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Integrative and Conjugative Element-Mediated Azithromycin Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica

Yu-Ping Hong1,2, Ying-Tsong Chen2, You-Wun Wang1

  • 1Centers for Disease Control, Taichung, Taiwan.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|March 9, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A novel mobile genetic element, ICE_erm42, carrying the azithromycin resistance gene erm42 was found in multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Albany. This element can transfer to other bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae, via conjugation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are key drivers of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria.
  • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens poses a significant global health threat.
  • Salmonella enterica serovar Albany is an important cause of human salmonellosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize novel mobile genetic elements associated with antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Albany.
  • To investigate the prevalence and transferability of the erm42 gene within Salmonella isolates.
  • To assess the potential for interspecies transfer of resistance elements.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome sequencing of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Albany isolates.
  • Identification and characterization of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs).
  • Conjugation experiments to assess the transferability of ICE_erm42 into recipient strains, including Vibrio cholerae.

Main Results:

  • An integrative and conjugative element, designated ICE_erm42, carrying the erm42 gene was identified in 26.4% of Salmonella enterica serovar Albany isolates from Taiwan (2014-2019).
  • ICE_erm42-carrying strains exhibited high-level resistance to azithromycin.
  • Successful conjugation of ICE_erm42 into phylogenetically distant Vibrio cholerae was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

  • ICE_erm42 is a prevalent mobile genetic element contributing to azithromycin resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Albany.
  • The conjugative nature of ICE_erm42 facilitates the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes to other bacterial species.
  • This finding highlights the potential for rapid dissemination of AMR through horizontal gene transfer in clinical settings.

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