Abstract
To characterize extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) associated virulence genes in E. coli isolates from chickens and humans in Trinidad and Tobago. This cross sectional study was conducted over a three-month period. A total of 471 E. coli isolates; 160 from humans treated at a regional tertiary hospital and 311 from chicken caecal samples from “pluck shops” in Trinidad & Tobago were identified using both conventional and molecular microbiological methods. Phenotypic confirmation of ESBL producing E. coli isolates from humans was by Microscan system (Siemens, USA) while the double disk diffusion method was used for the chicken isolates. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used to determine the ESBL and ExPEC-associated virulence genes in representative human isolates and all chicken isolates. From the 311 chicken E. coli isolates, 49.2% (153/311) produced ESBL, while 56.3% (90/160) from humans were ESBL positive. All human and chicken ESBL isolates were 100% susceptible to carbapenems and aminoglycosides antimicrobials. PCR detected 21.1% blaCTX-M, 13.3% blaTEM and 7.8% blaSHV genes among E coli isolates from humans compared to 0.6% blaCTX-M and 48.6% blaTEM genes in chickens. PCR analysis revealed diverse virulence profiles among the isolates. There was a high occurrence rate of ExPEC-asso- ciated virulence genes in E. coli isolates from both humans and chickens. However, the CTX-M-1 genes were most predominant in humans while TEM occurred in chic- ken isolates. The diverse ESBL and virulence associated gene profiles encountered in E. coli isolates from humans and chickens on the surface depicts no similarity or relationships despite occurrence in both cohort groups. Therefore E. coli strains from chickens and humans require further investigation to determine their clonal relatedness or transmission in the country.
Highlights
Escherichia coli are common inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans which exist in pathogenic and nonpathogenic forms
Phenotypic confirmation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli isolates from humans was by Microscan system (Siemens, USA) while the double disk diffusion method was used for the chicken isolates
extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains are further sub-divided into avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), which cause a systemic disease in avian species, neonatal meningitis-causing Escherichia coli (NMEC) and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) responsible for neonatal meningitis and urinary tract infections in humans respectively
Summary
Escherichia coli are common inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans which exist in pathogenic and nonpathogenic (commensal) forms. Majority of pathogenic strains cause intestinal-related illnesses, but a few are implicated in extraintestinal infections in either animals or humans are designated as extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (exPEC). An earlier study reported that women succumbing to urinary tract infections caused by multidrug-resistant E. coli were significantly associated with frequent consumption of chicken products [6], providing the first direct linkage between chicken and human ExPEC infections. Subsequent studies have reported that food and chickens serve as a reservoir for E. coli causing urinary tract infections in humans [7] [8]. Recent studies have shown a high degree of genetic similarities between E. coli strains from chicken meat, poultry and human extra-intestinal infections [11] [12] [13] [14] [15], suggesting a zoonotic transmission of such strains
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