Controversial Aspects Displayed by Enterococci: Probiotics or Pathogens?

Bondi, Moreno; Lauková, Andrea; Niederhäusern, Simona De; Messi, Patrizia; Papadopoulou, Chrissanthy; Εconomou, Vangelis

doi:10.1155/2020/9816185

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Enterococcus is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, with 67 species, belonging to the lactic acid bacteria from the phylum Firmicutes ( Arias and Murray, 2012 ; Parte, 2014 ). Enterococcus species are non-spore-forming facultative anaerobes tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions ( Bondi et al, 2020 ), which has enabled them to become widespread in nature especially as a part of the commensal flora of nearly all land animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects; but, they also occur in soil, plants, and aquatic ecosystems ( Sadowy and Luczkiewicz, 2014 ; Guzman Prieto et al, 2016 ; Dubin and Pamer, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Characterization of Enterococcus Isolates From Different Sources in Estonia Reveals Potential Transmission of Resistance Genes Among Different Reservoirs

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, we aimed to characterize the population structure, drug resistance mechanisms, and virulence genes of Enterococcus isolates in Estonia. Sixty-one Enterococcus faecalis and 34 Enterococcus faecium isolates were collected between 2012 and 2014 across the country from various sites and sources, including farm animals and poultry (n = 53), humans (n = 12), environment (n = 24), and wild birds (n = 44). Clonal relationships of the strains were determined by whole-genome sequencing and analyzed by multi-locus sequence typing. We determined the presence of acquired antimicrobial resistance genes and 23S rRNA mutations, virulence genes, and also the plasmid or chromosomal origin of the genes using dedicated DNA sequence analysis tools available and/or homology search against an ad hoc compiled database of relevant sequences. Two E. faecalis isolates from human with vanB genes were highly resistant to vancomycin. Closely related E. faecalis strains were isolated from different host species. This indicates interspecies spread of strains and potential transfer of antibiotic resistance. Genomic context analysis of the resistance genes indicated frequent association with plasmids and mobile genetic elements. Resistance genes are often present in the identical genetic context in strains with diverse origins, suggesting the occurrence of transfer events.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Characterization of Enterococcus Isolates From Different Sources in Estonia Reveals Potential Transmission of Resistance Genes Among Different Reservoirs

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The existence of enterococci in food products as a natural flora has led to a lot of controversy over the safety aspects for their use, as scientists have found a few confirmations about the association of these microorganisms with clinical infections (Bondi et al 2020). Enterococci food strains have also been found to contain antibiotic resistance genes normally found in conjugative plasmids, increasing the risk of genetic transmission.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of Antifungal Gelatinase by Enterococcus durans S2C and Its Potential Role in the Biological Control

Hayat¹

2021

IJAB

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Probiotic bacteria are good sources for antimicrobial and are normal microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans. Enterococci are found everywhere in nature and have been utilized as probiotics in the food industry. In the present study, Enterococcus durans S2C strain was isolated from raw cow’s milk using the culture-dependent method and evaluated for antifungal properties. The strain S2C showed promising extracellular proteolytic activity and the extracellular peptide was an important source of antifungal activity. Besides, a low rate of antibiotic resistance and non-hemolytic activity was detected in E. durans S2C. Strong antifungal activity of E. durans against two plant pathogenic fungi namely Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani was also recorded. Antifungal activity evaluation showed that R. solani colony was the most inhibited fungus followed by F. oxysporum. Gelatinase enzyme having antifungal activity was also purified from E. durans S2C isolate. This study concludes that the environmental-derived E. durans S2C strain can be selected for technological application to control pathogenic fungi and to protect the economic value of the crops. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

show abstract

“…Enterococcus spp. have been recognized as emerging human pathogens in recent years, always endowed with antibiotic resistance and other virulence factors [38,39]. They seem to also be involved in the production of biogenic amines in some fermented foods [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches as Source of Pathogens Endowed with Antibiotic Resistance and Other Virulence Factors

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterize the bacterial load present in twenty-four Ready-To-Eat (RTE) sandwiches, purchased at refrigerated vending machines and supermarkets in the province of Modena (Italy). We isolated 54 bacterial strains, including pathogens of interest in food safety, such as Listeria, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Yersinia, Aeromonas and Acinetobacter spp. Phenotypic tests have been performed on these pathogens to detect the presence of virulence factors, such as gelatinase production and hemolytic capability. To test their antibiotic resistance features, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against eight commonly used antibiotics (Amikacin, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Oxacillin, Imipenem, Tetracycline, Erythromycin and Vancomycin) was also evaluated. The results showed that among the 54 isolates, fifty percent (50%) belonged to harmless microorganisms (Leuconostoc and Lactococcus), whereas the remaining fifty percent (50%) included pathogenic bacteria (Listeria ivanovii, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia, and Citrobacter spp.), species responsible for pathologies often difficult to treat due to the presence of antibiotic resistance features. This study demonstrates the importance of thorough controls, both during the production and marketing of RTE food like sandwiches, to avoid reaching the infectious load and the onset of pathologies, particularly dangerous for old and immunocompromised patients.

show abstract

Controversial Aspects Displayed by Enterococci: Probiotics or Pathogens?

Cited by 20 publications

References 7 publications

Molecular Characterization of Enterococcus Isolates From Different Sources in Estonia Reveals Potential Transmission of Resistance Genes Among Different Reservoirs

Molecular Characterization of Enterococcus Isolates From Different Sources in Estonia Reveals Potential Transmission of Resistance Genes Among Different Reservoirs

Production of Antifungal Gelatinase by Enterococcus durans S2C and Its Potential Role in the Biological Control

Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches as Source of Pathogens Endowed with Antibiotic Resistance and Other Virulence Factors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About