A Florfenicol-Resistant Plasmid Shuttling Between Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Glaesserella parasuis.

Abstract

Porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, has resulted in significant economic losses to the swine industry. Although antibiotics are commonly employed to control this disease, their widespread use or misuse can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae. Consequently, it is crucial to conduct antimicrobial susceptibility testing on clinical isolates. In our study, we identified one strain of A. pleuropneumoniae with resistance to florfenicol and extracted a 5919 bp plasmid named pAPPJY, which confers florfenicol resistance. Sequence analysis revealed that the plasmid contains four open reading frames, namely rep, antioxin vbha family protein, floR, and a partial copy of lysr. Although a few variations in gene position were observed, the plasmid sequence exhibits a high degree of similarity to other florfenicol-resistant plasmids found in Glaesserella parasuis and A. pleuropneumoniae. Therefore, it is possible that the pAPPJY plasmid functions as a shuttle, facilitating the spread of florfenicol resistance between G. parasuis and A. pleuropneumoniae. In addition, partial recombination may occur during bacterial propagation. In conclusion, this study highlights the horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance among different bacterial species through plasmids, underscoring the need for increased attention to antibiotic usage.