Hyeeun Park1, Jinshil Kim1, Sangryeol Ryu2, Byeonghwa Jeon3. 1. Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea. 2. Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea. Electronic address: sangryu@snu.ac.kr. 3. Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: bjeon@snu.ac.kr.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) are a serious public health concern worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise ESBL-EC isolated from raw retail chicken in South Korea. METHODS: The antimicrobial resistance, phylogenetic group and virulence gene prevalence of 67 ESBL-EC isolated from retail chicken in South Korea were investigated. RESULTS: All of the isolates possessed blaCTX-M genes, predominantly blaCTX-M-65 (52.2%) and blaCTX-M-55 (25.4%), and three isolates harboured both blaCTX-M-65 and blaCTX-M-55. More than one-half of the ESBL-EC strains also carried blaTEM. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 98.5% of the strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Phylogenetic analysis showed that group A was predominant (56.7%), followed by B1 (19.4%), E (8.9%), B2 (6.0%) and D (6.0%). Virulence genes associated with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) were frequently detected in isolates of phylogenetic groups B1, B2, D and E. CONCLUSION: The results in this study demonstrate that retail chicken in South Korea is highly contaminated with MDR ESBL-EC and may serve as a reservoir for transmitting ExPEC to humans.
OBJECTIVES: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) are a serious public health concern worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise ESBL-EC isolated from raw retail chicken in South Korea. METHODS: The antimicrobial resistance, phylogenetic group and virulence gene prevalence of 67 ESBL-EC isolated from retail chicken in South Korea were investigated. RESULTS: All of the isolates possessed blaCTX-M genes, predominantly blaCTX-M-65 (52.2%) and blaCTX-M-55 (25.4%), and three isolates harboured both blaCTX-M-65 and blaCTX-M-55. More than one-half of the ESBL-EC strains also carried blaTEM. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 98.5% of the strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Phylogenetic analysis showed that group A was predominant (56.7%), followed by B1 (19.4%), E (8.9%), B2 (6.0%) and D (6.0%). Virulence genes associated with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) were frequently detected in isolates of phylogenetic groups B1, B2, D and E. CONCLUSION: The results in this study demonstrate that retail chicken in South Korea is highly contaminated with MDR ESBL-EC and may serve as a reservoir for transmitting ExPEC to humans.
Authors: Vitus Silago; Dory Kovacs; Happyness Samson; Jeremiah Seni; Louise Matthews; Katarina Oravcová; Athumani M Lupindu; Abubakar S Hoza; Stephen E Mshana Journal: Antibiotics (Basel) Date: 2021-04-21