Genotypic diversity and antibiotic resistance of <i>Enterococcus</i> in dairy farming workplaces

Xiangnan WEI; Yanggui CHEN; Jia HUANG; Fulong WANG; Jiguo JIN; Fan WU; Xixiao MA; Zhaojie WANG; Xingyu WANG; Wanting XU; Jianyong WU; Fuye LI

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Genotypic diversity and antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus in dairy farming workplaces

VernacularTitle:奶牛养殖工作场所肠球菌基因型多样性和抗生素耐药性
Author: Xiangnan WEI ¹ ; Yanggui CHEN ² ; Jia HUANG ³ ; Fulong WANG ³ ; Jiguo JIN ¹ ; Fan WU ¹ ; Xixiao MA ¹ ; Zhaojie WANG ¹ ; Xingyu WANG ¹ ; Wanting XU ¹ ; Jianyong WU ¹ ; Fuye LI ¹
Author Information

1. School of Public Health/Institute of Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China.
2. Urumqi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China.
3. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830002, China.
Publication Type:Investigation
Keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus faecium; antimicrobial resistance; multilocus sequence typing
From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):582-590
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Background Under intensive dairy farming conditions, Enterococcus spp. can be transmitted between animals, farm workers, and the environment via multiple vectors such as feces, soil, water, air, and farming equipment, posing a potential threat to public health. Objective To elucidate the prevalence, distribution, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) among farm workers, dairy cattle, and the farm environment in Xinjiang, and to assess the risk of their cross-host transmission. Methods From May 2024 to January 2025, a total of 317 samples were collected from 11 large-scale dairy farms in Xinjiang, China, including feces from farm workers (n=130) and dairy cattle (n=154), and environmental samples (n=33). E. faecalis and E. faecium were isolated and identified, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to analyze their molecular characteristics. Results A total of 183 Enterococcus isolates were obtained (66 E. faecalis and 117 E. faecium isolated). The isolation rates of both species showed statistically significant differences among the three sources (χ²=29.21, P=0.003). Antimicrobial resistance analysis revealed that E. faecalis generally exhibited higher resistance rates across multiple antibiotic classes than E. faecium. High resistance to rifampicin was observed across all sources (50.00%–81.25%), with statistical variation among origins (χ²=8.03, P=0.024). Multidrug-resistant strains accounted for 69.10% of the isolates. Multidrug resistance patterns in E. faecium varied significantly by source (χ²=27.19, P=0.014), and one isolate displayed resistance to eight antibiotic classes. MLST indicated high genetic diversity; E. faecalis was dominated by ST472 and ST227 of which the distrubution was significantly different among sources, while E. faecium primarily clustered into clonal complexes CC94 (centered on ST94) and CC17 (centered on ST22). Conclusion Resistant Enterococcus strains exhibit cross-transmission among farm workers, animals, and the environment. Under the "One Health" framework, standardized farming protocols and prudent antimicrobial use are essential to disrupt the transmission chain of resistant clones and mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance at its source.