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Abstract
Considering the limited knowledge about the biological characters in enterococci isolated from surface waters, we investigated antibiotic and heavy-metal resistance, bacteriocin production, and some important virulence traits of 165 enterococci collected in water samples from Monte Cotugno Lake, the largest artificial basin built with earth in Europe. The species distribution of isolates was as follows: Enterococcus faecium (80%), Enterococcus faecalis (12.7%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (3%), Enterococcus mundtii (1.8%), Enterococcus hirae (1.8%), Enterococcus durans (0.6%). All enterococci showed heavy metal resistance toward Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, were susceptible to Ag and Hg, and at the same time exhibited in large percentage (83.7%) resistance to one or more of the antibiotics tested. Relatively to virulence factor genes, 50.9% enterococci were positive for gelatinase (gelE), 10.9% for aggregation substance (agg), 12.7% and 66.6% for the cell wall adhesins (efaAfs and efaAfm), respectively. No amplicons were detected after PCR for cytolysin production (cylA, cylB and cylM) and enterococcal surface protein (esp) genes. Bacteriocin production was found in most of the isolates. Given that the waters of the Monte Cotugno Lake are used for different purposes, among which farming and recreational activities, they can contribute to spread enterococci endowed with virulence factors, and antibiotics and heavy metals resistance to humans.