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Introduction: Streptococcus porcinus is considered a zoonotic opportunistic pathogen for several animal species, including swine, and can cause systemic clinical conditions. There are morphological similarities between streptococcal species, leading to possible incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate treatment choice. Here, we describe the identification, and genotypic and genomic characterization of S. porcinus isolated from 5 adult sick pigs from Minas Gerais and São Paulo (Brazil) between 2010-2017., Methodology: Streptococcus spp. strains were isolated from vaginal discharge, joint abscess, and brain tissue received for routine diagnosis. They were identified as S. porcinus by mass spectrometry and partial sequencing of the groEL gene. Genotypic characterization by amplified fragment length polymorphism was performed. In addition, the genome of one of the S. porcinus invasive strains was sequenced and comparative analyses were performed., Results: Genotyping revealed that the nervous system and joint abscess invasive strains had higher genetic similarity and clustered separately from vaginal discharge strains. Genome sequencing of one of the invasive strains revealed the presence of genes conferring resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, lincosamides, and macrolides. A high level of similarity of the Brazilian strain genome with British and American strains was found. However, these strains also presented higher variation in their accessory genomes., Conclusions: The circulation of S. porcinus invasive and resistant strains, and the lack of its identification demands attention, posing a risk for animals and workers in the swine industry., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2024 Carlos EC Matajira, Luisa Z Moreno, Andre P Poor, Matheus S Monteiro, Vasco TdM Gomes, Maurício C Dutra, Mikaela RF Barbosa, Maria IZ Sato, Andrea M Moreno.)

This study aimed to characterize 300 Aeromonas spp. strains isolated from 123 ornamental fish of 32 different species presenting with septicemia, skin lesions, and/or eye lesions. Within the 300 strains, 53.0% were identified as A. veronii , 41.3% as A. hydrophila , and 5.7% as A. caviae . Among the six virulence genes investigated, the most frequent were act (90.3%) and aer (79.3%). More than 50% of A. hydrophila strains were positive for all the studied genes. A total of 30 virulence profiles were identified, with the five main profiles identified comprising 75% of strains. Only five strains were negative for all genes and were identified as A. caviae and A. veronii . The antimicrobial susceptibility profile was performed for 234 strains, with sulfonamides presenting more than 50% of the resistance rates. Susceptibility was observed mainly for cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol and piperacillin-tazobactam. Multidrug resistance was detected in 82.5% of the studied strains, including A. caviae with 100% multidrug resistance, and A. hydrophila with 90.9% multidrug resistance. The SE-AFLP analysis resulted in 66 genotypes of A. hydrophila , 118 genotypes of A. veronii , and 14 genotypes of A. caviae , demonstrating the greater heterogeneity of A. veronii and A. caviae . However, no direct correlation was observed between the genotypes and the strains' origins or virulence and resistance profiles.

Purulent vulvar discharge is a clinical sign of genitourinary tract infections, which are a significant concern in swine facilities, leading to sow culling and mortality. Escherichia coli is one of the main agents involved in these diseases. This study aimed to characterize the virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles as well as the phylotype of Escherichia coli strains isolated from sows with purulent vulvar discharge. The results showed that at least 2 of the 29 tested virulence genes related to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli were present in all strains tested. The most frequent gene was iutA , present in all strains, followed by the genes iucD , csgA , iss2 , and irp2 . Associations between iron uptake genes, genes related to adhesion, attachment, and serum resistance, as well as genes related to toxin release and bacteriocin, were frequent. The most prevalent phylotype was B1 (40.0%), followed by A (18.5%), D (11.9%), C (9.6%), B2 (7.4%), E (4.4%), F (1.5%), and Clade I (0.7%), with B2 being related to highly virulent traits. The strains presented elevated resistance to antimicrobials such as ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, cephalexin, florfenicol, and ampicillin. More than 90% of the strains were identified as multidrug-resistant, indicating the selection that is induced by the high use of antimicrobials in swine farming.

Clinical endometritis causes serious economic losses in dairy farms, mainly due to its negative health impact on fertility and milk production, as well as the additional costs of medicines used to treat the affected animals. The therapy for uterine diseases is principally performed with antibiotic treatment; however, its indiscriminate use in dairy herds can favor the increase in the resistance of pathogenic bacteria, leading to treatment failures. In this regard, the use of unconventional treatment may be a good option to reduce the use of antimicrobials in milk production. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of cinnamon, oregano, and thyme essential oils, and their combinations, against bovine uterine pathogens. The antibacterial activities of these essential oils were evaluated by the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), and Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) indices against Escherichia coli and Trueperella pyogenes, which were isolated from dairy cows with clinical endometritis. Among the essential oils evaluated, the lowest MIC and MBC values observed were obtained with cinnamon essential oil alone. The association among essential oils showed different kinds of interactions, and in some situations, antagonism was observed. This study demonstrated a promising antimicrobial activity of cinnamon's essential oil, indicating that it has excellent potential to be explored as a possible alternative in the treatment of clinical endometritis in dairy cows., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this study declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purulent vulvar discharges, primarily caused by genito-urinary tract infections, are an important source of economic loss for swine producers due to sow culling and mortality. However, the agents that compose the vaginal microbiota of sows and their changes during infections are not well understood. The first goal of this study was to characterize and compare the vaginal bacterial content of healthy (HE, n = 40) and purulent vulvar discharge sows (VD, n = 270) by a culture-dependent method and MALDI-TOF MS identification. Secondly, we performed 16S rRNA targeted metagenomic approach (n = 72) to compare the vaginal microbiota between these groups. We found a wide variety of bacteria, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota being the most abundant phyla in both groups, as well as Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, and Bacteroides at the genus level. Most agents identified in the sequencing method also grew in the culture-dependent method, showing the viability of these bacteria. Alpha diversity did not differ between HE and VD sows, regarding sample richness and diversity, but a beta-diversity index showed a different microbiota composition between these groups in two tested herds. ANCOM analysis revealed that Bacteroides pyogenes were more abundant in VD females and can be a marker for this group. Other agents also require attention, such as the Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staphylococcus hyicus found in remarkably greater relative abundance in VD sows. Network analysis revealed important positive correlations between some potentially pathogenic genera, such as between Escherichia-Shigella, Trueperella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Prevotella, which did not occur in healthy sows. We conclude that the alteration of the vaginal microbiota between healthy and purulent vulvar discharge sows, although not extreme, could be due to the increase in the relative abundance of specific agents and to associations between potentially pathogenic bacteria., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Salmonellosis is a zoonosis of major relevance to global public health. Here we present the assessment of Salmonella enterica contamination in pork and poultry meat sold at retail markets in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 780 meat samples (386 poultry meat and 394 pork samples) were collected from 132 markets. From these, 57 samples (7.3%) were positive for S. enterica isolation, including 32 (8.3%) poultry meat and 25 (6.3%) pork samples. S. enterica isolates were further characterized for serotyping, antimicrobial resistance and genotyping by amplified fragment length polymorphism and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Antimicrobial resistance analysis demonstrated two main profiles: pork isolates were more resistant to macrolides, β-lactams, tetracycline, phenicols, and fluoroquinolones, and poultry meat isolates presented higher resistance to fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, tetracycline, and β-lactams. A total of 72.4% of poultry meat isolates were identified as S. Heidelberg, while most of pork isolates were S. Typhimurium (31.7%) and S . Give (16.7%). Genotyping resulted in most clusters consisting exclusively of pork or poultry meat, no cross-contamination was detected, and a tendency to differentiate isolates according to their serotypes and markets of origin. High resistance rates to critically important antimicrobials reinforce the importance of controlling Salmonella contamination in meat production chains.

Bacterial diseases are common in ornamental fish, more frequently associated with ubiquitous bacteria from the aquarium environment. The disease can lead to fish mortality and cause high economic losses if not rapidly controlled. The aim of this study was to identify the main causative bacterial agents of infection in ornamental fish with different clinical signs. A total of 126 freshwater fish, from 12 families and 38 species, with clinical signs were collected in a wholesaler in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Samples were taken from the eye, skin ulcers, kidneys, and gills, plated on MacConkey, CHROMagar Orientation, and blood agar and incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bacterial identification was performed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. From the 126 studied animals, 112 were positive for bacterial isolation. Among the positive animals, 32.1% presented infection caused by a single bacterial species, while in the remaining 67.9%, two to six different bacterial species were identified. A total of 259 bacterial strains were obtained and classified among 46 bacterial species. The species of higher frequency were Aeromonas veronii (26.3%), Aeromonas hydrophilla (16.2%), Shewanella putrefaciens (7.3%), Citrobacter freundii (8.1%), Vibrio albensis (5.8%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.2%). MALDI-TOF MS showed to be a rapid method for diagnosis of bacterial disease outbreaks in ornamental fish establishments.

Salmonella infection can pose serious health issues, especially to children, elders or immunosuppressed humans. Wild populations of reptiles can reach Salmonella prevalence of up to 100% and the direct or indirect transmission from reptiles to humans have been extensively reported. Fernando de Noronha (FN) is an inhabited oceanic archipelago in the northeast coast of Brazil, with an economy based on tourism. The tegu ( Salvator merianae ) is the largest lizard native to South America and was introduced to the archipelago in the early 20th century. This study determines the prevalence, serotypes, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular epidemiology of Salmonella enterica in the tegu population from FN archipelago. Results show that S. enterica is widely distributed in the FN tegu population, with 43.8% prevalence. The bacteria were isolated from 70.5% of the sampled sites and a total of 15 serotypes were detected in 98 S. enterica isolates. Strains were further classified into 31 genotypes. Recaptured animals presented distinct genotypes in each season, demonstrating a seasonal strain turnover. Most S. enterica isolates from FN tegus presented low antimicrobial resistance. This is possibly due to geographical isolation of the island population, hampering contact with strains from livestock from the continent, where antimicrobial resistance is common.

In the present study, we aimed to determine the antimicrobial resistance and molecular typing of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from transient and persistent intramammary infections and nares/muzzles in dairy cows. We investigated the antimicrobial resistance of 189 S. aureus strains using a broad antimicrobial susceptibility profile. Furthermore, 107 S. aureus isolates were strain-typed using staphylococcal protein-A (spa) typing. A large proportion of strains exhibited multidrug resistance to antimicrobials, including resistance to critically important antimicrobials, although no methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains were found. Our study did not strengthen the idea that extramammary niches (i.e., nares/muzzles) are an important source of S. aureus for bovine mastitis. A discrepancy in the antimicrobial resistance between S. aureus strains isolated from nares/muzzles and milk samples was observed. Furthermore, S. aureus isolates from transient and persistent intramammary infections (IMIs) did not differ by spa typing, suggesting that the persistence of bovine IMIs was determined by cow factors. Thus, the high level of multidrug-resistant S. aureus found in the two herds, considered together with the predominance of a well udder-adapted S. aureus strain, may contribute to our knowledge of the history of the high prevalence of mastitis caused by S. aureus , which is of great concern for animal and public health.

Leptospirosis presents a complex and dynamic epidemiology. Bovine leptospirosis has been described as a major infectious disease impairing reproductive efficiency. Although infections by Leptospira interrogans, L. santarosai and L. borgpetersenii are frequently reported in cattle, the presence of L. noguchii in these animals should not be neglected. In this study, we describe serological (MAT) and molecular characterization (rrs and secY gene sequencing, multilocus sequence typing [MLST] and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis [PFGE]) of eight L. noguchii strains obtained from slaughtered cows. Intraspecific genetic diversity was evaluated, and haplotype networks were constructed based on hosts and geographical localizations. Strains were characterized as belonging to serogroups Australis, Autumnalis and Panama, and molecular characterization showed a high heterogeneity of these strains. Ten different STs were found (including nine new STs and 39 novel alleles) as well as nine different pulsotypes. Two clonal complexes were found. Phylogenetic trees based on secY locus and concatenated MLST loci showed two main clusters, with sequences from the present study included in the first. In general, there was no relationship between the geographical origin and the secY phylogenetic clusters, as well as between secY phylogenetic clusters and serogroups. Molecular diversity indexes confirmed a high variability (H > 0.8). This high intraspecific variation observed may be related to differences in virulence, pathogenicity and antigenicity or even adaptability of the strains. In addition, haplotype networks clearly demonstrated the circulation of genotypes between humans and animals, confirming the zoonotic potential. The present study provides relevant data for the study of leptospirosis in the One Health context, where human, animal and environmental health is closely connected., (© 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Streptococcus suis remains an important challenge for the worldwide swine industry. Considering that Brazil is a major pork producer and exporter, proper monitoring of the pathogen and resistance rates are required. We present here the characterization of Brazilian S. suis strains isolated over a 15 year period by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing, capsular, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance profiling. Serotype prevalence revealed a predominance of serotype 2/½ followed by 3, 7, 1/14, 6, 8, 18, 28, and 27; the latter had not yet been reported in Brazil. Resistance profiling enabled the differentiation of nine profiles presenting resistance to three and up to eight antimicrobial classes. Even though an association between the most resistant strains and isolation year starting from 2009 was observed, a high frequency of multidrug-resistant strains isolated from 2001 to 2003 was also detected. This suggests that despite the isolation period, S. suis strains already presented high resistance selection pressure. A slight association of serotype 2/½ with some virulence profiles and PFGE pulsotypes was also identified. Nevertheless, no clonal dispersion or persistency of clones over the analyzed years and herds was detected.

The genome of a Brazilian strain of Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Grippotyphosa isolated from a mare post-abortion was sequenced and analyzed. High symmetrical identity and few structural differences were found when compared with a European strain of the same serogroup, L. kirschneri serovar Valbuzzi strain 200702274. Genes associated with virulence and antimicrobial resistance were found. Knowledge of the virulence evolution of Leptospira remains limited, especially in diseases of the reproductive sphere. We highlight the importance of virulence studies in the sphere of genital leptospirosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Brazilian poultry meat samples were screened for colistin-resistant Salmonella enterica. Sixty Salmonella isolates were tested for in vitro colistin resistance and mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3 and mcr-4 genes. Two isolates harbored the mcr-1 gene and whole-genome analysis determined the serovar to be Schwarzengrund, ST96, harboring the IncX4 plasmid. This is the first report of mcr-1-harboring Salmonella enterica serovar Schwarzengrund in Brazil., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The world currently faces severe biodiversity losses caused by anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, pollution, the introduction of exotic species, habitat fragmentation, and climate changes. Disease ecology in altered environments is still poorly understood. The golden-headed lion tamarin (GHLT, Leontopithecus chrysomelas) is an endangered species that became invasive in an urban park in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The initially few invasive GHLT individuals became hundreds, adapted to living in proximity to humans and domestic animals. These GHLTs were captured as part of a conservation project; some animals were translocated to Bahia and some were kept in captivity. This study tested 593 GHLT for Leptospira serology; 100 and 95 GHLT for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) toLeptospira and hepatitis E virus genotype 3 (HEV-3), respectively, and 101 familiar groups for PCR to viruses (rotavirus A, norovirus GI and GII, and HEV-3). One animal had antibodies for Leptospira serovar Shermani and another for serovar Hebdomadis. One saprophyticLeptospira was found by the 16S PCR and sequencing. Viruses were not detected in samples tested. Findings suggest that the epidemiological importance of such pathogens in this GHLT population is either low or nonexistent. These data are important to understand the local disease ecology, as well as monitoring a translocation project, and to contribute data for species conservation., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) cause severe losses to the swine industry worldwide and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the main agent isolated from UTI in sows., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the virulence genes, assess the phylogenetic background, clonal diversity, and the pattern of resistance to antimicrobials in 186 isolates of UPEC isolated from sows in Brazil., Materials and Methods: Urine samples from 300 sows of three herds with clinical signs from São Paulo State (Brazil) were screened for UTI; samples with suggestive results were submitted to bacterial isolation. E. coli strains isolated were characterized using disk diffusion technique, polymerase chain reaction and Single-enzyme amplification fragment length polymorphism (SE-AFLP)., Results: Virulence genes focH and papC were present in 78.5% and 58% of strains, respectively, followed by cnf1 (23.2%), afa (13.4%), sfa (11.3%), iucD (6.9%), and hlyA (1.6%). No clonal relatedness was found by SE-AFLP. A total of 98% of isolates (182/186) were multidrug resistant, and the highest levels of resistance were to sulfonamides, tetracycline, florfenicol, and ampicillin. Isolates were classified in phylogenetic group B1 (34.4%), followed by D (33.9%), E (30.1%) and A (1.6%)., Conclusions: The data obtained suggest that pigs from clinically affected herds may serve as a reservoir of uropathogenic and multidrug-resistant E. coli strains.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common disease in sows due to intensification of pig production. Despite direct economic losses, UTI prevalence and respective microbial identification are still poorly studied., Objective: The aims of this study were to identify the causative agents of UTI in sows through MALDI-TOF MS and to characterize their antimicrobial resistance profiles., Materials and Methods: Urine samples from 300 sows of three herds from São Paulo State (Brazil) were screened for UTI; suggestive samples were submitted to bacterial isolation. Species identification was performed by MALDI-TOF MS and susceptibility profiles were determined using disc diffusion method., Results: 128 samples suggestive of UTI were analyzed; 48% of the animals presented UTI caused by a single pathogen, while the remaining 52% presented mixed infection. Escherichia coli stood out with the highest frequency among both single and mixed infections. The Gram-positive were exclusively associated with 27% of single infections. The mixed infections were further classified into 49 profiles. The high frequency of multiresistant profiles stood out for most of the studied isolates., Conclusions: MALDI-TOF MS enabled the identification of rare pathogens related to UTI which may represent higher risk for porcine health, especially considering high frequency of multiresistant profiles.

Objectives: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic pathogen that has high intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance, with great genetic diversity. The aim of this study was to characterise four S. maltophilia clinical isolates displaying different susceptibility profiles using whole-genome sequencing., Methods: The whole genomes of four clinical isolates of S. maltophilia from three patients were sequenced using Ion Torrent™ PGM technology. The isolates presented different susceptibilities to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) and levofloxacin., Results: Three new multilocus sequence typing (MLST) profiles were identified (ST144, ST172 and ST173), differing in virulence and resistance genes. The ST172 isolate had more genes related to toxins than related to motility or adhesion and had different types of efflux pumps than the other isolates. The SXT-resistant strains belonged to ST172 or ST144 and did not harbour the sul1, sul2 or dfrA resistance genes. Strains I and II, from the same patient and belonging to the same ST but differing in resistance to SXT, had all of the resistance genes searched for in common, except for the SmeABC efflux pump complex genes that were only found in the SXT-resistant strain. All strains, including the strain susceptible to levofloxacin, harboured the qnrB gene, which may question the importance of this gene in determining levofloxacin resistance in S. maltophilia., Conclusion: Here we describe three new MLST profiles. Resistance to SXT in these strains appears to be associated with efflux pumps., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Leptospira inadai is classified as a species of the Leptospira intermediate group that has been poorly studied due to its apparent insignificance to human and animal health. Nevertheless, over the last two decades the species has been described in human cases in India and in carrier animals in Ecuador. Here, we present the first identification and genomic characterisation of L. inadai serogroup Lyme isolated from captured rodent in Brazil. Even though the M34/99 strain was not pathogenic for hamsters, it was able to establish renal colonisation. The M34/99 strain presented high similarity with L. inadai serogroup Lyme human reference indicating that animal strain could also infect humans, although it does not represent high risk of severe disease. An extrachromosomal sequence was also identified in M34/99 strain and presented high identity with previously described L. inadai phage LinZ_10, suggesting that phage-like extrachromosomal sequence may be another feature of this understudied species.

Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola is one of the most important pathogenic serovars for the maintenance of urban leptospirosis. Even though it is considered highly adapted to dogs, serovar Canicola infection has already been described in other animals and even a few human cases. Here, we present the genomic characterisation of two Brazilian L. interrogans serovar Canicola strains isolated from slaughtered sows (L0-3 and L0-4) and their comparison with human strain Fiocruz LV133. It was observed that the porcine serovar Canicola strains present the genetic machinery to cause human infection and, therefore, represent a higher risk to public health. Both human and porcine serovar Canicola isolates also presented sequences with high identity to the Chinese serovar Canicola published plasmids pGui1 and pGui2. The plasmids identification in the Brazilian and Chinese serovar Canicola strains suggest that extra-chromosomal elements are one more feature of this serovar that was previously unnoticed.

The presence of free-ranging urban birds is a risk factor for transmitting pathogens to captive animals and humans alike, including Salmonella spp. and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Cloacal swabs from 156 synanthropic Great egrets (Ardea alba) and feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) that inhabit the surroundings of an urban zoo were processed for the identification of Salmonella spp. and diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes. Bacterial species identification and genotypic characterization employed the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and PCR techniques, respectively, comparing their phylogenetic profiles through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. A total of 11 birds were positive for Salmonella Typhimurium (7%) and 9 individuals (5.8%) for diarrheagenic E. coli (enteropathogenic E. coli/Shiga-toxin producing E. coli [EPEC/STEC]) strains. S. Typhimurium strains presented highly similar AFLP profiles (85-100%), whereas EPEC/STEC strains showed more polymorphism. The results show free-ranging birds as carriers for both microorganisms in a zoo environment in Brazil for the first time and suggest these species as possible sources of infection to other animals as well as exposing personnel and visitors to potential zoonotic microorganisms. The presence of carriers highlights the importance of a surveillance system and the need for preventive measures to avoid attracting growing number of synanthropic avian species.

The Leptospira interrogans serogroup Australis is traditionally described as pathogenic for swine although animals usually present low serologic response and mild clinical signs. The first isolation of a Leptospira interrogans serogroup Australis strain from swine, in Brazil, was recently described. Herein we present the genomic characterization of this strain (SU5) and further comparison with the Leptospira serovars reference genomes available in the GenBank database. The SU5 strain was characterized with sequence types previously described in a serogroup Australis isolated from human and presented a new ST98 that is thus far exclusively of the Brazilian porcine L. interrogans serogroup Australis. Even though the SU5 strain presented higher similarity with the American porcine serogroup Australis strain PigK151, as expected, it also presented sequences blocks in both chromosomes which are absent in the genomes of the studied Leptospira serovars. These regions are flanked by insertion sequences and transposases genes, suggesting the existence of inter- and intra-serogroup genomic variability due to mobile elements transferring. This genomic plasticity has already been demonstrated for pathogenic Leptospira species; nevertheless, there is still a limited understanding of the relationship between genome organization and content and the divergence of Leptospira serogroups and serovars that needs to be further elucidated., (© FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The Globicatella genus comprises Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, α-hemolytic and catalase negative cocci morphologically and phenotypically very similar to Streptococcus and Aerococcus genus which can lead to misidentification and underestimation of this pathogen. Globicatella species have already been isolated from human and animals with heart and brain disorders. Their clinical relevance in animals, and its zoonotic potential, remains unknown due to the difficulty in their identification., Objective: To present the isolation, phenotypic and molecular characterization of G. sulfidifaciens from urinary tract infection in sows., Materials and Methods: Urine samples from 140 sows of two swine herds located in São Paulo State (Brazil) yielded the isolation of three presumptive G. sulfidifaciens strains. Identification and species confirmation were done by MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA sequencing. Strains were further characterized by single enzyme amplified fragments length polymorphism (SE-AFLP) and broth microdilution techniques., Results: All three isolates were confirmed as G. sulfidifaciens. The SE-AFLP genotyping resulted in distinct fingerprint patterns for each strain. All isolates presented high MIC values to tetracycline, sulphonamides, aminoglycosides and tylosin tartrate, which present high usage in human and animal medicine., Conclusions: Globicatella sulfidifaciens could be related to sporadic urinary tract infections in swine and appear to present alarming antimicrobial susceptibility profile. It is necessary to differentiate Streptococcus-like microorganisms in routine laboratory diagnostics for the correct identification of underestimated species potentially pathogenic to animals.

Porcine Corynebacterium infection is still poorly studied, even though the pig has been described as an asymptomatic carrier of Corynebacterium species, including the zoonotic species C. ulcerans, C. confusum and C. amycolatum. Here we present the identification, molecular and antimicrobial susceptibility characterization of coryneform bacteria isolated from sows with urinary tract infection. C. diphtheriae, C. confusum and C. amycolatum were isolated from sows with urinary infection and metritis. Corynebacterium species were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and confirmed by 16S rRNA and rpoB sequencing. All porcine C. diphtheriae strains were further characterized as non-toxigenic (tox - ). SE-AFLP genotyping was also performed and enabled not only Corynebacterium species differentiation but also the assessment of C. amycolatum genetic heterogeneity. All studied porcine Corynebacterium strains presented alarming resistance profiles with high MIC values for macrolides/lincosamide, tetracyclines and quinolones, which can be related with high usage in both veterinary and human medicine. Isolation of zoonotic Corynebacterium species from commercial swine is important for assessing the potential zoonotic risk for farmers and further implication for both human and animal treatment., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Trueperella pyogenes can be found as a commensal or pathogenic bacterium among animals causing a variety of pyogenic infections in several species. The agent appears to act primarily as an opportunistic pathogen but may disseminate and produce metastatic abscesses accompanied or not by mastitis, metritis or pneumonia. In this study, 30 porcine T. pyogenes strains were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA sequencing and further evaluated in relation to their resistance and genetic profiles through broth microdilution and single enzyme AFLP. All strains were susceptible to β-lactams, florfenicol, gentamicin, spectinomycin and tiamulin. The highest resistance rates were observed for sulfonamides, tetracyclines and clindamycin. All isolates could be characterized by SE-AFLP presenting more than 80% of similarity, despite their distinct origins. Four genotypes were detected with the segregation of T. pyogenes ATCC 19411 from Brazilian T. pyogenes strains. No correlation between genotypes and isolates origins and susceptibility profile was observed., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Traditional microbiological methods enable genus-level identification of Streptococcus spp. isolates. However, as the species of this genus show broad phenotypic variation, species-level identification or even differentiation within the genus is difficult. Herein we report the evaluation of protein spectra cluster analysis for the identification of Streptococcus species associated with disease in swine by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). A total of 250 S. suis-like isolates obtained from pigs with clinical signs of encephalitis, arthritis, pneumonia, metritis, and urinary or septicemic infection were studied. The isolates came from pigs in different Brazilian states from 2001 to 2014. The MALDI-TOF MS analysis identified 86% (215 of 250) as S. suis and 14% (35 of 250) as S. alactolyticus, S. dysgalactiae, S. gallinaceus, S. gallolyticus, S. gordonii, S. henryi, S. hyointestinalis, S. hyovaginalis, S. mitis, S. oralis, S. pluranimalium, and S. sanguinis. The MALDI-TOF MS identification was confirmed in 99.2% of the isolates by 16S rDNA sequencing, with MALDI-TOF MS misidentifying 2 S. pluranimalium as S. hyovaginalis. Isolates were also tested by a biochemical automated system that correctly identified all isolates of 8 of the 10 species in the database. Neither the isolates of the 3 species not in the database ( S. gallinaceus, S. henryi, and S. hyovaginalis) nor the isolates of 2 species that were in the database ( S. oralis and S. pluranimalium) could be identified. The topology of the protein spectra cluster analysis appears to sustain the species phylogenetic similarities, further supporting identification by MALDI-TOF MS examination as a rapid and accurate alternative to 16S rDNA sequencing.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) has been mainly related with pig farming, in Europe and North America, with the ST398 as the most commonly identified type of LA-MRSA. Here we present the draft genome of the first vancomycin-intermediate MRSA ST398/t9538 isolated from a swine presenting exudative epidermitis in Brazil.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis and dysgalactiae were isolated from swine clinical specimens. The subspecies equisimilis presented 2 clonal patterns with 85% genetic similarity, whereas subspecies dysgalactiae presented distinct band pattern with less than 80% similarity with equisimilis genotypes. Isolates presented high MIC values to tetracyclines, danofloxacin, spectinomycin, tiamulin, and clindamycin., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Streptococcus species present broad phenotypic variation, making identification difficult using only traditional microbiological methods. Even though Streptococcus suis is the most important species for the worldwide swine industry, other Streptococcus species appear to be able to cause disease in swine and could represent a higher underestimated risk for porcine health. The aim of this study was to identify Streptococcus-like isolates by MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA sequencing and further molecular and antibiotic susceptibility characterization of the atypical Streptococcus species capable of causing disease in swine. Fifty presumptive Streptococcus isolates from diseased pigs isolated from different Brazilian States between 2002 and 2014 were evaluated. Among the studied isolates, 26% were identified as Streptococcus hyovaginalis, 24% as Streptococcus plurianimalium, 12% as Streptococcus alactolyticus, 10% as Streptococcus hyointestinalis, and the remaining isolates belonged to Streptococcus henryi (6%), Streptococcus thoraltensis (6%), Streptococcus gallolyticus (6%), Streptococcus gallinaceus (4%), Streptococcus sanguinis (4%), and Streptococcus mitis (2%). The Streptococcus isolates were successfully identified by spectral cluster analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing with 96% of concordance between the techniques. The SE-AFLP analysis also supported Streptococcus species distinction and enabled further observation of higher genetic heterogeneity intra-species. The identified Streptococcus species presented variable MIC values to β-lactams, enrofloxacin and florfenicol, and high resistance rates to tetracyclines and macrolides, which appear to be directly related to the industry's antimicrobial usage and resistance selection., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Leptospira kirschneri is one of the pathogenic species of the Leptospira genus. Human and animal infection from L. kirschneri gained further attention over the last few decades. Here we present the isolation and characterisation of Brazilian L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok strain M36/05 and the comparative genomic analysis with Brazilian human strain 61H. The M36/05 strain caused pulmonary hemorrhagic lesions in the hamster model, showing high virulence. The studied genomes presented high symmetrical identity and the in silico multilocus sequence typing analysis resulted in a new allelic profile (ST101) that so far has only been associated with the Brazilian L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok strains. Considering the environmental conditions and high genomic similarity observed between strains, we suggest the existence of a Brazilian L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok lineage that could represent a high public health risk; further studies are necessary to confirm the lineage significance and distribution.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Rodents appear to be the most important reservoirs of infection. They contaminate the environment and food and can transmit the pathogen when they are consumed by carnivores. Capybara ( Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris ) are efficient reservoirs of Leptospira, and because they are in close contact with farm animals and are found in semiurban areas, they represent a risk to public health. We isolated five Leptospira strains from capybara kidneys in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, in 2001 and typed them using serologic and molecular techniques. These strains include the Leptospira santarosai serogroup Grippotyphosa serovar Bananal. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis resulted in a unique pattern distinct from the reference strains, and the isolates clustered with greater than 85% similarity. The isolates also presented higher growth rates than other Leptospira serovars, with high minimal inhibitory concentration values for most of the tested antibiotics, with the exception of penicillin and ampicillin. This isolation and characterization of the L. santarosai serogroup Grippotyphosa serovar Bananal from capybara, highlights the importance of wild and sinantropic rodents as carriers of pathogenic leptospires.

Leptospirosis is a widespread systemic zoonosis, considered as reemerging in certain developing countries. Although the cross agglutinin absorption test is still considered the standard method for Leptospira identification, it presents several disadvantages. The aim of this study was to characterize Leptospira spp. isolated from various hosts by genotyping and broth microdilution susceptibility testing in an attempt to differentiate Leptospira species, serogroups and serovars. Forty-seven isolates were studied. They were previously serotyped, and species confirmation was performed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Single-enzyme amplified fragment length polymorphism (SE-AFLP) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis enabled the distinction of L. interrogans from L. santarosai, L. meyeri and L. borgpetersenii in two main clusters. Among L. interrogans, it was possible to differentiate into two new clusters the serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae from the serogroups Canicola and Pomona. L. santarosai isolates presented higher genetic variation than the other species in both techniques. Interestingly, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) cluster analysis also provided Leptospira serogroup differentiation. Further studies are necessary regarding serovar Bananal isolates, as they presented the highest MIC values for most of the antimicrobials tested. All studied techniques successfully distinguished Leptospira species and serogroups. Despite being library-dependent methods, these approaches are less labor intensive and more economically viable, particularly SE-AFLP, and can be implemented in most reference laboratories worldwide to enable faster Leptospira typing.

Aerococcus viridans has been reported as a human and animal pathogen causing urinary tract infection, arthritis, pneumonia, meningitis and endocarditis. Routinely, A. viridans is not surveyed in clinical diagnosis laboratories and commonly is misidentified as other bacteria. There is no concrete data on the prevalence and impact of the pathogen to both human and animal health. In the present study, we report the isolation and molecular and antibiotic susceptibility characterization of A. viridans strains from porcine urinary infections. A total of 22 isolates were identified as A. viridans by MALDI-TOF MS and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Isolates were genotyped by single enzyme amplified fragments length polymorphism (SE-AFLP) that resulted in 19 clusters of which 81.2% were composed by single isolates. The high genetic heterogeneity corroborates previous studies and appears to be a particularity of A. viridans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values also presented variability especially for ceftiofur, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. The high MICs of aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and macrolides seen among the A. viridans corroborate previous reports and the widespread veterinary usage of these antibiotics demand attention for the implication of A. viridans infection to both human and animal health., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Leptospira interrogans swine infection is a cause of serious economic loss and a potential human health hazard. In Brazil, the most common serovars associated with swine infections are Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagie and Tarassovi. Cross-reactions among serovars and the failure of infected animals to seroconvert may complicate the interpretation of serological tests. Molecular methods with better discriminatory powers are useful tools for swine leptospirosis characterization and diagnosis., Methodology: This study evaluated nine L. interrogans isolates from the States of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais during different time periods. Isolates from diseased and apparently healthy swine were characterized by microscopic agglutination tests with polyclonal antibodies and were genotyped by VNTR, PFGE and MLST techniques. Broth microdilution was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration of the antimicrobials of veterinary interest., Results: The strains were identified as L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Pomona Genotype A, while MLST grouped all of the isolates in sequence type 37. The PFGE analysis resulted in two pulsotypes with more than 70% similarity, distinguishing serovar Pomona isolates from the serovar Kennewicki reference strain. All of the isolates presented low MIC values to penicillin, ampicillin, ceftiofur and tulathromycin. High MIC values for fluoroquinolones, tiamulin, gentamicin, tetracyclines, neomycin, tilmicosin and sulfas were also observed., Conclusions: All molecular techniques were concordant in L. interrogans serovar Pomona identification. This serovar may have a different antibiotic susceptibility profile than previously reported for Leptospira isolates.

Leptospira noguchii is a current zoonotic pathogen in Brazil. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the Brazilian L. noguchii serogroup Panama strain U73, isolated from asymptomatic cattle urine., (Copyright © 2015 Moreno et al.)

In the present work, we announce the draft genomes for three new strains (U160, U164, and U233) of Leptospira santarosai, isolated from urine samples from asymptomatic cattle in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., (Copyright © 2015 Kremer et al.)

Bordetella avium is a highly contagious bacterium that infects the upper respiratory tract of birds. B. avium Nh1210 is an outbreak strain of lockjaw syndrome in juvenile cockatiel chicks (Nymphicus hollandicus). Here, we report the draft genome sequence of strain Nh1210., (Copyright © 2015 Moreno et al.)

Introduction: Listeria species are susceptible to most antibiotics. However, over the last decade, increasing reports of multidrug-resistant Listeria spp. from various sources have prompted public health concerns. The objective of this study was to characterize the antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria spp. and the genetic mechanisms that confer resistance., Methodology: Forty-six Listeria spp. isolates were studied, and their minimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics were determined by microdilution using Sensititre standard susceptibility MIC plates. The isolates were screened for the presence of gyrA, parC, lde, lsa(A), lnu(A), and mprF by PCR, and the amplified genes were sequenced., Results: All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and carbapenems. Resistance to clindamycin, daptomycin, and oxacillin was found among L. monocytogenes and L. innocua, and all species possessed at least intermediate resistance to fluoroquinolones. GyrA, parC, and mprF were detected in all isolates; however, mutations were found only in gyrA sequences. A high daptomycin MIC, as reported previously, was observed, suggesting an intrinsic resistance of Listeria spp. to daptomycin., Conclusions: These results are consistent with reports of emerging resistance in Listeria spp. and emphasize the need for further genotypic characterization of antibiotic resistance in this genus.