Characterisation of quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli of 1997 and 2005 isolates from poultry in Mexico

Abstract Forty-two enrofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from eggs and first-week mortality associated with yolk sac infection of two vertically integrated poultry companies of Central Mexico in 1997 and 2005 were characterised.E. coli resistance to 19 antibiotics was determined, as well as the minimum inhibitory concentrations (broth dilution) for ciprofloxacin. The presence of gyrA,B, parC,E chromosomal point mutations, qnrA,B,S plasmid genes and the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase aac(6ʹ)-Ib-cr were determined by PCR and sequencing.Resistance to ampicillin (95%), piperacillin (95%), gatifloxacin (95%), levofloxacin (95%), ampicillin/sulbactam (90%), cefazolin (85%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (80%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (80%), aztreonam (80%), cefepime (80%), cefotaxime (80%), ceftazidime (80%), ceftriaxone (80%) and cefoxitin (75%) was high in the 2005 strains and 19 (95%) strains were resistant to 7 or more antimicrobials. The strains from 1997 expressed high rates of re...