Phenotypic and genetic characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis isolates from humans and animals in Spain from 2006 to 2021
Investigation published in The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
February 16th, 2024
Objectives
While an increase in the levels of MDR in Salmonella enterica sevorar Choleraesuis has been reported in Europe, little is known about the situation in Spain. Therefore, we first aimed to assess the phenotypic resistance profile and to determine the presence of genetic determinants of resistance of S. Choleraesuis isolates collected in animal and human. Our second objective was to identify and characterize clusters of highly related isolates.
Methods
We analysed 50 human and 45 animal isolates retrieved from 2006 to 2021 using the disc diffusion method and performed WGS followed by analyses of genetic determinants and phylogenetic analysis.
Results
All isolates were of ST145 and corresponded to the variant Kunzendorf. Swine isolates harboured a significantly higher number of antimicrobial resistance genes than human isolates, and often carried plasmid replicons of the IncHI2/IncHI2A type (42% of all animal isolates). In addition, we identified several MDR S. Choleraesuis strains circulating in humans and swine between 2006 and 2021. The phylogenetic analyses identified four clades associated with specific patterns of resistance genes and plasmid replicons. The clades also included isolates that differed in terms of year and region of isolation as well as host of origin.
Conclusions
This One Health approach highlights that reducing human MDR S. Choleraesuis infections may require the adoption of strategies that not only seek to prevent cases in humans but also to characterize and reduce the infection burden in swine.
Jacqueline C., Samper-Cativiela C., Monzon S., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Cuesta I., Alvarez J. and Herrera-Leon S.
 | Servicio de Zoonosis de Transmisión Alimentaria y Resistencia a Antimicrobianos (ZTA). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
 | European Public Health Microbiology Training Programme (EUPHEM). European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). |
 | Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM). Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). |
