Molecular detection and occurrence of vancomycin resistance genes (van A, B, C1, C2/C3) among Enterococcus species isolated from farm ostriches

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the prevalence of vancomycin resistance genes (van genes) in enterococcal isolates from food‐producing animals is an important public health issue because of the possibility of resistance genes spread to human. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine the occurrence of vancomycin resistance genes among Enterococcus species obtained from ostrich faecal samples. METHODS: One hundred and twenty‐five faecal samples of apparently healthy ostriches from five different farms were investigated. Genes encoding vancomycin resistance were studied by multiplex‐PCR, and susceptibility to six antibiotics was evaluated by disk‐diffusion method. RESULTS: In total, 107 Enterococcus spp. isolates were obtained and confirmed by biochemical and molecular tests. Enterococcus faecium was the prevailing species (56 isolates of 107; 52.3%), followed by E. hirae (24 isolates; 22.4%) and E. gallinarum (12 isolates; 11.2%). Of the 107 recovered isolates, 44% harboured at least a type of van genes. vanA, vanC2/3 and vanC1 were identified in 34 (31.7%), 13 isolates (12.1%) and 4 (3.7%) isolates respectively. Additionally, four isolates (E. gallinarum, E. rafinosus) co‐harboured the the vanA and vanC1 or vanA and vanC2/3. Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus hirae strains with the vanA genotype were the most frequent van‐carrying enterococci from ostrich faecal samples. Among van‐carrying enterococcal isolates, 23.4% were phenotypically resistant to vancomycin. This study revealed a relatively high prevalence (44%) of van‐carrying enterococci in ostrich faecal samples. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study suggest that ostrich faeces could be considered as a reservoir of vancomycin resistance genes, especially vanA containing enterococci that could be potentially transferred to human through the food chain.