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Abscesses represent the most prominent emerging problem in the red meat industry, leading to great economic constraints and public health hazards. Data on etiological agents present in these purulent lesions in Algeria are very scarce. The aim of this study was to identify the bacteria responsible for these abscesses and to determine their antibiotic susceptibility profiles. A total of 123 samples of abscesses from 100 slaughtered sheep and 23 slaughtered cattle were cultured in several media. A total of 114 bacterial isolates were cultured from 103 abscesses. Bacteria were identified using MALDI–TOF, and antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton agar. A total of 73.6% (n = 84) corresponded to Enterobacterales, of which four were multidrug-resistant (MDR). These isolates, together with Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative Staphylococci, and seven randomly chosen susceptible Escherichia coli isolates, were further characterized using WGS. Resistome analysis of the four MDR Enterobacterales isolates revealed the presence of OXA-48 carbapenemase in two Klebsiella pneumoniae ST985 and one E. coli ST10 isolates and a CTX-M-15 ESBL in one E. coli isolate ST1706. Two coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolates were found to carry the mecA gene. WGS showed the presence of different resistance genes and virulence genes. Our study revealed 5% of MDR Enterobacterales (including ESBLs and carbapenemases) identified from abscesses, thus urging the need for abscess monitoring in slaughterhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plasmid-mediated 16S rRNA methylases such as ArmA, which confer high levels of resistance to aminoglycosides, are increasingly reported in Enterobacteriaceae. This study investigated the molecular mechanism of β-lactam and aminoglycoside resistance in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis isolated at the 53-bed neonatology ward of University Hospital Benabib in Constantine, Algeria. From September 2008 to January 2009, 200 S. enterica isolates were obtained from 138 patients (age range 8–80 months) hospitalised in the neonatology ward. Most isolates were from stool cultures, but also from two blood cultures and one gastric fluid. The isolates were multidrug-resistant and produced TEM-1 and CTX-M-15 enzymes as well as the 16S RNA methylase ArmA. The armA, bla CTX-M-15 and bla TEM-1 genes were located on the same 140-kb self-transferable plasmid belonging to the IncL/M incompatibility group. All of the S. Infantis isolates belonged to a single clone. Increased infection control measures and thorough biodecontamination of the rooms led to control of the outbreak but did not eradicate the epidemic strain. This study further illustrates the global emergence of ArmA methylase and its frequent association with bla CTX-M genes. Spread of 16S RNA methylase determinants at the same level as bla CTX-M genes in Enterobacteriaceae may seriously compromise the efficacy of aminoglycosides for treating Gram-negative infections. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study that deals with the prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase genes among representative extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella enterica Senftenberg isolates from Algeria. The isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides recovered in the neonatology ward from January 1982 to December 2005. Included in the study were 12 non-duplicate ESBL-producing S. enterica serotype Senftenberg clinical isolates with variable levels of resistance to aminoglycosides. Based on their findings, the authors highlighted the role of Salmonella as a reservoir for ESBL genes and for 16S rRNA methylase genes in the community.