High prevalence of intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin in Salmonella enterica isolated from a Brazilian poultry production chain, located in Minas Gerais state

We characterized the distribution and diversity of antimicrobial-resistance Salmonella enterica isolated from a poultry production chain in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with special attention to ciprofloxacin and multidrug resistance (MDR). S. enterica (n = 96) of different serotypes and from different processing steps were subjected to broth dilution assay to estimate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for 12 antibiotics (8 classes) and screened using PCR for the presence of 17 antimicrobial-resistance genes. Isolates presented mainly resistance to ampicillin (11/96), and most presented intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin (92/96). Roughly one-third (33/96) were resistant to streptomycin based on our interpretive criteria. Most strains resistant to streptomycin and ciprofloxacin were PCR-positive for aphA (51/96) and qnrB (94/96), respectively. Ciprofloxacin resistance was further investigated through high-resolution melting qPCR (HRM-qPCR) and sequencing of quinolone resistancedetermining region (QRDR: gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE). Minor differences were identified in melting temperatures (Tm), and a Thr57Sr mutation was observed in parC. MDR isolates harboring acrA and capable of expressing the AcrAB-TolC multidrug efflux pump were resistant to ethidium bromide at 0.4 mg/mL. The intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin may be associated with qnrB, and the potential role of Thr57Ser mutation warrants further investigation. The high prevalence of antibiotic related genes and its association with the observed intermediary resistance to ciprofloxacin indicates the widespread of this hazard in the studied poultry production chain.

Automated summary

This study characterized the distribution and diversity of antimicrobial-resistance Salmonella enterica from a poultry production chain in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The isolates showed mainly resistance to ampicillin and intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin. The high prevalence of antibiotic-related genes and the association with intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin indicate the widespread presence of this hazard in the studied poultry production chain.