BACKGROUND: Linezolid is a critically important antibiotic used to treat human infections caused by MRSA and VRE. While linezolid is not licensed for food-producing animals, linezolid-resistant (LR) isolates have been reported in European countries, including Belgium.

OBJECTIVES: To: (i) assess LR occurrence in staphylococci and enterococci isolated from different Belgian food-producing animals in 2019 through selective monitoring; and (ii) investigate the genomes and relatedness of these isolates.

METHODS: Faecal samples (n = 1325) and nasal swab samples (n = 148) were analysed with a protocol designed to select LR bacteria, including a 44-48 h incubation period. The presence of LR chromosomal mutations, transferable LR genes and their genetic organizations and other resistance genes, as well as LR isolate relatedness (from this study and the NCBI database) were assessed through WGS.

RESULTS: The LR rate differed widely between animal host species, with the highest rates occurring in nasal samples from pigs and sows (25.7% and 20.5%, respectively) and faecal samples from veal calves (16.4%). WGS results showed that LR determinants are present in a large diversity of isolates circulating in the agricultural sector, with some isolates closely related to human isolates, posing a human health risk.

CONCLUSIONS: LR dedicated monitoring with WGS analysis could help to better understand the spread of LR. Cross-selection of LR transferable genes through other antibiotic use should be considered in future action plans aimed at combatting antimicrobial resistance and in future objectives for the rational use of antibiotics in a One Health perspective.