Erythromycin- and copper-resistant Enterococcus hirae from marine sediment and co-transfer of erm(B) and tcrB to human Enterococcus faecalis

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2014 Sep;80(1):26-8. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2014.06.002. Epub 2014 Jun 12.

Abstract

An erythromycin-, copper- and cadmium-resistant isolate of Enterococcus hirae from marine sediment was shown to harbor the plasmid pRE25 and to co-transfer erm(B) and tcrB to Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2. These data highlight the scope for antibiotic resistance selection by the marine environment through heavy metals and its possible involvement in antibiotic-resistant enterococcal infections.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Enterococci; Heavy metals; Marine environment.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Copper / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / genetics*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / genetics*
  • Erythromycin / pharmacology*
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Transduction, Genetic

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Erythromycin
  • Copper