Abstract
We determined the prevalence and transmission characteristics of mcr-1-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC) isolates from migratory birds Anser indicus in Guangdong, China. We identified 22 MCRPEC from 303 A. indicus fecal samples (7.3%) in Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, and Futian. The mcr-1 gene coexisted with 24 other types of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), and 11 ARGs were highly prevalent at levels >50%. The MCRPEC displayed a diversity of sequence types (ST), and 19 distinct STs were identified with ST10, ST1146, and ST1147 as the most prevalent. In addition, these MCRPEC from birds were closely related phylogenetically to those from other sources in China. Whole-genome sequencing analysis demonstrated that mcr-1 was located on IncX4 (n=9, 40.9%), IncI2 (n=5, 22.7%) and IncP (n=1, 4.5%) plasmids and the latter shared an identical plasmid backbone with other sources. These results highlight the significance of migratory birds in the transmission of antibiotic resistance and provide powerful evidence that migratory birds are potential transmitters of antibiotic resistance.
Highlights
Colistin is a polymyxin antibiotic that has been used in veterinary clinics for many years
We recovered 22 (7.3%) MCRPE from 303 A. indicus fecal samples in Guangdong Province, China, that included 10% from Futian (12/120), 5.7% from Zhaoqing (2/35) and 5.4% from
The plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was originally identified in E. coli and has since been found in many countries on all continents (Liu et al, 2016; Matamoros et al, 2017)
Summary
Colistin is a polymyxin antibiotic that has been used in veterinary clinics for many years It is applied as a last-resort drug for treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterial infections (Mendes et al, 2018). The emergence of the plasmid-mediated mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in China and its rapid global spread poses a serious threat to public health (Liu et al, 2016; Wang et al, 2018). These mcr-1 plasmids often harbor other antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) that encode carbapenemase and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) resistance (Haenni et al, 2016; Yao et al, 2016). The global distribution and spread of mcr-1 gene is concerning.
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