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Nouws S, Verhaegen B, Denayer S, Crombé F, Piérard D, Bogaerts B, Vanneste K, Marchal K, Roosens NHC, De Keersmaecker SCJ. Transforming Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli surveillance through whole genome sequencing in food safety practices. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1204630. [PMID: 37520372 PMCID: PMC10381951 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1204630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a gastrointestinal pathogen causing foodborne outbreaks. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) in STEC surveillance holds promise in outbreak prevention and confinement, in broadening STEC epidemiology and in contributing to risk assessment and source attribution. However, despite international recommendations, WGS is often restricted to assist outbreak investigation and is not yet fully implemented in food safety surveillance across all European countries, in contrast to for example in the United States. Methods In this study, WGS was retrospectively applied to isolates collected within the context of Belgian food safety surveillance and combined with data from clinical isolates to evaluate its benefits. A cross-sector WGS-based collection of 754 strains from 1998 to 2020 was analyzed. Results We confirmed that WGS in food safety surveillance allows accurate detection of genomic relationships between human cases and strains isolated from food samples, including those dispersed over time and geographical locations. Identifying these links can reveal new insights into outbreaks and direct epidemiological investigations to facilitate outbreak management. Complete WGS-based isolate characterization enabled expanding epidemiological insights related to circulating serotypes, virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance across different reservoirs. Moreover, associations between virulence genes and severe disease were determined by incorporating human metadata into the data analysis. Gaps in the surveillance system were identified and suggestions for optimization related to sample centralization, harmonizing isolation methods, and expanding sampling strategies were formulated. Discussion This study contributes to developing a representative WGS-based collection of circulating STEC strains and by illustrating its benefits, it aims to incite policymakers to support WGS uptake in food safety surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Nouws
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
- IDlab, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University—IMEC, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bavo Verhaegen
- National Reference Laboratory for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (NRL STEC) and for Foodborne Outbreaks (NRL FBO), Foodborne Pathogens, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah Denayer
- National Reference Laboratory for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (NRL STEC) and for Foodborne Outbreaks (NRL FBO), Foodborne Pathogens, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Florence Crombé
- National Reference Centre for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (NRC STEC), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Denis Piérard
- National Reference Centre for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (NRC STEC), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bert Bogaerts
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanneste
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kathleen Marchal
- IDlab, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University—IMEC, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Salaheen S, Kim SW, Springer HR, Hovingh EP, Van Kessel JAS, Haley BJ. Genomic diversity of antimicrobial-resistant and Shiga toxin gene-harboring non-O157 Escherichia coli from dairy calves. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2023; 33:164-170. [PMID: 36898633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are globally significant foodborne pathogens. Dairy calves are a known reservoir of both O157 and non-O157 STEC. The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the genomic attributes, diversity, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) profiles of the STEC from preweaned and postweaned dairy calves in commercial dairy herds. METHODS In total, 31 non-O157 STEC were identified as part of a larger study focused on the pangenome of >1000 E. coli isolates from the faeces of preweaned and postweaned dairy calves on commercial dairy farms. These 31 genomes were sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq500 platform. RESULTS Based on the phylogenetic analyses, the STEC isolates were determined to be polyphyletic, with at least three phylogroups: A (32%), B1 (58%), and G (3%). These phylogroups represented at least 16 sequence types and 11 serogroups, including two of the 'big six' serogroups, O103 and O111. Several Shiga toxin gene subtypes were identified in the genomes, including stx1a, stx2a, stx2c, stx2d, and stx2g. Using the ResFinder database, the majority of the isolates (>50%) were determined to be multidrug-resistant strains because they harboured genes conferring resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobials, including some of human health significance (e.g., β-lactams, macrolides, and fosfomycin). Additionally, non-O157 STEC strain persistence and transmission within a farm was observed. CONCLUSION Dairy calves are a reservoir of phylogenomically diverse multidrug-resistant non-O157 STEC. Information from this study may inform assessments of public health risk and guide preharvest prevention strategies focusing on STEC reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serajus Salaheen
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland
| | - Seon Woo Kim
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland
| | - Hayley R Springer
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Ernest P Hovingh
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Jo Ann S Van Kessel
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland
| | - Bradd J Haley
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland.
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Sváb D, Falgenhauer L, Mag T, Chakraborty T, Tóth I. Genomic Diversity, Virulence Gene, and Prophage Arrays of Bovine and Human Shiga Toxigenic and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Hungary. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:896296. [PMID: 35865933 PMCID: PMC9294531 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.896296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli belonging to the enterohemorrhagic (EHEC), Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and atypical enteropathogenic (aEPEC) pathotypes are significant foodborne zoonotic pathogens posing serious health risks, with healthy cattle as their main reservoir. A representative sampling of Hungarian cattle farms during 2017–2018 yielded a prevalence of 6.5 and 5.8% for STEC and aEPEC out of 309 samples. The draft genomes of twelve STEC (of them 9 EHEC) and four aEPEC of bovine origin were determined. For comparative purposes, we also included 3 EHEC and 2 aEPEC strains of human origin, as well four commensal isolates and one extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) obtained from animals in a final set of 26 strains for a WGS-based analysis. Apart from key virulence genes, these isolates harbored several additional virulence genes with arrays characteristic for the site of isolation. The most frequent insertion site of Shiga toxin (stx) encoding prophages was yehV for the Stx1 prophage and wrbA and sbcB for Stx2. For O157:H7 strains, the locus of enterocyte effacement pathogenicity island was present at the selC site, with integration at pheV for other serotypes, and pheU in the case of O26:H11 strains. Several LEE-negative STEC and aEPEC as well as commensal isolates carried additional prophages, with an average of ten prophage regions per isolate. Comparative phylogenomic analysis showed no clear separation between bovine and human lineages among the isolates characterized in the current study. Similarities in virulence gene arrays and close phylogenetic relations of bovine and human isolates underline the zoonotic potential of bovine aEPEC and STEC and emphasize the need for frequent monitoring of these pathogens in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domonkos Sváb
- Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Domonkos Sváb,
| | - Linda Falgenhauer
- Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tünde Mag
- National Public Health Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Trinad Chakraborty
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - István Tóth
- Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary
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Prevalence and Molecular Characterisation of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli, from Cattle Farm to Aquatic Environments. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11060674. [PMID: 35745529 PMCID: PMC9230396 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria are a major problem for public health worldwide because of limited treatment options. Currently, only limited information is available on ESBL-producing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle farms and the surrounding aquatic environment. This study sought to track and characterise ESBL-producing STEC disseminating from a cattle farm into the water environment. Animal husbandry soil (HS), animal manure (AM), animal drinking water (ADW), and nearby river water (NRW) samples were collected from the cattle farm. Presumptive ESBL-producing STEC were isolated and identified using chromogenic media and mass spectrophotometry methods (MALDI-TOF-MS), respectively. The isolates were subjected to molecular analysis, and all confirmed ESBL-producing STEC isolates were serotyped for their O serogroups and assessed for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and for the presence of selected virulence factors (VFs). A phylogenetic tree based on the multilocus sequences was constructed to determine the relatedness among isolates of ESBL-producing STEC. The highest prevalence of ESBL-producing STEC of 83.33% was observed in HS, followed by ADW with 75%, NRW with 68.75%, and the lowest was observed in AM with 64.58%. Out of 40 randomly selected isolates, 88% (n = 35) belonged to the serogroup O45 and 13% (n = 5) to the serogroup O145. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis revealed four different sequence types (STs), namely ST10, ST23, ST165, and ST117, and the predominant ST was found to be ST10. All 40 isolates carried sul1 (100%), while blaOXA, blaCTX-M, sul2, blaTEM, and qnrS genes were found in 98%, 93%, 90%, 83%, and 23% of the 40 isolates, respectively. For VFs, only stx2 was detected in ESBL-producing STEC isolates. The results of the present study indicated that a cattle environment is a potential reservoir of ESBL-producing STEC, which may disseminate into the aquatic environment through agricultural runoff, thus polluting water sources. Therefore, continual surveillance of ESBL-producing STEC non-O157 would be beneficial for controlling and preventing STEC-related illnesses originating from livestock environments.
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Haley BJ, Kim SW, Salaheen S, Hovingh E, Van Kessel JAS. Virulome and genome analyses identify associations between antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors in highly drug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from veal calves. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265445. [PMID: 35298535 PMCID: PMC8929554 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Food animals are known reservoirs of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli, but information regarding the factors influencing colonization by these organisms is lacking. Here we report the genomic analysis of 66 MDR E. coli isolates from non-redundant veal calf fecal samples. Genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines were the most frequent antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) detected and included those that confer resistance to clinically significant antibiotics (blaCMY-2, blaCTX-M, mph(A), erm(B), aac(6’)Ib-cr, and qnrS1). Co-occurrence analyses indicated that multiple ARGs significantly co-occurred with each other, and with metal and biocide resistance genes (MRGs and BRGs). Genomic analysis also indicated that the MDR E. coli isolated from veal calves were highly diverse. The most frequently detected genotype was phylogroup A-ST Cplx 10. A high percentage of isolates (50%) were identified as sequence types that are the causative agents of extra-intestinal infections (ExPECs), such as ST69, ST410, ST117, ST88, ST617, ST648, ST10, ST58, and ST167, and an appreciable number of these isolates encoded virulence factors involved in the colonization and infection of the human urinary tract. There was a significant difference in the presence of multiple accessory virulence factors (VFs) between MDR and susceptible strains. VFs associated with enterohemorrhagic infections, such as stx, tir, and eae, were more likely to be harbored by antimicrobial-susceptible strains, while factors associated with extraintestinal infections such as the sit system, aerobactin, and pap fimbriae genes were more likely to be encoded in resistant strains. A comparative analysis of SNPs between strains indicated that several closely related strains were recovered from animals on different farms indicating the potential for resistant strains to circulate among farms. These results indicate that veal calves are a reservoir for a diverse group of MDR E. coli that harbor various resistance genes and virulence factors associated with human infections. Evidence of co-occurrence of ARGs with MRGs, BRGs, and iron-scavenging genes (sit and aerobactin) may lead to management strategies for reducing colonization of resistant bacteria in the calf gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradd J. Haley
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Seon Woo Kim
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Serajus Salaheen
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Ernest Hovingh
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Jo Ann S. Van Kessel
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
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Elsayed MSAE, Eldsouky SM, Roshdy T, Bayoume AMA, Nasr GM, Salama ASA, Akl BA, Hasan AS, Shahat AK, Khashaba RA, Abdelhalim WA, Nasr HE, Mohammed LA, Salah A. Genetic and antimicrobial resistance profiles of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from different sources in Egypt. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:257. [PMID: 34556033 PMCID: PMC8461963 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represented a great risk to public health. In this study, 60 STEC strains recovered from broiler and duck fecal samples, cow's milk, cattle beef, human urine, and ear discharge were screened for 12 virulence genes, phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA). RESULTS The majority of strains harbored Shiga toxin 1 (stx1) and stx1d, stx2 and stx2e, and ehxA genes, while a minority harbored stx2c subtype and eaeA. We identified 10 stx gene combinations; most of strains 31/60 (51.7%) exhibited four copies of stx genes, namely the stx1, stx1d, stx2, and stx2e, and the strains exhibited a high range of multiple antimicrobial resistance indices. The resistance genes blaCTX-M-1 and blaTEM were detected. For the oxytetracycline resistance genes, most of strains contained tetA, tetB, tetE, and tetG while the tetC was present at low frequency. MLVA genotyping resolved 26 unique genotypes; genotype 21 was highly prevalent. The six highly discriminatory loci DI = 0.9138 are suitable for the preliminary genotyping of STEC from animals and humans. CONCLUSIONS The STEC isolated from animals are virulent, resistant to antimicrobials, and genetically diverse, thus demands greater attention for the potential risk to human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Sabry Abd Elraheam Elsayed
- Department of Bacteriology, Mycology, and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt.
| | - Samah Mahmoud Eldsouky
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Tamer Roshdy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Abeer Mohamed Ahmed Bayoume
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Ghada M Nasr
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, 32897, Egypt
| | - Ali S A Salama
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Behiry A Akl
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Al Shaimaa Hasan
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Qena Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Amany Kasem Shahat
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Rana Atef Khashaba
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Chemistry, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | | | - Hend E Nasr
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | | | - Ahmed Salah
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
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Galarce N, Sánchez F, Escobar B, Lapierre L, Cornejo J, Alegría-Morán R, Neira V, Martínez V, Johnson T, Fuentes-Castillo D, Sano E, Lincopan N. Genomic Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from the Livestock-Food-Human Interface in South America. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11071845. [PMID: 34206206 PMCID: PMC8300192 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are zoonotic pathogens that cause food-borne diseases in humans, where cattle and derived products play a key role as reservoirs and vehicles. We analyzed the genomic data of STEC strains circulating at the livestock-food-human interface in South America, extracting clinically and epidemiologically relevant information (serotypes, virulome, resistance genes, sequence types, and phylogenomics). This study included 130 STEC genomes obtained from cattle (n = 51), beef (n = 48), and human (n = 31) samples. The successful expansion of O157:H7 (ST11) and non-O157 (ST16, ST21, ST223, ST443, ST677, ST679, ST2388) clones is highlighted, suggesting common activities, such as multilateral trade and travel. Circulating STEC strains analyzed exhibit high genomic diversity and harbor several genetic determinants associated with severe illness in humans, highlighting the need to establish official surveillance of this pathogen that should be focused on detecting molecular determinants of virulence and clonal relatedness, in the whole beef production chain. Abstract Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are zoonotic pathogens responsible for causing food-borne diseases in humans. While South America has the highest incidence of human STEC infections, information about the genomic characteristics of the circulating strains is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze genomic data of STEC strains isolated in South America from cattle, beef, and humans; predicting the antibiotic resistome, serotypes, sequence types (STs), clonal complexes (CCs) and phylogenomic backgrounds. A total of 130 whole genome sequences of STEC strains were analyzed, where 39.2% were isolated from cattle, 36.9% from beef, and 23.8% from humans. The ST11 was the most predicted (20.8%) and included O-:H7 (10.8%) and O157:H7 (10%) serotypes. The successful expansion of non-O157 clones such as ST16/CC29-O111:H8 and ST21/CC29-O26:H11 is highlighted, suggesting multilateral trade and travel. Virulome analyses showed that the predominant stx subtype was stx2a (54.6%); most strains carried ehaA (96.2%), iha (91.5%) and lpfA (77.7%) genes. We present genomic data that can be used to support the surveillance of STEC strains circulating at the livestock-food-human interface in South America, in order to control the spread of critical clones “from farm to table”.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Galarce
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Fernando Sánchez
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile
| | - Beatriz Escobar
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
| | - Lisette Lapierre
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
| | - Javiera Cornejo
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
| | - Raúl Alegría-Morán
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Ambientales, Universidad Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago 8370007, Chile
| | - Víctor Neira
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.S.); (B.E.); (L.L.); (J.C.); (R.A.-M.); (V.N.)
| | - Víctor Martínez
- Departamento de Fomento de la Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile;
| | - Timothy Johnson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Danny Fuentes-Castillo
- Departamento de Patología, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil;
| | - Elder Sano
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil; (E.S.); (N.L.)
| | - Nilton Lincopan
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil; (E.S.); (N.L.)
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Su Z, Tong P, Zhang L, Zhang M, Wang D, Ma K, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Xia L, Xie J. First Isolation and Molecular Characterization of bla CTX-M-121 -Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 From Cattle in Xinjiang, China. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:574801. [PMID: 34113667 PMCID: PMC8185162 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.574801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The bovine Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major foodborne pathogen causing severe bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans. Cattle are recognized major reservoir and source of E. coli O157:H7. We investigated the antibiotic resistance, molecular profiles, and intrinsic relationship between 21 isolates of E. coli O157:H7 from cattle farms and slaughtering houses in Xinjiang. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing, two types of PFGE were revealed through cluster analysis, including clusters I and II, with 66 and 100% similarity of PFGE spectra between 21 isolates. We also detected that 18 isolates (86%) carried at least one virulence gene, 16 isolates (76%) carried the eae gene, and 7 (33%) carried the stx1 + stx2 + eae + hly + tccp genes. Eighteen isolates were susceptible to antibiotics. Three isolates were resistant to antibiotics, and two were multidrug resistant. One of the two multidrug-resistant isolates detectably carried the bla CTX-M-121 gene. This is the first finding of the bla CTX-M-121 gene detected in E. coli O157:H7 isolated from cattle in Xinjiang. The bla CTX-M-121 gene is transferable between the bacterial strains via plasmid transmission. The results indicated that E. coli O157:H7 may have undergone clonal propagation in cattle population and cross-regional transmission in Xinjiang, China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lining Xia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jinxin Xie
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
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Sánchez F, Fuenzalida V, Ramos R, Escobar B, Neira V, Borie C, Lapierre L, López P, Venegas L, Dettleff P, Johnson T, Fuentes-Castillo D, Lincopan N, Galarce N. Genomic features and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains isolated from food in Chile. Zoonoses Public Health 2021; 68:226-238. [PMID: 33619864 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes severe illness in humans, often associated with foodborne outbreaks. Antimicrobial resistance among foodborne E. coli has increased over the last decades becoming a public health issue. In this study, the presence and features of STEC were investigated in samples of meat, seafood, vegetables and ready-to-eat street-vended food collected in Chile, using a genomic and microbiological approach. Phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles were determined, and serotype, phylogroup, sequence type (ST) and phylogenomics were predicted using bioinformatic tools. Three thousand three hundred samples collected in 2019 were screened, of which 18 were positive for STEC strains (0.5%), with stx2a (61.1%) being the predominant stx subtype. The presence of the virulence genes lpfA (100%), iha and ehaA (94.4%), and ehxA, hlyA and saa (83.3%) was confirmed among the STEC strains; the Locus of adhesion and autoaggregation (LAA) was predicted in 14 (77.8%) strains. Strains displayed resistance to colistin (100%), and intermediate resistance to enrofloxacin (11.1%) and chloramphenicol (5.6%). In this regard, mutations in the two-component regulatory system genes pmrA (S29G), pmrB (D283G) and phoP (I44L), and the presence of the qnrB19 gene were confirmed. STEC strains belonged to ST11231 (38.9%), ST297 and ST58 (16.7% each), and ST1635, ST11232, ST446, ST442 and ST54 (5.6% each), and the most frequently detected serotypes were O113:H21 (44.4%), O130:H11 and O116:H21 (16.7% each), and O174:H21 (11.1%). Strains belonging to the international ST58 showed genomic relatedness with worldwide strains from human and non-human sources. Our study reports for the first time the genomic profile of STEC strains isolated from food in Chile, highlighting the presence of international clones and sequence types commonly associated with human infections in different geographical regions, as well as the convergence of virulence and resistance in STEC lineages circulating in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Sánchez
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Programa de Magíster en Ciencias Animales y Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica Fuenzalida
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Romina Ramos
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Beatriz Escobar
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Víctor Neira
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Consuelo Borie
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lisette Lapierre
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paulina López
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucas Venegas
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Phillip Dettleff
- Laboratorio FAVET-INBIOGEN, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Fomento de la Producción Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales y Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile
| | - Timothy Johnson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, MI, USA
| | - Danny Fuentes-Castillo
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Patología, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nilton Lincopan
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nicolás Galarce
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Galarce N, Sánchez F, Fuenzalida V, Ramos R, Escobar B, Lapierre L, Paredes-Osses E, Arriagada G, Alegría-Morán R, Lincopán N, Fuentes-Castillo D, Vera-Leiva A, González-Rocha G, Bello-Toledo H, Borie C. Phenotypic and Genotypic Antimicrobial Resistance in Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated From Cattle and Swine in Chile. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:367. [PMID: 32754621 PMCID: PMC7365902 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans, and a major cause of foodborne disease. Despite antibiotic treatment of STEC infections in humans is not recommended, the presence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in animals and food constitutes a risk to public health, as the pool of genes from which pathogenic bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance has increased. Additionally, in Chile there is no information on the antimicrobial resistance of this pathogen in livestock. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance of STEC strains isolated from cattle and swine in the Metropolitan region, Chile, to contribute relevant data to antimicrobial resistance surveillance programs at national and international level. We assessed the minimal inhibitory concentration of 18 antimicrobials, and the distribution of 12 antimicrobial resistance genes and class 1 and 2 integrons in 54 STEC strains. All strains were phenotypically resistant to at least one antimicrobial drug, with a 100% of resistance to cefalexin, followed by colistin (81.5%), chloramphenicol (14.8%), ampicillin and enrofloxacin (5.6% each), doxycycline (3.7%), and cefovecin (1.9%). Most detected antibiotic resistance genes were dfrA1 and tetA (100%), followed by tetB (94.4%), blaTEM−1 (90.7%), aac(6)-Ib (88.9%), blaAmpC (81.5%), cat1 (61.1%), and aac(3)-IIa (11.1%). Integrons were detected only in strains of swine origin. Therefore, this study provides further evidence that non-O157 STEC strains present in livestock in the Metropolitan region of Chile exhibit phenotypic and genotypic resistance against antimicrobials that are critical for human and veterinary medicine, representing a major threat for public health. Additionally, these strains could have a competitive advantage in the presence of antimicrobial selective pressure, leading to an increase in food contamination. This study highlights the need for coordinated local and global actions regarding the use of antimicrobials in animal food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Galarce
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Sánchez
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica Fuenzalida
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Romina Ramos
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Beatriz Escobar
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lisette Lapierre
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Esteban Paredes-Osses
- Departamento de Salud Ambiental, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriel Arriagada
- Instituto de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales, Universidad de O'Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Raúl Alegría-Morán
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nilton Lincopán
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Ciências Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danny Fuentes-Castillo
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alejandra Vera-Leiva
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Gerardo González-Rocha
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Millenium Nucleus on Interdisciplinary Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance, Santiago, Chile
| | - Helia Bello-Toledo
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Millenium Nucleus on Interdisciplinary Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance, Santiago, Chile
| | - Consuelo Borie
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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11
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Supershed Escherichia coli O157:H7 Has Potential for Increased Persistence on the Rectoanal Junction Squamous Epithelial Cells and Antibiotic Resistance. Int J Microbiol 2020; 2020:2368154. [PMID: 32351572 PMCID: PMC7178529 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2368154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Supershedding cattle shed Escherichia coli O157:H7 (O157) at ≥ 104 colony-forming units/g feces. We recently demonstrated that a supershed O157 (SS-O157) strain, SS-17, hyperadheres to the rectoanal junction (RAJ) squamous epithelial (RSE) cells which may contribute to SS-O157 persistence at this site in greater numbers, thereby increasing the fecal O157 load characterizing the supershedding phenomenon. In order to verify if this would be the signature adherence profile of any SS-O157, we tested additional SS-O157 isolates (n = 101; each from a different animal) in the RSE cell adherence assay. Similar to SS-17, all 101 SS-O157 exhibited aggregative adherence on RSE cells, with 56% attaching strongly (>10 bacteria/cell; hyperadherent) and 44% attaching moderately (1–10 bacteria/cells). Strain typing using Polymorphic Amplified Typing Sequences (PATS) analysis assigned the 101 SS-O157 into 5 major clades but not to any predominant genotype. Interestingly, 69% of SS-O157 isolates were identical to human O157 outbreak strains based on pulsed field gel electrophoresis profiles (CDC PulseNet Database), grouped into two clades by PATS distinguishing them from remaining SS-O157, and were hyperadherent on RSE cells. A subset of SS-O157 isolates (n = 53) representing different PATS and RSE cell adherence profiles were analyzed for antibiotic resistance (AR). Several SS-O157 (30/53) showed resistance to sulfisoxazole, and one isolate was resistant to both sulfisoxazole and tetracycline. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests confirmed some of the resistance observed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion test. Each SS-O157 isolate carried at least 10 genes associated with AR. However, genes directly associated with AR were rarely amplified: aac (3)-IV in 2 isolates, sul2 in 3 isolates, and tetB in one isolate. The integrase gene, int, linked with integron-based AR acquisition/transmission, was identified in 92% of SS-O157 isolates. Our results indicate that SS-O157 isolates could potentially persist longer at the bovine RAJ but exhibit limited resistance towards clinical antibiotics.
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12
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Zhang Y, Liao YT, Salvador A, Sun X, Wu VCH. Prediction, Diversity, and Genomic Analysis of Temperate Phages Induced From Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:3093. [PMID: 32038541 PMCID: PMC6986202 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a notorious foodborne pathogen containing stx genes located in the sequence region of Shiga toxin (Stx) prophages. Stx prophages, as one of the mobile elements, are involved in the transfer of virulence genes to other strains. However, little is known about the diversity of prophages among STEC strains. The objectives of this study were to predict various prophages from different STEC genomes and to evaluate the effect of different stress factors on Stx prophage induction. Forty bacterial whole-genome sequences of STEC strains obtained from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) were used for the prophage prediction using PHASTER webserver. Eight of the STEC strains from different serotypes were subsequently selected to quantify the induction of Stx prophages by various treatments, including antibiotics, temperature, irradiation, and antimicrobial agents. After induction, Stx1-converting phage Lys8385Vzw and Stx2-converting phage Lys12581Vzw were isolated and further confirmed for the presence of stx genes using conventional PCR. Phage morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The prediction results showed an average of 8–22 prophages, with one or more encoding stx, were predicted from each STEC genome obtained in this study. Additionally, the phylogenetic analysis revealed high genetic diversity of Stx prophages among the 40 STEC genomes. However, the sequences of Stx prophages in the genomes of STEC O45, O111, and O121 strains, in general, shared higher genetic homology than those in other serotypes. Interestingly, most STEC strains with two or more stx genes carried at least one each of Stx1 and Stx2 prophages. The induction results indicated EDTA and UV were the most effective inducers of Stx1 and Stx2 prophages of the 8 selected STECs, respectively. Additionally, both Stx-converting phages could infect non-pathogenic E. coli (WG5, DH5α, and MG1655) and form new lysogens. The findings of this study confirm that Stx prophages can be induced by environmental stress, such as exposure to solar radiation, and lysogenize other commensal E. coli strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, United States
| | - Yen-Te Liao
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, United States
| | - Alexandra Salvador
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, United States
| | - Xiaohong Sun
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Vivian C H Wu
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, United States
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13
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Kaushik M, Kumar S, Kapoor RK, Gulati P. Integrons and antibiotic resistance genes in water-borne pathogens: threat detection and risk assessment. J Med Microbiol 2019; 68:679-692. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Megha Kaushik
- Medical Microbiology and Bioprocess Technology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Medical Microbiology and Bioprocess Technology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India
| | - Rajeev Kr. Kapoor
- Enzyme Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India
| | - Pooja Gulati
- Medical Microbiology and Bioprocess Technology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India
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14
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Mir RA, Kudva IT. Antibiotic‐resistant Shiga toxin‐producing
Escherichia coli
: An overview of prevalence and intervention strategies. Zoonoses Public Health 2018; 66:1-13. [DOI: 10.1111/zph.12533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raies A. Mir
- Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Ames Iowa
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) ARS Research Participation Program Oak Ridge Tennessee
| | - Indira T. Kudva
- Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Ames Iowa
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15
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Kennedy CA, Walsh C, Karczmarczyk M, O'Brien S, Akasheh N, Quirke M, Farrell-Ward S, Buckley T, Fogherty U, Kavanagh K, Parker CT, Sweeney T, Fanning S. Multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli in diarrhoeagenic foals: Pulsotyping, phylotyping, serotyping, antibiotic resistance and virulence profiling. Vet Microbiol 2018; 223:144-152. [PMID: 30173740 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) possess the ability to cause extraintestinal infections such as urinary tract infections, neonatal meningitis and sepsis. While information is readily available describing pathogenic E. coli populations in food-producing animals, studies in companion/sports animals such as horses are limited. In addition, many antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of equine infections are also utilised in human medicine, potentially contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance determinants among pathogenic strains. The aim of this study was to phenotypically and genotypically characterise the multidrug resistance and virulence associated with 83 equine E. coli isolates recovered from foals with diarrhoeal disease. Serotyping was performed by both PCR and sequencing. Antibiotic resistance was assessed by disc diffusion. Phylogenetic groups, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes and integrons were determined by PCR. Thirty-nine (46%) of the isolates were classified as ExPEC and hence considered to be potentially pathogenic to humans and animals. Identified serogroups O1, O19a, O40, O101 and O153 are among previously reported human clinical ExPEC isolates. Over a quarter of the E. coli were assigned to pathogenic phylogroups B2 (6%) and D (23%). Class 1 and class 2 integrons were detected in 85% of E. coli, revealing their potential to transfer MDR to other pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. With 65% of potentially pathogenic isolates harbouring one or more TEM, SHV and CTX-M-2 group β-lactamases, in addition to the high levels of resistance to fluoroquinolones observed, our findings signal the need for increased attention to companion/sport animal reservoirs as public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Kennedy
- UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - C Walsh
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, DIT, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin, D01 HV58, Ireland; UCD-Center for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - M Karczmarczyk
- UCD-Center for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - S O'Brien
- UCD-Center for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - N Akasheh
- Medical Directorate, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - M Quirke
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, DIT, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin, D01 HV58, Ireland
| | - S Farrell-Ward
- UCD-Center for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - T Buckley
- Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 RH93, Ireland
| | - U Fogherty
- Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 RH93, Ireland
| | - K Kavanagh
- Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 RH93, Ireland
| | - C T Parker
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA, 94710, USA
| | - T Sweeney
- UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - S Fanning
- UCD-Center for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland.
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16
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Alonso CA, Mora A, Díaz D, Blanco M, González-Barrio D, Ruiz-Fons F, Simón C, Blanco J, Torres C. Occurrence and characterization of stx and/or eae-positive Escherichia coli isolated from wildlife, including a typical EPEC strain from a wild boar. Vet Microbiol 2017; 207:69-73. [PMID: 28757042 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2017.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains are food-borne pathogens associated with acute diarrhea. Haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is often a complication of STEC infection. In order to examine the occurrence, serotypes, virulence and antimicrobial-resistance profiles of STEC and EPEC in wildlife, 326 faecal E. coli strains from 304 clinically healthy animals were analyzed. For this approach stx1, stx2 and eae genes, as well as accessory virulence determinants (ehx, hlyA, saa, tia, bfp, subAB) were PCR-screened and sequenced. Serotyping was performed employing all available O (O1-O185) and H (H1-H56) antisera. Genetic diversity was analyzed by XbaI-PFGE and phylotyping. Thirteen STEC (4.3%) and 10 EPEC (3.3%) were identified among 12 deer, 3 mouflon, 6 wild boars and 2 birds. Nine STEC showed seropathotypes B (O145:[H28]) and C (O22:H8, O128:[H2]) associated with HUS, and D (O110:H28, O146:H21, O146:[H28], ONT:H8) associated with human diarrhea. Although most isolates harbored stx2b and stx1c variants, stx2a and stx1a (related with severe disease) were also detected. Additionally, the eae gene was present in one stx2a-positive O145:[H28] STEC from a deer and 11 STEC harbored subAB genes (mainly the subAB2 variant). EPEC isolates showed 7 different intimin variants (β1, β2, γ1, ε1, ζ1, ι1-A, κ). Interestingly, the O49:[H10] eae-κ EPEC isolated from a wild boar was bfpA-positive showing a combination of serotype/virulence profile previously detected among human clinical tEPEC. Based on present results, wild ruminants, wild boars and to a lesser extent birds would be carriers of potentially pathogenic STEC and EPEC strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Andrea Alonso
- Área Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain
| | - Azucena Mora
- Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Dafne Díaz
- Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Miguel Blanco
- Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - David González-Barrio
- Grupo SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Fons
- Grupo SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Carmen Simón
- Facultad de Veterinaria,Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jorge Blanco
- Laboratorio de Referencia de E. coli (LREC), Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Carmen Torres
- Área Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain.
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