Antimicrobial Resistance Profile and ExPEC Virulence Potential in Commensal <i>Escherichia coli</i> of Multiple Sources

• Main Authors: Elisa Massella (Author), Federica Giacometti (Author), Paolo Bonilauri (Author), Cameron J. Reid (Author), Steven P. Djordjevic (Author), Giuseppe Merialdi (Author), Cristina Bacci (Author), Laura Fiorentini (Author), Paola Massi (Author), Lia Bardasi (Author), Silva Rubini (Author), Federica Savini (Author), Andrea Serraino (Author), Silvia Piva (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

We recently described the genetic antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile of a collection of 279 commensal <i>E. coli</i> of food-producing animal (FPA), pet, wildlife and human origin. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the role of commensal <i>E. coli</i> as reservoir of extra-intestinal pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (ExPEC) virulence-associated genes (VAGs) or as potential ExPEC pathogens were evaluated. The most common phenotypic resistance was to tetracycline (76/279, 27.24%), sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (73/279, 26.16%), streptomycin and sulfisoxazole (71/279, 25.45% both) among the overall collection. Poultry and rabbit were the sources mostly associated to AMR, with a significant resistance rate (<i>p</i> > 0.01) to quinolones, streptomycin, sulphonamides, tetracycline and, only for poultry, to ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Finally, rabbit was the source mostly associated to colistin resistance. Different pandemic (ST69/69*, ST95, ST131) and emerging (ST10/ST10*, ST23, ST58, ST117, ST405, ST648) ExPEC sequence types (STs) were identified among the collection, especially in poultry source. Both ST groups carried high number of ExPEC VAGs (pandemic ExPEC STs, mean = 8.92; emerging ExPEC STs, mean = 6.43) and showed phenotypic resistance to different antimicrobials (pandemic ExPEC STs, mean = 2.23; emerging ExPEC STs, mean = 2.43), suggesting their role as potential ExPEC pathogens. Variable phenotypic resistance and ExPEC VAG distribution was also observed in uncommon ExPEC lineages, suggesting commensal flora as a potential reservoir of virulence (mean = 3.80) and antimicrobial resistance (mean = 1.69) determinants.

Item Description

10.3390/antibiotics10040351
2079-6382