Susceptibility of bacteria of the Enterococcus genus isolated on Lithuanian poultry farms

The aim of this study was to test and analyse the antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterococcus isolates from Lithuanian poultry farms. Investigations were carried out during the years 2008-2009. The sampling sites, located all over the country, included eight poultry farms of large capacity. All samples were collected from broilers. Enterococcus spp. were isolated from intestines immediately after slaughtering. A total of 160 samples were collected, 20 samples from each farm. The MICs (Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations) of eleven antimicrobial agents were determined for each of the isolates using the broth microdilution method with specific microtitre plate panels (Trek Diagnostic Systems, Inc.). Susceptibility according to clinical breakpoints of chloramphenicol, linezolid, erythromycin, penicillin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tetracycline, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin was evaluated. One hundred and forty seven samples (92%) from a total of 160 tested samples were positive for Enterococcus spp., however, only 74 strains were selected as non-duplicate isolates. The most predominant species were identified as E. faecium (38%), E. faecalis (17.5%), E. gallinarum (12%) and E. casseliflavus (12%). The most frequent resistance properties were resistances to tetracycline (75.6%), erythromycin (56.8%) and ciprofloxacin (41.9%). No strains resistant to vancomycin and linezolid were found. High percentages of susceptibility to chloramphenicol (82.4%) and penicillin (71.6%) were also observed. A high MIC of tigecycline (≥ 1 mg/l) to 12.2% of enterococci was determined during this study. 44.6% of tested strains had a high MIC (≥ 64 mg/l) to tylosin. There was no significant correlation found between resistances of different species to different antimicrobial agents in vitro.