Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14169 Berlin
+49 30 838 51845
tierhygiene@vetmed.fu-berlin.de
1. Introduction
As carbapenems are mostly considered as drug of last choice for the treatment of serious infections in human, the
increasing spread of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae is quite alarming. During the last couple of
years a wide variety of carbapenemases has been isolated from cases of human infections, but just a few studies
have reported their occurrence in livestock and livestock associated surroundings. However, since recently Enterobacteriaceae
carrying blaVIM-1 genes have been isolated in German animal husbandries (Fischer et al., 2012; 2013),
the monitoring of CPE in livestock became a major topic within the European Union.
2. Materials and Methods
Within the here described study a collection of 238 pooled feces and boot swab samples, chosen from a crosssectional
study including 58 pig-fattening farms throughout Germany was investigated. The bacteria were selected
on MacConkey agar plates containing 0.125 μg/ml Meropenem. Enterobacteriaceae which were able to grow on
these plates were further investigated by using different phenotypic- as well as genotypic approaches.
3. Results
Four Escherichia coli, two Enterobacter cloacae and one Proteus penneri, showing either resistance or reduced susceptibilities
against carbapenems, were isolated from five different farms.
Two of the E. coli strains, derived from one farm, contained the carbapenemase gene blaVIM-1. The remaining Enterobacteriaceae
did not show the presence of such a resistance gene. In these cases other resistance mechanisms,
leading to reduced carbapenem susceptibility, were detected.
4. Conclusions
Until now, CPEs within German pig-fattening farms show a low prevalence (1 out of 58 farms, 1.72%). Furthermore,
non-CPEs showing increased carbapenem tolerance have been detected. These findings indicate that Carbapenem
resistant Enterobacteriaceae might be present in animal husbandries. To prevent a further spread of these bacteria
between farms and farm anima