This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Johnston, L. M.
Right arrow Articles by Jaykus, L.-A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Johnston, L. M.
Right arrow Articles by Jaykus, L.-A.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Johnston, L. M.
Right arrow Articles by Jaykus, L.-A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2004, p. 3133-3137, Vol. 70, No. 5
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.5.3133-3137.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterococcus Species Isolated from Produce{dagger}

Lynette M. Johnston and Lee-Ann Jaykus*

Department of Food Science, College of Life Science and Agriculture, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7624

Received 5 September 2003/ Accepted 1 February 2004

The purpose of this study was to characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles of Enterococcus species isolated from fresh produce harvested in the southwestern United States. Among the 185 Enterococcus isolates obtained, 97 (52%) were Enterococcus faecium, 38 (21%) were Enterococcus faecalis, and 50 (27%) were other Enterococcus species. Of human clinical importance, E. faecium strains had a much higher prevalence of resistance to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and nitrofurantoin than E. faecalis. E. faecalis strains had a low prevalence of resistance to antibiotics used to treat E. faecalis infections of both clinical and of agricultural relevance, excluding its intrinsic resistance patterns. Thirty-four percent of the isolates had multiple-drug-resistance patterns, excluding intrinsic resistance. Data on the prevalence and types of antibiotic resistance in Enterococcus species isolated from fresh produce may be used to describe baseline antibiotic susceptibility profiles associated with Enterococcus spp. isolated from the environment. The data collected may also help elucidate the role of foods in the transmission of antibiotic-resistant strains to human populations.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Food Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7624 Phone: (919) 513-2074. Fax: (919) 515-7124. E-mail: leeann_jaykus{at}ncsu.edu.

{dagger} This is paper FSR 03-26 of the Journal Series of the Department of Food Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2004, p. 3133-3137, Vol. 70, No. 5
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.5.3133-3137.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Macovei, L., Zurek, L. (2007). Influx of Enterococci and Associated Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Genes from Ready-To-Eat Food to the Human Digestive Tract. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6740-6747 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Macovei, L., Zurek, L. (2006). Ecology of antibiotic resistance genes: characterization of enterococci from houseflies collected in food settings.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 4028-4035 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Yu, Z., Michel, F. C. Jr, Hansen, G., Wittum, T., Morrison, M. (2005). Development and Application of Real-Time PCR Assays for Quantification of Genes Encoding Tetracycline Resistance. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 6926-6933 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»