Plasmid-mediated florfenicol resistance in Pasteurella trehalosi

Abstract

Objectives: A florfenicol-resistant Pasteurella trehalosi isolate from a calf was investigated for the presence and the location of the gene floR. Methods: The P. trehalosi isolate 13698 was investigated for its in vitro susceptibility to antimicrobial agents and its plasmid content. A 14.9 kb plasmid, designated pCCK13698, was identified by transformation into Pasteurella multocida to mediate resistance to florfenicol, chloramphenicol and sulphonamides. The plasmid was sequenced completely and analysed for its structure and organization. Results: Plasmid pCCK1 3698 exhibited extended similarity to plasmid pHS-Rec from Haemophilus parasuis including the region carrying the parA, repB, rec and int genes. Moreover, it revealed similarities to plasmid RSF1010 in the parts covering the mobC and repA-repC genes and to plasmid pMVSCS1 in the parts covering the sul2 - catA3 - strA gene cluster. Moreover, the floR gene area corresponded to that of transposon Tn floR. In addition, two complete insertion sequences were detected that were highly similar to IS 1593 from Mannheimia haemolytica and IS 26 from Enterobacteriaceae. Several potential recombination sites were identified that might explain the development of plasmid pCCK13698 by recombination events. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that in the bovine pathogen P. trehalosi, floR-mediated resistance to chloramphenicol and florfenicol was associated with a plasmid, which also carried functionally active genes for resistance to sulphonamides (sul2) and chloramphenicol (catA3). This is to the best of our knowledge the first report of resistance genes in P. trehalosi and only the second report of the presence of a florfenicol-resistance gene in target bacteria of the family Pasteurellaceae. © 2006 Oxford University Press.