Streptococcus suis in employees and the environment of swine slaughterhouses in São Paulo, Brazil: Occurrence, risk factors, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Streptococcus suis is an important pathogen in the swine industry. This article is the first to report the occurrence, risk factors, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of S. suis recovered from employees and environmental samples of swine slaughterhouses in Brazil. Tonsillar swabs from all 139 pig-slaughtering employees and 261 environmental swabs were collected for detection of S. suis and serotyping by monoplex and multiplex polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk-diffusion method. Although S. suis was not detected in any of the tested employees, it was isolated from 25% of the environmental samples. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the occurrence of S. suis were observed between slaughterhouses and between areas of low, medium, and high risk. The most frequent serotypes were 4 and 29, each accounting for 12% of the isolates, followed by 5, 12, 21, and 31, each accounting for 6%. High rates of susceptibility to the antimicrobials doxycycline (100%), ceftiofur (94%), ampicillin (81%), and cephalexin (75%) were observed. However, multidrug resistance was observed in all the isolates. Because S. suis is present in the environment of swine slaughterhouses, on carcasses and knives, as well as on the hands of employees in all areas, all employees are at risk of infection.

Streptococcus suis est un agent pathogène important dans l'industrie porcine. Cet article est le premier à rapporter la fréquence, les facteurs de risque, la distribution des sérotypes, et la sensibilité aux antimicrobiens d'isolats de S. suis provenant des employés et d'échantillons de l'environnement d'abattoirs de porcs au Brésil. Des échantillons des amygdales des 139 employés et 261 échantillons environnementaux furent prélevés pour détection de S. suis et sérotypage par réaction d'amplification en chaine monoplex et multiplex, respectivement. La sensibilité aux antimicrobiens a été déterminée par la méthode de diffusion en disque. Bien que S. suis ne fut isolé d'aucun des employés testés, la bactérie a été isolée de 25 % des échantillons environnementaux. Des différences significatives (P < 0,05) dans la fréquence de S. suis furent observées entre les abattoirs et entre les zones à risque faible, moyen, et élevé. Les sérotypes 4 et 29 étaient les plus fréquents, comptant chacun pour 12 % des isolats, suivi des sérotypes 5, 12, 21, et 31, chacun comptant pour 6 %. Des pourcentages élevés de sensibilité à la doxycycline (100 %), au ceftiofur (94 %), à l'ampicilline (81 %) et à la céphalexine (75 %) ont été notés. Toutefois, de la résistance multiple fut observée chez tous les isolats. Étant donné que S. suis est présent dans l'environnement des abattoirs de porc, sur les carcasses et les couteaux, ainsi que sur les mains des employés dans toutes les zones, tous les employés sont à risque de s'infecter.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus suis isolated from clinically healthy swine in Brazil.

Streptococcus suis is an important pathogen in the swine industry. This study is the first to report on the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. suis isolated from clinically healthy pigs in Brazil; the fourth major pork producer in the world. The antimicrobial susceptibility of 260 strains was determined by disc diffusion method. Strains were commonly susceptible to ceftiofur, cephalexin, chloramphenicol, and florfenicol, with more than 80% of the strains being susceptible to these antimicrobials. A high frequency of resistance to some of the antimicrobial agents was demonstrated, with resistance being most common to sulfa-trimethoprim (100%), tetracycline (97.69%), clindamycin (84.61%), norfloxacin (76.92%), and ciprofloxacin (61.15%). A high percentage of multidrug resistant strains (99.61%) were also found. The results of this study indicate that ceftiofur, cephalexin, and florfenicol are the antimicrobials of choice for empirical control of the infections caused by S. suis.

Streptococcus suis est un pathogène important de l'industrie porcine. Cette étude est la première à rapporter la susceptibilité antimicrobienne de souches S. suis isolées de porcs cliniquement sains provenant du Brésil, le quatrième producteur de porc à l'échelle de la planète. La susceptibilité antimicrobienne de 260 souches fut examinée par la méthode de diffusion des disques imprégnés d'antibiotiques. Plusieurs souches étaient susceptibles au ceftiofur, céphalexine, chlorphénicol, et florfénicol, avec plus de 80 % des souches qui étaient susceptibles à ces antimicrobiens. Une haute fréquence de résistance à certains des antimicrobiens futs démontrée, principalement au sulfa-triméthoprime (100 %), tetracycline (97,69 %), clindamycine (84,61 %), norfloxacine (76,92 %), et ciprofloxacine (61,15 %). Un pourcentage élevé de souches multirésistantes (99,61 %) a également été observé. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que le ceftiofur, la céphalexine et le florfénicol sont les antimicrobiens de choix pour le contrôle empirique des infections causées par S. suis.(Traduit par les auteurs).

Prevalence of Streptococcus suis serotype 2: discussion of the Brazilian literature / Prevalência de Streptococcus suis sorotipo 2: discussão da literatura brasileira

Streptococcus suis is considered worldwide as one of the pathogens of biggest health and economic impact in the swine industry. Among the serotypes described as zoonotic, serotype 2 is the most frequently isolated from diseased animals and humans in most countries. The study of the epidemiology of S. suis infections in Brazil is important and may help in the development of effective control measures. The aim of this study was to conduct a critical review of Brazilian literature, with support of the world literature, addressing the diagnosis of the agent and its prevalence in clinically ill animals and healthy carriers, especially regarding to the prevalence of the serotype 2 in the country.

Streptococcus suis é mundialmente considerado um dos patógenos de maior impacto sanitário e econômico na indústria suinícola. Dentre os sorotipos descritos como zoonóticos, o sorotipo 2 é o mais frequentemente isolado de animais e humanos doentes na maioria dos países. O estudo da epidemiologia das infecções por S. suis no Brasil é importante para a implantação de medidas efetivas de controle. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar uma revisão crítica da literatura brasileira, com suporte da literatura mundial, abordando o diagnóstico do agente e sua prevalência em animais clinicamente doentes e portadores sadios, com destaque para a prevalência do sorotipo 2 no país.

Polymerase chain reaction detection of enterotoxins genes in coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from Brazilian Minas cheese.

For a long time, Staphylococcus aureus has been always thought to be the only pathogenic species among Staphylococcus, while coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were classified as contaminant agents. However, molecular techniques have shown that these microorganisms also possess enterotoxin-encoding genes. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of genes for staphylococcal enterotoxins SEA, SEB, SEC, and SED in CNS strains isolated from Minas soft cheese and to assess the in vitro production of toxins. CNS were found in 65 (72.2%) samples of cheese: 23 were Staphylococcus saprophyticus, 16 Staphylococcus warneri, 10 Staphylococcus epidermidis, 9 Staphylococcus xylosus, 3 Staphylococcus haemolyticus, 2 Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. schleiferi, and 1 each Staphylococcus capitis subsp. urealyticus and Staphylococcus caprae. Seventeen (26.2%) CNS strains had genes for enterotoxins, and sea was more frequently found (18.5%), followed by sec in three and seb in two strains, whereas the sed gene was not found. S. saprophyticus showed enterotoxin genes in 6 of 23 isolates, but only sea was observed. On the other hand, five strains of S. warneri showed the sea, seb, or sec gene. In spite of the presence of these enterotoxin genes, these strains did not produce enterotoxins in vitro. It is essential to understand the real role of CNS in food, and based on the presence of enterotoxin genes, CNS should not be ignored in epidemiological investigations of foodborne outbreaks.