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Escherichia coli ST117: exploring the zoonotic hypothesis
A B S Saidenberg1,2,3, S M Edslev1, S Hallstrøm1
1Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Microbiology Spectrum
|September 5, 2024
Summary
Poultry is a likely source of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) ST117 strains, which carry critical antibiotic resistance. Most human ST117 isolates originate from poultry, highlighting a significant zoonotic risk.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Public Health
Background:
- Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) causes severe infections and is increasingly antimicrobial-resistant.
- The ST117 lineage of E. coli is found in poultry, carries multidrug resistance, and causes human disease, suggesting a zoonotic link.
- Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and ExPEC share genotypic similarities, supporting poultry as a potential reservoir for human infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze Brazilian poultry outbreak ExPEC genomes, focusing on the ST117 lineage.
- To define the zoonotic characteristics of ST117 through genotypic and phylogenomic analysis.
- To compare Brazilian ST117 isolates with global isolates from human, animal, and environmental sources.
Main Methods:
- Genomic and phylogenomic analyses of 61 Brazilian poultry outbreak E. coli isolates, with a focus on ST117.
- Comparison with 1,699 worldwide ST117 isolates from various sources.
- Identification of antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmid replicons.
Main Results:
- ST117 was predominant in Brazilian poultry isolates (20/61), frequently carrying resistance to critical antibiotics (>86%) on IncFII, IncI1, or IncX4 plasmids.
- High similarity was observed between Brazilian IncX4 plasmids and those from imported poultry meat and human clinical cases.
- Phylogenetic analysis showed no host or continental specificity for ST117, with South America exhibiting high antimicrobial resistance, particularly to ESBLs.
- 93% (138/148) of human ST117 isolates were predicted to have a poultry origin.
Conclusions:
- Poultry is a likely source of zoonotic ExPEC strains, especially the ST117 lineage.
- The ST117 lineage acts as a reservoir for critical antibiotic resistance determinants on transmissible plasmids.
- Brazil, as a major poultry exporter, plays a key role in preventing the spread of multidrug-resistant zoonotic ExPEC.
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