Faecal Escherichia coli isolates from healthy dogs harbour CTX-M-15 and CMY-2 ß-lactamases.

The presence of extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) and plasmid-mediated AmpC ß-lactamase (pAmpC) producing Escherichia coli, along with the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and the molecular types of isolates, was investigated in faecal samples from 53 healthy dogs in Mexico. Samples were inoculated on Levine agar plates with 2 µg/mL cefotaxime for recovery of cefotaxime-resistant (CTX(R)) E. coli. CTX(R)E. coli isolates were recovered from 9/53 (17%) samples; one isolate was characterised from each positive sample. ESBL producing E. coli isolates were detected in 3/53 (6%) samples; these isolates carried the blaCTX-M-15 gene and one isolate also carried blaSHV-2. These three ESBL-positive E. coli isolates belonged to phylogroup A and sequence types ST617, ST410 or ST3944. The remaining 6/53 (11%) samples contained pAmpC positive isolates; these isolates carried the blaCMY-2 gene, which encodes CMY-2 ß-lactamase. These six isolates belonged to phylogroups A (n = 2), B1 (n = 1) and D (n = 3), and sequences types ST1431, ST57, ST93 and ST4565. One CMY-2 ß-lactamase positive E. coli isolate of lineage ST93 had the -32 mutation in the chromosomal ampC promoter/attenuator region. Five ESBL/pAmpC positive E. coli isolates carried class 1 integrons (dfrA17-aadA5, aadA and aadA/aadB arrays were detected in three isolates) and one isolate carried a class 2 integron (dfrA12-sat2-aadA1). The aac(6')Ib-cr, aac(3)-II, qnrB19, tet(A), tet(B), cmlA, and sul3 genes were also detected. All studied isolates showed unrelated PFGE-patterns. To our knowledge, this is the first description of ESBL-producing E. coli and the second of pAmpC-producing E. coli from healthy dogs in America. Our results suggest the potential zoonotic role of dogs in the transmission to humans of ESBL and pAmpC E. coli in the household environment.

Chorionic gonadotropin hormone receptors on Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps cysticerci in culture.

Hormones play a significant role in murine Taenia crassiceps cysticercosis, and they may also participate in the susceptibility to Taenia solium cysticercosis. In the present study, in vitro effects are reported for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the larval stages of T. crassiceps (WFU strain) and T. solium. Our results reveal the presence of receptors for hCG in different developmental phases of both cultured parasites. On day 30, both taeniid species had the highest percentage of receptors in the neck, strobila, and suckers, but these receptors decreased by day 60, delimiting the segments and the exterior of the developing proglottids in T. solium. At the same time, there was a large number of hCG receptors in the area of the presumptive cirrus organ and in calcareous corpuscles within the parenchyma. This is the first report detecting receptors for hCG on different larval stages of T. crassiceps and T. solium. A direct effect of hCG could be recognized by the cysticerci as a factor contributing to the growth and development of T. crassiceps and T. solium cysticerci, respectively.