Members of the genus Arcobacter are considered as emerging zoonotic food and waterborne pathogens that cause gastroenteritis and bacteremia in humans. However, the potential risk that Arcobacter species pose to public health remains unassessed in various countries, including Baltic states. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and presence of putative virulence genes of Arcobacter isolates recovered from humans, food products and environmental water in Lithuania. A total of 1862 samples were collected and examined from 2018 to 2020 in the city of Kaunas. Overall, 11.2% (n = 208) of the samples were positive for the presence of Arcobacter spp. The highest prevalence was detected in chicken meat (36%), followed by environmental water (28.1%), raw cow milk (25%), ready-to-eat salad mixes (7.1%) and human stool (1.7%). A. butzleri was the most frequently isolated species (n = 192; 92.3%), followed by A. cryaerophilus (n = 16; 7.7%). Arcobacter spp. antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed unimodally distributed aggregated minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin and erythromycin. However, a bimodal distribution for azithromycin was found with 96.2% of determined MICs above the epidemiological cut-off value (ECOFF) defined for Campylobacter jejuni (0.25 µg/ml). Majority of the Arcobacter isolates (n = 187; 89.9%) showed high susceptibility to ciprofloxacin with MICs below or equal to the ECOFF value of 0.5 µg/ml. The putative virulence genes cadF (100%), ciaB (100%), cj1349 (99%), tlyA (99%), mviN (97.9%) and pldA (95.8%) were the predominant genes detected among A. butzleri isolates. In contrast, the mviN and ciaB genes were present in all, whereas cj1349 (12.5%), tlyA (25%) and hecA (12.5%) were only detected in few A. cryaerophilus isolates. Our results demonstrate that food products and environmental water in Lithuania are frequently contaminated with Arcobacter spp. that carry multiple putative virulence genes. Furthermore, A. butzleri were isolated from 1.7% of inpatients. Fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides were found to be more effective against Arcobacter in comparison to other antimicrobial agents. However, further studies are needed to determine the pathogenic mechanisms and factors that facilitate the spread of Arcobacter infections.

中文翻译：

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从人类粪便样本、动物源性食品、即食沙拉混合物和环境水中分离出的弧菌属物种的流行率、抗菌敏感性和毒力基因谱

Arcobacter 属的成员被认为是新出现的人畜共患食物和水源性病原体，可导致人类胃肠炎和菌血症。然而，包括波罗的海国家在内的各国仍未评估弓形杆菌物种对公共健康构成的潜在风险。因此，本研究的目的是确定从立陶宛的人类、食品和环境水中回收的弓形杆菌分离株的流行率、抗菌敏感性和假定毒力基因的存在。从 2018 年到 2020 年，考纳斯市共收集和检查了 1862 个样本。总体而言，11.2% (n = 208) 的样本对 Arcobacter 属的存在呈阳性。在鸡肉中检测到的患病率最高 (36%)，其次是环境水 (28.1%)、生牛奶 (25%)、即食沙拉混合物 (7. 1%) 和人类粪便 (1.7%)。A. butzleri 是最常分离的物种 (n = 192; 92.3%)，其次是 A. craeerophilus (n = 16; 7.7%)。弧菌属 抗菌药物敏感性测试显示庆大霉素、四环素、环丙沙星、氨苄青霉素和红霉素的聚集最小抑菌浓度 (MIC) 呈单峰分布。然而，发现阿奇霉素呈双峰分布，96.2% 的确定 MIC 高于为空肠弯曲杆菌定义的流行病学临界值 (ECOFF) (0.25 µg/ml)。大多数 Arcobacter 分离株（n = 187；89.9%）对环丙沙星具有高度敏感性，其 MIC 低于或等于 0.5 µg/ml 的 ECOFF 值。假定的毒力基因 cadF (100%)、ciaB (100%)、cj1349 (99%)、tlyA (99%)、mviN (97.9%) 和 pldA (95.8%) 是 A. butzleri 隔离。相比之下，mviN 和 ciaB 基因存在于所有基因中，而 cj1349 (12.5%)、tlyA (25%) 和 hecA (12.5%) 仅在少数嗜冷链球菌分离株中检测到。我们的研究结果表明，立陶宛的食品和环境水经常受到弧菌属的污染。携带多个假定的毒力基因。此外，从 1.7% 的住院患者中分离出了 A. butzleri。与其他抗菌药物相比，氟喹诺酮类药物和氨基糖苷类药物被发现对弓形杆菌更有效。然而，需要进一步的研究来确定促进弓形杆菌感染传播的致病机制和因素。嗜冷菌分离物。我们的研究结果表明，立陶宛的食品和环境水经常受到弧菌属的污染。携带多个假定的毒力基因。此外，从 1.7% 的住院患者中分离出了 A. butzleri。与其他抗菌药物相比，氟喹诺酮类药物和氨基糖苷类药物被发现对弓形杆菌更有效。然而，需要进一步的研究来确定促进弓形杆菌感染传播的致病机制和因素。嗜冷菌分离物。我们的研究结果表明，立陶宛的食品和环境水经常受到弧菌属的污染。携带多个假定的毒力基因。此外，从 1.7% 的住院患者中分离出了 A. butzleri。与其他抗菌药物相比，氟喹诺酮类药物和氨基糖苷类药物被发现对弓形杆菌更有效。然而，需要进一步的研究来确定促进弓形杆菌感染传播的致病机制和因素。与其他抗菌药物相比，氟喹诺酮类药物和氨基糖苷类药物被发现对弓形杆菌更有效。然而，需要进一步的研究来确定促进弓形杆菌感染传播的致病机制和因素。与其他抗菌药物相比，氟喹诺酮类药物和氨基糖苷类药物被发现对弓形杆菌更有效。然而，需要进一步的研究来确定促进弓形杆菌感染传播的致病机制和因素。