EPIDEMIC AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus CLONES RECOVERED FROM READY-TO-EAT FOODS AND FROM FOOD HANDLERS, CORDOBA

BARCUDI, DANILO; BOSIO DELFINA; HERRERO GABRIELA; DEL BÓ CAROLINA; MACUA ALICIA; CLAUDIA SOLA; ENRIQUE BLASKO; CHAGRA YAMILA; BOCCO JOSÉ LUIS

CABA

Congreso; LVII SAIB Meeting - XVI SAMIGE Meeting; 2021

SAIB-SAMIGE

S. aureus is a colonizing pathogen, causing mild to severe infections, as well food poisoning, with ability to acquire multiple antimicrobials resistance (MAR), particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). It also has great potential for spread in hospitals (HA-MRSA), community (CA-MRSA) and livestock (LA-MRSA). The presence of S. aureus in Ready-To-Eat Foods (RTEF) is related to: food-handlers (FH), manufacturing practices or contaminated raw materials. In Argentina, MRSA causes > 50% of S. aureus infections related to 3 epidemic clones: two CA-MRSA PVL+(ST30-IVc and ST5-IVa), one HAMRSA (ST5-I) and minor clones, such us LA ST97. We aimed to analyze the antimicrobial resistance (AR) and genotypes of S. aureus strains recovered from RETF and FH, during 10 years in Córdoba and the genetic relationship among them and with the circulating clones in Argentina. S. aureus isolates recovered from RTEF (n: 48) and from handlers (n: 50/hands) from RTEF processing institutions in Córdoba, 2008-2018, were retrospectively analyzed. The AR was determined by agar diffusion (CLSI2019) and the presence of mecA/C and ermA/C, pvl genes and ACME locus by PCR. They were studied by PFGE and MLST, SCCmec and spa-typing.In RTEF, 14 lineages/ST were identified: 37.5% ST8 (t008 and others), 10.4% (ST 188, t189), 8.0% ST72(t1346, t148), 6.3% [ST398(t1451, t571), ST5(t2066 and others) and ST15(t084)], 4.2% [ST30(t5224, t710), ST1(t2207), ST45(t065, t050), ST88( t186, t5163)] and 2.1% (ST97 t1234, ST620 t346, ST942 t1445 and ST12 t4252). Of the total, 3 isolates (6.3%) were CA-MRSA (mecA+): one without another R [USA300 (USA28/ST8-IVb/t596/pvl¯/ACME¯)] and two with R to erythromycin (ERY), clindamycin (CLI, ermC+, inducible/MLSBi) and gentamicin (GEN), which were responsible for a food poisoning outbreak and belonging to the CA-MRSA-ST72-IV-(PFGE-R4/t1346); 9 isolates (19%) were R to ERY and CLI (ermC +, MLSBi ) and belonged to lineages: ST8 (3), ST398 (3), ST72 (2) and ST942 (1); 3 isolates (6.3%) were R to tetracycline [ST8/USA300 (2) and ST15 (1)] and 2 (4.2%) R to GEN (ST72). In FH, 11 ST were identified, the most predominant: 30%, ST8 (t008, and others), 12%, ST72 (t148), 10% [ST45 (t065, t550) and ST121 (t1688)], 8% [ST398 (t1451), ST5 (t311 and t002)] and 6%: [ST97 (t2802, t3904) and ST30 (t276)]. Of the total, 4 (8%) were MRSA (mecA+), CAMRSA without other R, 9 (18%) R to ERY: 1 (2%) by Efflux (ST8) and 8 (16%) R to CLI, ermC+ [7, 14% MLSBi (4 ST398 and 3 ST8) and 1.2% MLSBc (ST45)] and 3 (6%) R to GEN (ST12, ST45 and ST8). One was R to GEN and ERY (ST8). Two MRSA belonged to USA300 clone (ST8-IVg/t008/pvl ¯/ACME¯) and the other two to ST5-IVa-t311 clone. These results indicate that RTEF are vehicles, and the HF are reservoir for the spread of S. aureus epidemic clones and/or with MAR, community associated and to livestock (ST97 and ST398). Molecular surveillance of RTEF and HF is relevant as a strategy for these epidemic clones transmission control.