Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics of a Community-Acquired Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli ST410...

Objectives: The aim of this research was to investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of a case of community-acquired carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from a patient with a bloodstream infection in China. Methods: Escherichia coli Huamei202001 was recovered from the first blood culture from a patient hospitalised in China. An antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed, and the genome was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq X 10 platform with a 150-bp paired-end approach. The generated sequence reads were assembled using Unicycler, and the whole genome sequence data were analysed using bioinformatics tools. Moreover, the patient and her main family members obtained a faecal sample screening test for CRE, the positive strain was further isolated and the identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. Results: Escherichia coli Huamei202001 belonged to sequence type 410. In addition, a blaNDM-5-encoding IncX3-type plasmid was responsible for the spreading of carbapenem resistance. Only the patient was detected as having a positive faecal sample screening test for CRE. Strain Fec01 was identified as E. coli, and the antibiotic susceptibility profile was the same as that of E. coli Huamei202001. Conclusions: Escherichia coli Huamei202001 is defined as community-acquired carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. The clone ST410 that harbours the blaNDM-5-encoding IncX3-type plasmid is causing new high-risk clones globally. Thus, infection control measures should be strengthened to curb the dissemination of IncX3.