Genetic Comparison of ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli from Workers and Pigs at Vietnamese Pig Farms.

Duong Thi Quy Truong,Flemming Scheutz,Yaovi Mahuton Gildas Hounmanou,Son Thi Thanh Dang,Anders Dalsgaard,John Elmerdahl Olsen,Nhat Thi Tran,Giang Thi Huong Truong

doi:10.3390/antibiotics10101165

Abstract

We analyzed and compared genomes of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli from pigs and pig farm workers at 116 farms in Vietnam. Analyses revealed the presence of blaCTX-M-55, blaCTX-M-27, blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-3, blaCTX-M-65, blaCTX-M-24, blaDHA-1, and blaCMY2 in both hosts. Most strains from pigs contained quinolones (qnr) and colistin resistance genes (mcr-1 and mcr-3). Isolates predominantly harbored more than one plasmid replicon and some harbored plasmid replicons on the same contigs as the ESBL genes. Five strains from farm workers of ST38 (2), ST69 (1), and ST1722 (2) were classified as either uropathogenic E. coli (UPECHM)/extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPECJJ) or UPECHM, and the remaining were genetically distinct commensals. A high heterogeneity was found among the ESBL-producing E. coli from pigs and workers, with most isolates belonging to unrelated phylogroups, serogroups, and sequence types with >4046 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms-(SNPs). In comparing the genomes of pig isolates to those from humans, it appeared that ESBL-producing E. coli in workers did not predominantly originate from pigs but were rather host-specific. Nevertheless, the occurrence of ESBL-producing E. coli carrying plasmid-mediated colistin and quinolone resistance genes in pigs could represent a potential source for horizontal transmission to humans through food rather than direct contact.

Highlights

Our findings confirm that the prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli in people and animals are high in Vietnam
E. coli showed that ESBL-producing E. coli from pigs were different from the ESBLproducing E. coli found in pig farm workers on the same farms
Our findings confirm that the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in people and animals is high in Vietnam

Summary

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) regards antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the most important threats to public health because of the diminished effectiveness of antimicrobial treatment [1]. Studies have shown that extensive use of antimicrobials in livestock production affects AMR in humans [2,3] and both resistant bacteria in livestock and food should be monitored. The pig production is the fifth largest in the world with 2386 metric tons of pork meat [5]. It has been estimated that, on average, 287 to 564 mg active antimicrobials are used per kilogram of live pig produced in Vietnam [6,7]

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Discussion

Conclusion