Ban resistant strains from food chain

A CRISPR/Cas12a-Based System for Sensitive Detection of Antimicrobial-Resistant Genes in Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales

Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria pose a significant global health threat, and bacteria that produce New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) are particularly concerning due to their resistance to most β-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems. The emergence and spread of NDM-producing genes in food-producing animals highlight the need for a fast and accurate method for detecting AMR bacteria. We therefore propose a PCR-coupled CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence assay that can detect NDM-producing genes (blaNDM) in bacteria. Thanks to its designed gRNA, this CRISPR/Cas12a system was able to simultaneously cleave PCR amplicons and ssDNA-FQ reporters, generating fluorescence signals. Our method was found to be highly specific when tested against other foodborne pathogens that do not carry blaNDM and also demonstrated an excellent capability to distinguish single-nucleotide polymorphism. In the case of blaNDM-1 carrying E. coli, the assay performed exceptionally well, with a detection limit of 2.7 × 100 CFU/mL: 100 times better than conventional PCR with gel electrophoresis. Moreover, the developed assay detected AMR bacteria in food samples and exhibited enhanced performance compared to previously published real-time PCR assays. Thus, this novel PCR-coupled CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence assay has considerable potential to improve current approaches to AMR gene detection and thereby contribute to mitigating the global threat of AMR.

Spread of OXA-48 and NDM-1-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST48 and ST101 in Chicken Meat in Western Algeria

Aim: We investigated the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in chicken meat in Western Algeria in 2017. Results: From February to July 2017, samples of chicken meat from three poultry farms in Western Algeria were screened for the presence of CPE. Strains were characterized with regard to antibiotic resistance, β-lactamase content, Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance, sulfonamide resistance genes, clonality (repetitive sequence-based profiles and multilocus sequence typing) and virulence traits. Of 181 samples analyzed, 29 (16.0%) carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected. Twenty-three OXA-48-producers (79.3%) and six (20.7%) New Delhi metallo (NDM)-1-producers were observed. Clonality analysis showed three distinct lineages and clonal expansions of the OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae ST48 and the NDM-1-producing K. pneumoniae ST101. These isolates harbored fimH, ureA, mrkD, entB, uge, and wabG. Neither capsular serotype genes nor hypermucoviscous phenotype were detected. Plasmid analysis confirmed that all these isolates harbored the transferable IncL and IncFIIK plasmids. Conclusions: This study reports the spread of OXA-48 and NDM-1-producing K. pneumoniae ST48 and ST101 in chicken meat in Western Algeria and demonstrates that food represents a reservoir of the carbapenemases encoding genes.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in wildlife, food-producing, and companion animals: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in healthcare settings challenges clinicians worldwide. However, little is known about dissemination of CRE in livestock, food, and companion animals and potential transmission to humans.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of all studies published in the PubMed database between 1980 and 2017 and included those reporting the occurrence of CRE in samples from food-producing and companion animals, wildlife, and exposed humans. The primary outcome was the occurrence of CRE in samples from these animals; secondary outcomes included the prevalence of CRE, carbapenemase types, CRE genotypes, and antimicrobial susceptibilities.

RESULTS

We identified 68 articles describing CRE among pigs, poultry, cattle, seafood, dogs, cats, horses, pet birds, swallows, wild boars, wild stork, gulls, and black kites in Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. The following carbapenemases have been detected (predominantly affecting the genera Escherichia and Klebsiella): VIM, KPC, NDM, OXA, and IMP. Two studies found that 33-67% of exposed humans on poultry farms carried carbapenemase-producing CRE closely related to isolates from the farm environment. Twenty-seven studies selectively screened samples for CRE and found a prevalence of <1% among livestock and companion animals in Europe, 2-26% in Africa, and 1-15% in Asia. Wildlife (gulls) in Australia and Europe carried CRE in 16-19%.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of CRE in livestock, seafood, wildlife, pets, and directly exposed humans poses a risk for public health. Prospective prevalence studies using molecular and cultural microbiological methods are needed to better define the scope and transmission of CRE.

ESCAIDE 2015: an operational scientific conference on infectious diseases for professionals from Europe and beyond

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