First clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii) in Argentina: characterization and subtyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Cronobacter species are opportunistic pathogens associated with severe infections in neonates and immunocompromised infants. From January 2009 through September 2010, two cases of neonatal infections associated with Cronobacter malonaticus and one case associated with Cronobacter sakazakii, two of them fatal, were reported in the same hospital. These are the first clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. in Argentina. The objective of this work was to characterize and subtype clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. in neonate patients, as well as to establish the genetic relationship between these isolates and the foodborne isolates previously identified in the country. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis showed a genetic relationship between the C. malonaticus isolates from two patients. Different results were found when the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of clinical isolates were compared with those deposited in the National Database of Cronobacter spp.

Multiresistant and blaCTX-M-14-Carrying Salmonella ser. Typhimurium Isolated During a Salmonellosis Outbreak in an Equine Hospital in Argentina.

Salmonella spp. causes digestive clinical signs in horses. Foals and hospitalized animals are more susceptible to the disease. Nowadays, the report of multidrug-resistant Salmonella spp. producer of extended-spectrum ß-lactamases, is more frequent. The aim of this work was to study the clonal relationship and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles among Salmonella ser. Typhimurium isolates, obtained during a salmonellosis outbreak in an Argentinian equine hospital. Thus, in 2017, we studied the genotypic profiles and the susceptibility to antimicrobials of the strains isolated from three animals with diarrhea in an equine hospital of Argentina. The pulsotype identified by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was the same among the isolates. Also, this pulsotype had been previously detected in human and porcine isolates, suggesting the circulation of the same strains in different species. Multidrug-resistant isolates with different ß-lactam susceptibility profiles were identified and blaCTX-M-14 was detected for the first time from an isolate of equine-origin in Argentina. Salmonella ser. Typhimurium is an important pathogen in public and veterinary health, so our results emphasize the relevance of appropriate measures to prevent and control this disease. Furthermore, routine antibiotic susceptibility tests of local strains are needed to improve the empiric treatment of equine salmonellosis.

Molecular characterization and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella Heidelberg isolates from poultry.

In the last 10 years, Salmonella Heidelberg has been extensively isolated from poultry in several countries. In this context, molecular characterization is essential to understand whether the strains have entered the farms from a single or several sources. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the genetic relationship and antimicrobial susceptibility of S. Heidelberg strains isolated between 2011 and 2012 from broiler farms belonging to three integrated poultry companies located in Argentina. The genetic relatedness of the S. Heidelberg isolates was determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and resistance to 21 antimicrobials was determined by the disc diffusion method. The isolates were assigned to four PFGE patterns. Most of the strains showed 100% similarity and belonged to the same integrated poultry company. This PFGE pattern was also prevalent in S. Heidelberg strains isolated from humans in several provinces of Argentina, which suggests an epidemiological association between human and poultry strains. All the isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR), and no clear relationship was observed between PFGE and resistance patterns. S. Heidelberg strains may circulate among farms from the same integrated company due to common sources of contamination. To guarantee the safety of the poultry product for the consumers, holistic approaches including surveillance of Salmonella throughout the production chain together with control measures are crucial.

First clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii) in Argentina: characterization and subtyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis / First clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii) in Argentina: characterization and subtyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Cronobacter species are opportunistic pathogens associated with severe infections in neonates and immunocompromised infants. From January 2009 through September 2010, two cases of neonatal infections associated with Cronobacter malonaticus and one case associated with Cronobacter sakazakii, two of them fatal, were reported in the same hospital. These are the first clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. in Argentina. The objective of this work was to characterize and subtype clinical isolates of Cronobacter spp. in neonate patients, as well as to establish the genetic relationship between these isolates and the foodborne isolates previously identified in the country. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis showed a genetic relationship between the C. malonaticus isolates from two patients. Different results were found when the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of clinical isolates were compared with those deposited in the National Database of Cronobacter spp.