Class 1 integrons and virulence genes in Salmonella enterica isolates from pork and humans

In this study, 183 Salmonella enterica isolates were characterised for integrons and virulence genes. Among the isolates, 46% were positive for intI1, but no isolates carried intI2 or intI3. Eighteen class 1 integrons (21%) contained resistance gene cassettes (i.e. dfrA1-orfC, dfrA12-aadA2, bla(PSE-1) and aadA2) and five class 1 integrons with the dfrA12-aadA2 array were conjugally transferable. Two Salmonella pork isolates of serotypes Albany and Kedougou possessed Salmonella genomic island 1 variants SGI1-G and SGI1-F, respectively. Four class 1 integrons contained an atypical 3'-CS linked to the qacH-sul3 domain, and three were not a sul type. Two novel GyrA mutations (Pro-45→Ser and Met-48→Ile) and three novel ParC mutations (Ser-5→Arg, Thr-31→Met and Leu-77→Arg) were identified in ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates. At least 90% of the Salmonella isolates contained pagC, prgH, sitC, sipB or spaN, whereas all isolates harboured invA, msgA, spiA and tolC.