Abstract Meat and meat products promote the growth of pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. In this work, an evaluation was carried out through risk quantification and microbiological analysis on ground beef and environmental surfaces in butcher shops, of Tafí Viejo city,Tucumán province. The study was carried out in three periods: period 1 (description of the health-status), period 2 (implementation of improvement actions) and period 3 (verification of success). Ground beef samples and environmental surfaces were analyzed in the previously described periods. The improvement actions in each butcher shop were implemented on the deviations detected in the first period. An increase of 35.7% in low-risk butchers was observed. Microbial indicators in ground beef were significantly lower for total aerobic mesophilic microorganisms and Stapylococcus aureus, compared to the first period. In ground beef samples and environmental surfaces, the detection/isolation of STEC non-O157, presented a 100% decrease in the verification period. The detection of Salmonella spp. showed a reduction of 14.3% only on ground beef samples. This study confirms that the implementation of a risk management program in butcher shops would reduce contamination of ground beef and the environment with pathogens.

Resumen Las infecciones hospitalarias causadas por bacilos gram negativos resistentes a carbapenems (BGNCR) están asociadas al aumento de morbimortalidad y gasto sanitario. La identificación mediante cultivos de vigilancia y las medidas de control de infecciones permiten reducir su diseminación. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el impacto de un programa de vigilancia integrado a protocolos de control de infecciones sobre la incidencia de BGNCR y conocer su epidemiología molecular en una unidad de cuidados intensivos. Se realizaron auditorías seguidas de un programa de cultivo de vigilancia activa y caracterización molecular de BGNCR, antes y después de la implementación de programas de prevención y control de infecciones. El screening microbiológico se realizó en medios cromogénicos; la caracterización molecular de p-lactamasas (blaKPC, bla0XA-48-like, blaVIM, blaiMP, blaNDM, blaSHV y blaCTx-M) por PCR y la tipificación molecular por PFGE y MLST para Klebsiella pneumoniae. El protocolo desarrollado permitió reducir la colonización global de 16,92% al 9,67%. La diseminación de K. pneumoniae fue a expensas de diversos clones portadores de KPC-2 asociada a BLEE SHV-2 y CTX-M-15, y distribuidos en varios secuenciotipos (ST17, ST13, ST2256, ST353); no se observó persistencia de un clon particular y ningún aislamiento presentó factores de virulencia asociados a hipervi-rulencia. Los aislamientos de Acinetobacter baumannii fueron mayoritariamente productores de IMP-1. El análisis PFGE individualizó 3 clusters, asumiendo que la diseminación fue clonal.

Abstract Hospital-acquired infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) have been increasingly reported worldwide and are associated with high rates of mortality especially in intensive care units(ICUs). Early identification through rectal surveillance cultures and implementation of infection control measures(ICM) including contact precautions, staff education on cleaning and hand hygiene may reduce the spread of these microorganisms. The aim of this work was to assess the impact of enhanced ICM on CRGNB colonization and to describe the molecular epidemiology of these bacteria in a polyvalent ICU in a tertiary level hospital. A prospective study including audits and active surveillance culture program, with molecular characterization, was conducted before and after the implementation of prevention programs and infection control measures. Microbiological screening was performed in chromogenic media; PCR targeting p-lactamases genes (ó/qkpc, óíQndm, blaviM and blaoxA-48, blasHv and ó/qctx-m), molecular typing by PFGE; and MLST in K. pneumoniae were performed. CRGNB colonization was reduced from 16.92% to 9.67% upon implementing the infection control measures. In K. pneumoniae the most frequent carbapenemase type was KPC-2 associated with SHV-2 and CTX-M-15, and was disseminated in various STs (ST17, ST13, ST2256, ST353); there was no persistence of particular clones and virulence factors showed no association with hypervirulence. IMP-1 carbapenemase predominated in A. baumannii and the PFGE analysis individualized 3 clusters, assuming that the dissemination in the ICU was clonal. The early detection of patients colo-nized with CRBGN by using epidemiological surveillance cultures and the implementation of prophylactic measures are key to reducing the incidence of these microorganisms.

INTRODUÇÃO: Em recentes anos foram informadas infecções por Salmonella sp em hospitais da Argentina e outros países devido as cepas multiresistentes. O objetivo deste estudo era caracterizar as β-lactamasas de espectro extendido em cepas de Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg resistentes às cefalosporinas de terceira geração. MÉTODOS: Nós estudamos 60 cepas obtidas de pacientes com gastroenterites e com complicações extraintestinais. Os padrões de susceptibilidade antibiotica foram estudados em os isolamentos, as β-lactamasas foram caracterizadas por métodos fenotípicos e genotípicos. RESULTADOS: Todas as cepas eram resistentes a ampicillin, cefotaxime, cefepime e aztreonam e parcialmente suscetível a ceftazidime que corresponde bem com o fenótipo de resistência conferido por as β-lactamasas tipo CTX-M. Na totalidade das cepas, se detectou uma enzima de ponto isoelétrico (pI) 7,9, confirmada por PCR como pertencente ao grupo CTX-M2. CONCLUSÕES: Este é o primeiro reporte de Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg produtora de β-lactamasa grupo CTX-M2 em um hospital pediátrico de Tucuman, Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Salmonella sp infections have been reported over recent years in hospitals in Argentina and other countries due to multiresistant strains. The aim of this study was to characterize the extended-spectrum β-lactamases in third-generation cephalosporin-resistant strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg. METHODS: We studied 60 strains isolated from children with gastroenteritis and/or extraintestinal complications. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates were analyzed and the β-lactamases were characterized using phenotyping and genotyping methods. RESULTS: All the strains were resistant to ampicillin, cefotaxime, cefepime and aztreonam and partially susceptible to ceftazidime, thus corresponding well with the resistance phenotype conferred by CTX-M-type β-lactamases. An isoelectric point enzyme (pI = 7.9) was detected in all of the strains, and this was confirmed by PCR as a member of the CTX-M-2 group. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg producing β-lactamases of the CTX-M-2 group in a pediatric hospital in Tucumán, Argentina.