TY - JOUR
T1 - Dynamics of blaOXA-23 gene transmission in Acinetobacter spp. from contaminated veterinary environmental surfaces
T2 - An Emerging One Health threat?
AU - Moreira da Silva, Joana
AU - Menezes, Juliana
AU - Fernandes, Laura
AU - Marques, Cátia
AU - Costa, Sofia Santos
AU - Timofte, Dorina
AU - Amaral, Andreia
AU - Pomba, Constança
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by CIISA and FCT Project UIDB/00276/2020, LA/P/0059/2020 (AL4AnimalS) and GHTM through FCT (UID/04413/2020) and LA-REAL – LA/P/0117/2020. This study was funded by FCT project 2022.08669.PTDC – VetCare. J.M.S., J.M. and L.F. were supported by a Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) PhD fellowship (2020.06540.BD, 2020.07562.BD, UI/BD/153070/2022, respectively).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a common pathogen associated with healthcare-acquired infections, and robust infection prevention and control protocols exist in human healthcare settings. In contrast, infection prevention and control (IPC) standards are limited in Veterinary Medicine, necessitating further investigation.AIM: Examine the possible transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in a veterinary practice where a cat was diagnosed with an OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii ST2 strain.METHODS: Environmental samples together with nasal and hand swabs from the veterinary personnel were collected. All swabs were screened for the presence of ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for carbapenemase-producing strains.RESULTS: Of the veterinary staff, 60% carried methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Environmental evaluation showed that 40% (n=6/15) of the surfaces analysed by contact plates and 40% (n=8/20) by swabs failed the hygiene criteria. Assessment of the surfaces revealed contamination with five OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter spp. strains: an OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter schindleri on the weight scale in the waiting room; and four OXA-23-producing A. lwoffii strains, on different surfaces of the treatment room. The blaOXA-23 gene was located on the same plasmid-carrying Tn2008 across the different Acinetobacter spp. strains. These plasmids closely resemble a previously described OXA-23-encoding plasmid from a human Portuguese nosocomial A. pittii isolate. Distinctly, the OXA-23-producing A. baumannii ST2 clinical strain had the resistant gene located on Tn2006, possibly inserted on the chromosome.CONCLUSION: The detection of an OXA-23-producing A. baumannii ST2 veterinary clinical strain is of concern for companion animal health and infection, prevention and control. This study established the dynamic of transmission of the plasmid-mediated blaOXA-23 gene on critical surfaces of a small animal veterinary practice. The genetic resemblance to a plasmid found in human nosocomial setting suggests a potential One-health link.
AB - BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a common pathogen associated with healthcare-acquired infections, and robust infection prevention and control protocols exist in human healthcare settings. In contrast, infection prevention and control (IPC) standards are limited in Veterinary Medicine, necessitating further investigation.AIM: Examine the possible transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in a veterinary practice where a cat was diagnosed with an OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii ST2 strain.METHODS: Environmental samples together with nasal and hand swabs from the veterinary personnel were collected. All swabs were screened for the presence of ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for carbapenemase-producing strains.RESULTS: Of the veterinary staff, 60% carried methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Environmental evaluation showed that 40% (n=6/15) of the surfaces analysed by contact plates and 40% (n=8/20) by swabs failed the hygiene criteria. Assessment of the surfaces revealed contamination with five OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter spp. strains: an OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter schindleri on the weight scale in the waiting room; and four OXA-23-producing A. lwoffii strains, on different surfaces of the treatment room. The blaOXA-23 gene was located on the same plasmid-carrying Tn2008 across the different Acinetobacter spp. strains. These plasmids closely resemble a previously described OXA-23-encoding plasmid from a human Portuguese nosocomial A. pittii isolate. Distinctly, the OXA-23-producing A. baumannii ST2 clinical strain had the resistant gene located on Tn2006, possibly inserted on the chromosome.CONCLUSION: The detection of an OXA-23-producing A. baumannii ST2 veterinary clinical strain is of concern for companion animal health and infection, prevention and control. This study established the dynamic of transmission of the plasmid-mediated blaOXA-23 gene on critical surfaces of a small animal veterinary practice. The genetic resemblance to a plasmid found in human nosocomial setting suggests a potential One-health link.
KW - Carbapenem resistance
KW - Companion animals
KW - Infection, prevention, and control
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.02.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.02.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 38365067
SN - 0195-6701
VL - 146
SP - 116
EP - 124
JO - The Journal of hospital infection
JF - The Journal of hospital infection
ER -
