Change of integrons over time in Escherichia coli isolates recovered from healthy pigs and chickens.

The aims of this study were (a) to perform a time-related quantitative analysis of relative integron frequencies in intestinal Escherichia coli isolates from food animals (pigs and chickens) and (b) to analyse putative relationships between integrons, antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic groups. The E. coli collection of the Spanish Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network was used to extract 393 intestinal isolates from healthy pigs and chickens belonging to the oldest (1998/99) and the latest (2006) available surveillance programs, and their quantitative antimicrobial resistance data. PCR and sequencing were used for detection and characterisation of integrons. Integron overall relative frequencies ranged between 80% and 49%, being higher in pig than in chicken E. coli isolates in both periods. Time-related analysis showed no variations when considering overall frequencies (80% versus 75% in pig E. coli isolates and 49% versus 51% in E. coli chicken isolates). Apart from the 3'-integron sul gene, six different antimicrobial-related gene cassettes (with different variants) were detected in the sequenced integron variable regions: aadA, dfrA, and sat in classes 1 and 2, and cmlA, linF and aadB only in class 1. Multiresistance profiles showed a high association between antimicrobial resistance and integron presence for those antimicrobials corresponding to the antimicrobial-related gene cassettes detected (streptomycin, trimethoprim, chloramphenicol, plus sulphonamides). However, the presence of integrons was also associated with resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline, two antimicrobials that are widely used in animals but not linked to these genetic elements.