypes were matched closely by the resistance phenotypes, with high frequency of tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and cephalosporins resistance. In conclusion, the contamination in the poultry industry is described throughout the entire production line, with mobile genetic elements leading to multi-drug resistant bacteria, thus promoting survival when challenged with various antimicrobial compounds.

Genetic Characterization of Salmonella Infantis with Multiple Drug Resistance Profiles Isolated from a Poultry-Farm in Chile.

Salmonella comprises over 2500 serotypes and foodborne contamination associated with this pathogen remains an important health concern worldwide. During the last decade, a shift in serotype prevalence has occurred as traditionally less prevalent serotypes are increasing in frequency of infections, especially those related to poultry meat contamination. S. Infantis is one of the major emerging serotypes, and these strains commonly display antimicrobial resistance and can persist despite cleaning protocols. Thus, this work aimed to isolate S. Infantis strains from a poultry meat farm in Santiago, Chile and to characterize genetic variations present in them. We determined their genomic and phenotypic profiles at different points along the production line. The results indicate that the strains encompass 853 polymorphic sites (core-SNPs) with isolates differing from one another by 0-347 core SNPs, suggesting variation among them; however, we found discrete correlations with the source of the sample in the production line. Furthermore, the pan-genome was composed of 4854 total gene clusters of which 2618 (53.9%) corresponds to the core-genome and only 181 (3.7%) are unique genes (those present in one particular strain). This preliminary analysis will enrich the surveillance of Salmonella, yet further studies are required to assess their evolution and phylogeny.