scholarly journals Diverse commensal E. coli clones and plasmids disseminate antimicrobial resistance genes in domestic animals and children in a semi-rural community in Ecuador

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liseth Salinas ◽  
Paúl Cárdenas ◽  
Timothy J. Johnson ◽  
Karla Vasco ◽  
Jay Graham ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Enterobacteriaceae has had major clinical and economic impacts in human medicine. Many of the multi-drug resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae found in humans are community-acquired and linked to food animals (i.e. livestock raised for meat and dairy products). In this study, we examined whether numerically dominant, commensal Escherichia coli strains from humans (n=63 isolates) and domestic animals (n=174 isolates) in the same community and with matching phenotypic AMR patterns, were clonally related or shared the same plasmids. We identified 25 multi-drug resistant isolates (i.e. resistant to 3 or more antimicrobial classes) that shared identical phenotypic resistance patterns. We then investigated the diversity of E. coli clones, AMR genes and plasmids carrying the AMR genes using conjugation, replicon typing and whole genome sequencing. None of the MDR E. coli isolates (from children and domestic animals) analyzed were clonal. While the majority of isolates shared the same antimicrobial resistance genes and replicons, DNA sequencing indicated that these genes and replicons were found on different plasmid structures. Our findings suggest that nonclonal resistance gene dissemination is common in this community and that diverse plasmids carrying AMR genes presents a significant challenge for understanding the movement of AMR in a community.IMPORTANCEEven though Escherichia coli strains may share nearly identical AMR profiles, AMR genes, and overlap in space and time, the diversity of clones and plasmids challenges to research that aims to identify sources of AMR. Horizontal gene transfer appears to play a much larger role than clonal expansion in the spread of AMR in the community.

mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liseth Salinas ◽  
Paúl Cárdenas ◽  
Timothy J. Johnson ◽  
Karla Vasco ◽  
Jay Graham ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Enterobacteriaceae has had major clinical and economic impacts on human medicine. Many of the multidrug-resistant (multiresistant) Enterobacteriaceae found in humans are community acquired, and some of them are possibly linked to food animals (i.e., livestock raised for meat and dairy products). In this study, we examined whether numerically dominant commensal Escherichia coli strains from humans (n = 63 isolates) and domestic animals (n = 174 isolates) in the same community and with matching phenotypic AMR patterns were clonally related or shared the same plasmids. We identified 25 multiresistant isolates (i.e., isolates resistant to more than one antimicrobial) that shared identical phenotypic resistance patterns. We then investigated the diversity of E. coli clones, AMR genes, and plasmids carrying the AMR genes using conjugation, replicon typing, and whole-genome sequencing. All of the multiresistant E. coli isolates (from children and domestic animals) analyzed had at least 90 or more whole-genome SNP differences between one another, suggesting that none of the strains was recently transferred. While the majority of isolates shared the same antimicrobial resistance genes and replicons, DNA sequencing indicated that these genes and replicons were found on different plasmid structures. We did not find evidence of the clonal spread of AMR in this community: instead, AMR genes were carried on diverse clones and plasmids. This presents a significant challenge for understanding the movement of AMR in a community. IMPORTANCE Even though Escherichia coli strains may share nearly identical phenotypic AMR profiles and AMR genes and overlap in space and time, the diversity of clones and plasmids challenges research that aims to identify sources of AMR. Horizontal gene transfer appears to play a more significant role than clonal expansion in the spread of AMR in this community.


Author(s):  
Juan Martín Talavera-Gonzalez ◽  
Martin Talavera-Rojas ◽  
Edgardo Soriano-Vargas ◽  
JESUS VAZQUEZ-NAVARRETE ◽  
Celene Salgado-Miranda

The transmission of multi-drug resistant pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant genes is an arising problem with multiple factors involved (humans, domestic animals, wildlife). The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Escherichia coli isolates with different antimicrobial resistance genes from backyard poultry and demonstrate the in vitro transduction phenomenon of these genes between phages from migratory wild-birds and poultry E. coli isolates. We collected 197 E. coli isolates from chicken, turkeys, and ducks in backyard production units (northern region of the State of Mexico). Isolates were resistant to ampicillin (80.7%), tetracycline (64.4%), carbenicillin (56.3%), and nalidixic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (both, 26.9%). Moreover, blaTEM (56.3%), tetB (20.8%), tetA (19.2%), sulI (7.6%), sulII (10.1%), qnrA (9.6%) and qnrB (5.5%) genes were found. In vitro transduction using phages from migratory wild birds sampled in the wetland Chimaliapan (State of Mexico) was worked out. It was possible to transduce qnrA, tetB, blaTEM and sulII genes to E. coli isolates from poultry. This is the first report that describes the transduction of antimicrobial resistance genes from phages of migratory wild birds to poultry and suggests the possible transmission in backyard production units.


2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1373-1380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh B. Rosengren ◽  
Cheryl L. Waldner ◽  
Richard J. Reid-Smith

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli often carries linked antimicrobial resistance genes on transmissible genetic elements. Through coselection, antimicrobial use may select for unrelated but linked resistance or virulence genes. This study used unconditional statistical associations to investigate the relationships between antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and antimicrobial resistance genes in 151 E. coli isolates from healthy pigs. Phenotypic resistance to each drug was significantly associated with phenotypic resistance to at least one other drug, and every association found that the probability of observing the outcome resistance was increased by the presence of the predictor resistance. With one exception, each statistical association that was identified between a pair of resistance genes had a corresponding significant association identified between the phenotypes mediated by those genes. This suggests that associations between resistance phenotypes might predict coselection. If this hypothesis is confirmed, evaluation of the associations between resistance phenotypes could improve our knowledge of coselection dynamics and provide a cost-effective way to evaluate existing data until large-scale genotypic data collection becomes feasible. This could enable policy makers and users of antimicrobials to consider coselection in antimicrobial use decisions. This study also considered the unconditional relationships between resistance and virulence genes in E. coli from healthy pigs (aidA-1, eae, elt, estA, estB, fedA1, stx1, and stx2). Positive statistical associations would suggest that antimicrobial use may select for virulence in bacteria that may contaminate food or cause diarrhea in pigs. Fortunately, the odds of detecting a virulence gene were rarely increased by the presence of an antimicrobial resistance gene. This suggests that on-farm antimicrobial use did not select for the examined virulence factors in E. coli carried by this population of healthy pigs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingzhi Yuan ◽  
Xiaoye Wang ◽  
Dali Shi ◽  
Qiang Ge ◽  
Xingxing Song ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The discovery of mcr-1-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC), a notable superbug, attracted great attention worldwide. Swine-origin multi-drug resistance MCRPEC is a potential threat to public health and safety. To date, few detailed studies regarding swine-origin MCRPEC in Guangxi, South China, have been reported. Results In this study, thirty-three MCRPEC harbored mcr-1 genes were identified from 142 E. coli strains isolated from swine droppings and entrails in Guangxi in 2018. All MCRPEC isolates were assigned to 8 unique STs, including ST10, ST224 and ST410, which overlapped with the human-origin MCRPEC. Additionally, a total of six plasmid replicon types (IncFI, IncHI1, IncY, IncN, IncI1 and IncX1) were found. Moreover, the drug susceptibility of the MCRPEC isolates was tested with 27 antimicrobial agents belonging to 17 antimicrobial categories that are usually used in hospitals. There were 19 extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) E. coli and 12 carbapenem resistant E. coli among the 33 MCRPEC strains. Importantly, the MCRPEC showed a high rate of resistance against two broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotics, imipenem and meropenem, which are forbidden in livestock production use. Three MCRPEC strains were further identified to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and other isolates were recognized as multi-drug-resistant (MDR). Meanwhile, to detect whether plasmid-carrying antimicrobial resistance genes coexisted with the mcr-1 gene in the MCRPEC isolates, a total of 22 plasmid-carrying antimicrobial resistance genes were tested for. The results showed that four ESBL genes and one pAmpC gene were identified. Eight of the MCRPEC isolates also contained the carbapenem gene blaNDM-5, which could cause untreatable infections. Moreover, ten non-lactamase genes were also detected. Conclusion This study indicated that swine-origin MCRPEC isolated in Guangxi seemed to have a high rate of resistance to both regular and final line of defense drugs as well as drug resistance genes, which pose a great threat to human public safety and health.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Constantinides ◽  
KK Chau ◽  
TP Quan ◽  
G Rodger ◽  
M Andersson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTEscherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. are important human pathogens that cause a wide spectrum of clinical disease. In healthcare settings, sinks and other wastewater sites have been shown to be reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp., particularly in the context of outbreaks of resistant strains amongst patients. Without focusing exclusively on resistance markers or a clinical outbreak, we demonstrate that many hospital sink drains are abundantly and persistently colonised with diverse populations of E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, including both antimicrobial-resistant and susceptible strains. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 439 isolates, we show that environmental bacterial populations are largely structured by ward and sink, with only a handful of lineages, such as E. coli ST635, being widely distributed, suggesting different prevailing ecologies which may vary as a result of different inputs and selection pressures. WGS of 46 contemporaneous patient isolates identified one (2%; 95% CI 0.05-11%) E. coli urine infection-associated isolate with high similarity to a prior sink isolate, suggesting that sinks may contribute to up to 10% of infections caused by these organisms in patients on the ward over the same timeframe. Using metagenomics from 20 sink-timepoints, we show that sinks also harbour many clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes including blaCTX-M, blaSHV and mcr, and may act as niches for the exchange and amplification of these genes. Our study reinforces the potential role of sinks in contributing to Enterobacterales infection and antimicrobial resistance in hospital patients, something that could be amenable to intervention.IMPORTANCEEscherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. cause a wide range of bacterial infections, including bloodstream, urine and lung infections. Previous studies have shown that sink drains in hospitals may be part of transmission chains in outbreaks of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp., leading to colonisation and clinical disease in patients. We show that even in non-outbreak settings, contamination of sink drains by these bacteria is common across hospital wards, and that many antimicrobial resistance genes can be found and potentially exchanged in these sink drain sites. Our findings demonstrate that the colonisation of handwashing sink drains by these bacteria in hospitals is likely contributing to some infections in patients, and that additional work is needed to further quantify this risk, and to consider appropriate mitigating interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Natapol Pumipuntu ◽  
Sangkom Pumipuntu

Background and Aim: The problem of antimicrobial resistance of bacteria in both humans and animals is an important public health concern globally, which is likely to increase, including in Thailand, where carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), such as Escherichia coli, are of particular concern. They are pathogens found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other animals as well as in the environment. They may cause opportunistic infection and are often resistant to antibiotics in various fields especially in animal husbandry, such as pets or livestock farms. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant E. coli from water samples of smallholder dairy farms in Saraburi and Maha Sarakham, Thailand. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four water samples were collected from 32 dairy farms in Kaeng Khoi district, Muak Lek district, and Wang Muang district of Saraburi Province, and Kantharawichai district and Mueang district of Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand. All samples were cultured and isolated for E. coli by biochemical tests. All E. coli isolates were tested for drug susceptibility using imipenem, meropenem, and drug resistance genes of carbapenemases such as blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaOXA48 of drug-resistant E. coli isolates detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Results: A total of 182 E. coli isolates were found (140 and 42 isolates from Saraburi and Maha Sarakham, respectively). Drug sensitivity tests found that two isolates of E. coli from water in Kaeng Khoi were resistant to imipenem; therefore, the incidence of E. coli resistance to carbapenem was 1.43% of Saraburi Province. On the other hand, there was no incidence of drug-resistant E. coli in Maha Sarakham. In addition, the detection of the drug-resistant gene of E. coli in both isolates by PCR showed the expression of blaNDM. Conclusion: This study reports E. coli resistance to antimicrobial drugs on livestock farms. It can be considered to be the first report of E. coli CRE detection in a dairy farm at Saraburi, which should be the subject of further extended study.


2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 3656-3666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basanta Kumar Biswal ◽  
Ramzi Khairallah ◽  
Kareem Bibi ◽  
Alberto Mazza ◽  
Ronald Gehr ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWastewater discharges may increase the populations of pathogens, includingEscherichia coli, and of antimicrobial-resistant strains in receiving waters. This study investigated the impact of UV and peracetic acid (PAA) disinfection on the prevalence of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes in uropathogenicEscherichia coli(UPEC), the most abundantE. colipathotype in municipal wastewaters. Laboratory disinfection experiments were conducted on wastewater treated by physicochemical, activated sludge, or biofiltration processes; 1,766E. coliisolates were obtained for the evaluation. The target disinfection level was 200 CFU/100 ml, resulting in UV and PAA doses of 7 to 30 mJ/cm2and 0.9 to 2.0 mg/liter, respectively. The proportions of UPECs were reduced in all samples after disinfection, with an average reduction by UV of 55% (range, 22% to 80%) and by PAA of 52% (range, 11% to 100%). Analysis of urovirulence genes revealed that the decline in the UPEC populations was not associated with any particular virulence factor. A positive association was found between the occurrence of urovirulence and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). However, the changes in the prevalence of ARGs in potential UPECs were different following disinfection, i.e., UV appears to have had no effect, while PAA significantly reduced the ARG levels. Thus, this study showed that both UV and PAA disinfections reduced the proportion of UPECs and that PAA disinfection also reduced the proportion of antimicrobial resistance gene-carrying UPEC pathotypes in municipal wastewaters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (7A) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko ◽  
Nabil-Fareed Alikhan ◽  
Anuradha Ravi ◽  
Gaëtan Thilliez ◽  
Nicholas Thomson ◽  
...  

Increasing contact between humans and non-human primates provides an opportunity for the transfer of potential pathogens or antimicrobial resistance between different host species. We have investigated genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from a range of non-human primates dispersed across the Gambia: patas monkey (n=1), western colobus monkey (n=6), green monkey (n=14) and guinea baboon (n=22). From 43 stools, we recovered 99 isolates. We performed Illumina whole-genome shotgun sequencing on all isolates and nanopore long-read sequencing on isolates with antimicrobial resistance genes. We inferred the evolution of E. coli in this population using the EnteroBase software environment. We identified 43 sequence types (ten of them novel), spanning five of the eight known phylogroups of E. coli. Many of the observed sequence types and phylotypes from non-human primates have been associated with human extra-intestinal infection and carry virulence characteristics associated with disease in humans, particularly ST73, ST217 and ST681. However, we found a low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes in isolates from non-human primates. Hierarchical clustering showed that ST442 and ST349 from non-human primates are closely related to isolates from human infections, suggesting recent exchange of bacteria between humans and monkeys. Our results are of public health importance, considering the increasing contact between humans and wild primates.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingzhi Yuan ◽  
Xiaoye Wang ◽  
Dali Shi ◽  
Qiang Ge ◽  
Xingxing Song ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The discovery of the superbug mcr-1 -positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC) has attracted worldwide attention. Swine-origin multi-drug resistant MCRPEC is a potential threat to public health and safety. To date, few detailed studies have been reported on swine MCRPEC in Guangxi, South China. Results: In this study, thirty-three MCRPEC strains were identified from 142 E. coli strains isolated from 116 samples in Guangxi in 2018. All MCRPEC isolates were classified into eight unique STs and a total of six incompatibility plasmid groups (IncFI, IncHI1, IncY, IncN, IncI1 and IncX1) were found. Then, susceptibility of MCRPEC isolates to 27 antimicrobial agents belonging to 17 antimicrobial categories was tested. There were nineteen 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins resistant E. coli and twelve carbapenem resistant E. coli among the 33 MCRPEC strains. Importantly, the MCRPEC were highly resistant to two carbapenem antibiotics, imipenem and meropenem, which were not permitted for use in livestock production. Three MCRPEC strains were further identified to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and the other isolates were recognized as multi-drug-resistant (MDR). Moreover, we detected whether the plasmid-carrying resistance genes coexist with the mcr-1 gene of the MCRPEC isolates. At last, β-lactamase antimicrobial resistance genes such as ESBL genes ( bla CTX-M14 , bla CTX-M24 , bla CTX-M123 , bla OXA-1 ), plasmid-mediated AmpC (pAmpC) gene ( bla CMY-2 ), and the carbapenem gene bla NDM-5 were detected. In addition, non-β-lactamase antimicrobial resistance genes such as qnrA , qnrB , qnrS , aac(6’)-Ib-cr , tetA , tetB , sul1 , sul2 , floR , aadA were also detected. Conclusion: Thirty-three mcr-1 -positive E. coli isolates in Guangxi had a wide range of antimicrobial resistance. Plasmid-carrying resistance genes might be the main cause of MCRPEC multidrug resistance. This study highlighted the necessity for long-term surveillance of mcr-1 -positive E. coli in pigs.


2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 4200-4206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Hamelin ◽  
Guillaume Bruant ◽  
Abdel El-Shaarawi ◽  
Stephen Hill ◽  
Thomas A. Edge ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli is generally described as a commensal species with occasional pathogenic strains. Due to technological limitations, there is currently little information concerning the prevalence of pathogenic E. coli strains in the environment. For the first time, using a DNA microarray capable of detecting all currently described virulence genes and commonly found antimicrobial resistance genes, a survey of environmental E. coli isolates from recreational waters was carried out. A high proportion (29%) of 308 isolates from a beach site in the Great Lakes carried a pathotype set of virulence-related genes, and 14% carried antimicrobial resistance genes, findings consistent with a potential risk for public health. The results also showed that another 8% of the isolates had unusual virulence gene combinations that would be missed by conventional screening. This new application of a DNA microarray to environmental waters will likely have an important impact on public health, epidemiology, and microbial ecology in the future.


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