Multiple antibiotic resistance gene transfer from animal to human enterococci in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2003 Sep;47(9):2993-6. doi: 10.1128/AAC.47.9.2993-2996.2003.

Abstract

It has been proposed that food animals represent the source of glycopeptide resistance genes present in enterococci from humans. We demonstrated the transfer of vanA and of other resistance genes from porcine to human Enterococcus faecium at high frequency in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice. Tylosin in the drinking water favored colonization by transconjugants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Conjugation, Genetic
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Digestive System / microbiology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / genetics*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Germ-Free Life
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Swine
  • Tylosin / pharmacology
  • Water Supply / analysis

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Tylosin