Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023

<b>Background:</b> Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious global challenge in the 21st century. Poultry, including turkeys, are a vital source of animal-derived protein worldwide. Commensal bacterial strains in poultry can act as reservoirs for AMR, making monitoring them cr...

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Main Authors: Ádám Kerek, Ábel Szabó, Franciska Barnácz, Bence Csirmaz, László Kovács, Ákos Jerzsele
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Antibiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/331
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author Ádám Kerek
Ábel Szabó
Franciska Barnácz
Bence Csirmaz
László Kovács
Ákos Jerzsele
author_facet Ádám Kerek
Ábel Szabó
Franciska Barnácz
Bence Csirmaz
László Kovács
Ákos Jerzsele
author_sort Ádám Kerek
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background:</b> Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious global challenge in the 21st century. Poultry, including turkeys, are a vital source of animal-derived protein worldwide. Commensal bacterial strains in poultry can act as reservoirs for AMR, making monitoring them crucial for both veterinary and public health. <i>Enterococcus</i> species are emerging pathogens, particularly in severe nosocomial infections. <b>Methods:</b> This study aimed to assess the resistance profiles of commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> strains isolated (<i>n</i> = 470) from large-scale turkey flocks in Hungary. From each animal, two swab samples were collected: one from the oropharyngeal region near the tracheal entrance and one from the cloaca. The samples were subsequently processed, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The tested antibiotics included amoxicillin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, imipenem, neomycin, doxycycline, florfenicol, tylosin, enrofloxacin, potentiated sulfonamide, vancomycin, ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, tiamulin, lincomycin, and colistin. The dilution range for MIC determination was set between 512 and 0.001 µg/mL. <b>Results:</b> Resistance to amoxicillin, a first-line treatment for <i>Enterococcus</i> infections, was low (11.1%). However, high resistance levels were observed for tylosin (62.6%), florfenicol (51.1%), doxycycline (48.7%), and enrofloxacin (45.5%). Notably, vancomycin resistance reached 15.5%, a finding consistent with global trends. Compared to human-derived <i>Enterococcus</i> data, resistance to aminopenicillins was significantly lower in turkey isolates, while neomycin resistance levels were comparable to those observed in human <i>E. faecalis</i> strains. <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings underscore the necessity of continuous surveillance of AMR trends in poultry production. While amoxicillin remains an effective treatment, the presence of multidrug-resistant strains and vancomycin-resistant isolates raises concerns regarding the potential dissemination of resistance genes. Future studies should incorporate next-generation sequencing to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying resistance. Additionally, integrating antibiotic usage data from farms may provide further insights into resistance dynamics. Strengthening antibiotic stewardship programs and fostering collaboration between veterinary and human medicine are crucial steps in addressing AMR under the One Health framework.
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spelling doaj-art-7ccf12458c0040b0a93db08d2eebcb5e2025-08-20T02:17:21ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-03-0114433110.3390/antibiotics14040331Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023Ádám Kerek0Ábel Szabó1Franciska Barnácz2Bence Csirmaz3László Kovács4Ákos Jerzsele5Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryNational Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary<b>Background:</b> Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious global challenge in the 21st century. Poultry, including turkeys, are a vital source of animal-derived protein worldwide. Commensal bacterial strains in poultry can act as reservoirs for AMR, making monitoring them crucial for both veterinary and public health. <i>Enterococcus</i> species are emerging pathogens, particularly in severe nosocomial infections. <b>Methods:</b> This study aimed to assess the resistance profiles of commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> strains isolated (<i>n</i> = 470) from large-scale turkey flocks in Hungary. From each animal, two swab samples were collected: one from the oropharyngeal region near the tracheal entrance and one from the cloaca. The samples were subsequently processed, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The tested antibiotics included amoxicillin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, imipenem, neomycin, doxycycline, florfenicol, tylosin, enrofloxacin, potentiated sulfonamide, vancomycin, ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, tiamulin, lincomycin, and colistin. The dilution range for MIC determination was set between 512 and 0.001 µg/mL. <b>Results:</b> Resistance to amoxicillin, a first-line treatment for <i>Enterococcus</i> infections, was low (11.1%). However, high resistance levels were observed for tylosin (62.6%), florfenicol (51.1%), doxycycline (48.7%), and enrofloxacin (45.5%). Notably, vancomycin resistance reached 15.5%, a finding consistent with global trends. Compared to human-derived <i>Enterococcus</i> data, resistance to aminopenicillins was significantly lower in turkey isolates, while neomycin resistance levels were comparable to those observed in human <i>E. faecalis</i> strains. <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings underscore the necessity of continuous surveillance of AMR trends in poultry production. While amoxicillin remains an effective treatment, the presence of multidrug-resistant strains and vancomycin-resistant isolates raises concerns regarding the potential dissemination of resistance genes. Future studies should incorporate next-generation sequencing to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying resistance. Additionally, integrating antibiotic usage data from farms may provide further insights into resistance dynamics. Strengthening antibiotic stewardship programs and fostering collaboration between veterinary and human medicine are crucial steps in addressing AMR under the One Health framework.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/331<i>Enterococcus</i>antimicrobial resistanceAMRminimum inhibitory concentrationMICpoultry
spellingShingle Ádám Kerek
Ábel Szabó
Franciska Barnácz
Bence Csirmaz
László Kovács
Ákos Jerzsele
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
Antibiotics
<i>Enterococcus</i>
antimicrobial resistance
AMR
minimum inhibitory concentration
MIC
poultry
title Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
title_full Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
title_fullStr Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
title_short Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Commensal <i>Enterococcus</i> spp. Isolates from Turkeys in Hungarian Poultry Farms Between 2022 and 2023
title_sort antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of commensal i enterococcus i spp isolates from turkeys in hungarian poultry farms between 2022 and 2023
topic <i>Enterococcus</i>
antimicrobial resistance
AMR
minimum inhibitory concentration
MIC
poultry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/331
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