Occurrence, antibiogram, high-level vancomycin and aminoglycosides resistance and potential virulence factors of enterococci in dogs in Nigeria

AbstractThis study was conducted to isolate enterococci from dogs in Nigeria, and determine the potential virulence, antibiotic susceptibility, phenotypic vancomycin (VAN), high-level ampicillin (AMP) aminoglycosides susceptibility profile of isolates. Rectal swabs were collected 295 randomly-selected, clinically-healthy dogs. The isolation done using Slanetz Bartley enterococcal selective medium. resistance 150 non-repetitive isolates determined disc diffusion method. VAN assessed by agar-screening methods. High-level AMP (gentamicin streptomycin) Potential virulence factors assayed Out samples, 234 (80.7%) gave positive growth. From these, 250 comprised 229 (91.6%) non-pigmented 21 (8.4%) pigmented strains, obtained. Resistance 89% erythromycin, 92% rifampicin, 77% chloramphenicol, 83% tetracycline, 64% ciprofloxacin, 32.7% VAN, 24.7% streptomycin (HLS) 6% gentamicin (HLG). Among resistant isolates, 144 (96%), including all VAN-, HLS- HLG-resistant exhibited at least 3 classes antibiotics. mean multiple index 0.54 (range = 0.22 – 0.89). Of these 94 (62.7%), displayed potentials as biofilm (44.7%), surface-layer (13.8%), haemolysin (21.3%), gelatinase (40.4%), caesinase (10.6%) deoxyribonuclease (12.8%) activities. This showed that Nigeria are reservoirs disseminators potentially-virulent, multidrug-, VAN- aminoglycosides-resistant enterococci.