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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207556
Title: Distribution of Yersinia pestis pIP1202-like Multidrug Resistance Plasmids Among Foodborne Pathogens

Author
item Welch, Timothy - Tim
item FRICKE, W - TIGR
item EPPINGER, MARK - TIGR
item ROSOVITZ, M - TIGR
item MCDERMOTT, PATRICK - FDA
item WHITE, DAVID - FDA
item Wiens, Gregory - Greg
item RAVEL, JACQUES - TIGR

Submitted to: American Society of Microbiologists Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2007
Publication Date: 5/21/2007
Citation: Welch, T.J., Fricke, W.F., Eppinger, M., Rosovitz, M.J., Mcdermott, P., White, D., Wiens, G.D., Ravel, J. 2007. Distribution of Yersinia pestis pIP1202-like Multidrug Resistance Plasmids Among Foodborne Pathogens. American Society of Microbiologists Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Antibiotic resistance in Yersinia pestis is rare and constitutes a significant threat given that antibiotics are used for both plague treatment and for prevention of human-to-human transmission. For this reason, the discovery of a multiple antimicrobial resistant (MDR) isolate of Y. pestis (strain IP275) in 1997 has caused considerable alarm. This isolate contains a large self-transmissible plasmid (pIP1202) that confers resistance to at least eight antimicrobials. Comparative analysis of the DNA sequence of pIP1202 revealed an IncA/C plasmid backbone that is shared by MDR plasmids isolated from Salmonella enterica serotype Newport SL254 and the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri YR71. Methods: In this study, PCR-based plasmid typing and rapid detection methods were developed and used to screen a collection of MDR isolates of Salmonella, E.coli and Klebsiella for the pIP1202 backbone. Strains tested were isolated from retail meat samples between 2002 and 2005. Results: The Y. pestis pIP1202-like plasmid backbone was detected in approximately 65 strains, including several serotypes of Salmonella as well as several E.coli and Klebsiella strains. The plasmid-positive strains were found in bacteria associated with beef, chicken, turkey and pork, and were found in samples from the following states: CA, CO, CT, GA, MD, MN, NM, NY and OR. Additionally, two real-time primer-probe sets were shown to specifically detect all known members of this plasmid family at high sensitivity. Conclusion: Our studies reveal a common plasmid backbone that is broadly disseminated among zoonotic pathogens associated with agriculture. These plasmids represent a significant public health concern, as they are a reservoir of mobile resistance determinants and have the potential to disseminate to Y. pestis and other human and zoonotic bacterial pathogens of public health importance. Real-time PCR assays described here could be used to monitor pIP1202-like antibiotic resistance plasmids in animal production systems, foods, and may be useful for detecting these plasmids in biothreat organisms.