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The First Report of mcr-1-Carrying Escherichia coli Originating from Animals in Serbia

Dušan Mišić1, Ferenc Kiskaroly2, Michael P Szostak3

  • 1Department of Functional Food Products Development, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland.

Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 28, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The mcr-1 gene, conferring antibiotic resistance, was found in E. coli from healthy turkeys in Serbia. This marks the first detection in the country, highlighting the need for ongoing livestock monitoring to prevent animal-to-human spread.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Microbiology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • The emergence and spread of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes pose a significant threat to public health.
  • Continuous surveillance of mcr genes in food-producing animals is crucial for understanding transmission dynamics.
  • Serbia has limited data on the prevalence of mcr genes in livestock.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To monitor the presence of mcr-1 to mcr-5 genes in Enterobacterales from cattle, pigs, and poultry in Serbia.
  • To characterize mcr-1 positive E. coli isolates, including their phylogenetic and genetic profiles.
  • To assess the susceptibility of these isolates to common biocides.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of Enterobacterales from intensive livestock farming facilities in Northern Vojvodina, Serbia.
  • Detection of mcr genes using molecular methods.
  • Characterization of E. coli isolates by phylogenetic grouping, serotyping, core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST), and clonotyping.
  • Plasmid analysis to determine the location of the mcr-1 gene.
  • Detection of virulence-associated genes (VAGs).
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for biocides.

Main Results:

  • The mcr-1 gene was detected in five E. coli isolates from healthy turkeys, representing the first report in Serbia.
  • Isolates belonged to phylogenetic groups A and B1, with serotypes O8:H25 and O29:H25.
  • cgMLST identified ST58 (Clonal Complex 155), ST641 (CC86), and ST410 (CC23).
  • The mcr-1 gene was located on IncX4 plasmids.
  • Four isolates carried avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC)-associated virulence genes.
  • No elevated biocide resistance was observed.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of mcr-1 in healthy turkeys in Serbia is a significant finding.
  • The mcr-1 gene is plasmid-mediated and associated with specific E. coli lineages and virulence factors.
  • No biocide resistance was detected, suggesting biocides are not a primary driver of mcr-1 selection in this context.
  • Continuous monitoring of livestock is essential to prevent the potential spread of mcr-1 to humans.
Keywords:
E. colibiocidescolistinmcrresistanceturkeys

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