Genomic insights into Enterococcus faecium isolates from marine bivalves highlight One Health concerns and healthcare linkages.

ABSTRACT: Enterococci, especially Enterococcus faecium, are one of today's leading causes of multidrug-resistant infections in hospital settings. The marine environment may harbour enterococci, but its role as an evolutionary niche and as a vector for the spread of enterococci is sparsely investigated. Hence, by applying enterococci in bivalves as a sentinel tool, this study aimed to describe the prevalence of enterocooci along the Norwegian coast and in addition the phylogeny of E. faecium in particular. Enterococci in batch samples of marine bivalves, harvested from 86 different locations, were quantitatively examined by a culture-dependent most probable number (MPN) method. Isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS prior to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by broth microdilution.

SUBMITTER: Heim AVBT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10763502 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature