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    Presence of β-Lactamase-producing Enterobacterales and Salmonella Isolates in Marine Mammals
    (Basel : Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI), 2021) Grünzweil, Olivia M.; Palmer, Lauren; Cabal, Adriana; Szostak, Michael P.; Ruppitsch, Werner; Kornschober, Christian; Korus, Maciej; Misic, Dusan; Bernreiter-Hofer, Tanja; Korath, Anna D. J.; Feßler, Andrea T.; Allerberger, Franz; Schwarz, Stefan; Spergser, Joachim; Müller, Elke; Braun, Sascha D.; Monecke, Stefan; Ehricht, Ralf; Walzer, Chris; Smodlaka, Hrvoje; Loncaric, Igor
    Marine mammals have been described as sentinels of the health of marine ecosystems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate (i) the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC-producing Enterobacterales, which comprise several bacterial families important to the healthcare sector, as well as (ii) the presence of Salmonella in these coastal animals. The antimicrobial resistance pheno- and genotypes, as well as biocide susceptibility of Enterobacterales isolated from stranded marine mammals, were determined prior to their rehabilitation. All E. coli isolates (n = 27) were screened for virulence genes via DNA-based microarray, and twelve selected E. coli isolates were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing. Seventy-one percent of the Enterobacterales isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant (MDR) pheno- and genotype. The gene blaCMY (n = 51) was the predominant β-lactamase gene. In addition, blaTEM-1 (n = 38), blaSHV-33 (n = 8), blaCTX-M-15 (n = 7), blaOXA-1 (n = 7), blaSHV-11 (n = 3), and blaDHA-1 (n = 2) were detected. The most prevalent non-β-lactamase genes were sul2 (n = 38), strA (n = 34), strB (n = 34), and tet(A) (n = 34). Escherichia coli isolates belonging to the pandemic sequence types (STs) ST38, ST167, and ST648 were identified. Among Salmonella isolates (n = 18), S. Havana was the most prevalent serotype. The present study revealed a high prevalence of MDR bacteria and the presence of pandemic high-risk clones, both of which are indicators of anthropogenic antimicrobial pollution, in marine mammals.