The Population Genetics, Virulence, and Public Health Concerns of Escherichia coli Collected From Rats Within an Urban Environment

The co-existence of rats and humans in urban environments has long been a cause for concern regarding human health because of the potential for rats to harbor and transmit disease-causing pathogens. Here, we analyze whole-genome sequence (WGS) data from 41 Escherichia coli isolates collected from rat feces from 12 locations within the city of Chicago, IL, United States to determine the potential for rats to serve as a reservoir for pathogenic E. coli and describe its population structure. We identified 25 different serotypes, none of which were isolated from strains containing significant virulence markers indicating the presence of Shiga toxin-producing and other disease-causing E. coli. Nor did the E. coli isolates harbor any particularly rare stress tolerant or antimicrobial resistance genes. We then compared the isolates against a public database of approximately 100,000 E. coli and Shigella isolates of primarily food, food facility, or clinical origin. We found that only one isolate was genetically similar to genome sequences in the database. Phylogenetic analyses showed that isolates cluster by serotype, and there was little geographic structure (e.g., isolation by distance) among isolates. However, a greater signal of isolation by distance was observed when we compared genetic and geographic distances among isolates of the same serotype. This suggests that E. coli serotypes are independent lineages and recombination between serotypes is rare.

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Phylogenetic Grouping of Human Ocular Escherichia coli Based on Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms8030422 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 422

Author(s):

Konduri Ranjith ◽

Chinthala Reddy SaiAbhilash ◽

Gumpili Sai Prashanthi ◽

Shalem Raj Padakandla ◽

Savitri Sharma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Whole Genome Sequence ◽

Whole Genome ◽

Phylogenetic Groups ◽

Whole Genome Analysis ◽

E Coli ◽

Phylogenetic Affiliation ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Phylogenetic Grouping ◽

High Concordance

Escherichia coli is a predominant bacterium in the intestinal tracts of animals. Phylogenetically, strains have been classified into seven phylogroups, A, B1, B2, C, D, E, and F. Pathogenic strains have been categorized into several pathotypes such as Enteropathogenic (EPEC), Enterotoxigenic (ETEC), Enteroinvasive (EIEC), Enteroaggregative (EAEC), Diffusely adherent (DAEC), Uropathogenic (UPEC), Shiga-toxin producing (STEC) or Enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) and Extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). E. coli also survives as a commensal on the ocular surface. However, under conditions of trauma and immune-compromised states, E. coli causes conjunctivitis, keratitis, endopthalmitis, dacyrocystitis, etc. The phylogenetic affiliation and the pathotype status of these ocular E. coli strains is not known. For this purpose, the whole-genome sequencing of the 10 ocular E. coli strains was accomplished. Based on whole-genome SNP variation, the ocular E. coli strains were assigned to phylogenetic groups A (two isolates), B2 (seven isolates), and C (one isolate). Furthermore, results indicated that ocular E. coli originated either from feces (enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic), urine (uropathogenic), or from extra-intestinal sources (extra-intestinal pathogenic). A high concordance was observed between the presence of AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) genes and antibiotic resistance in the ocular E. coli strains. Furthermore, several virulent genes (fimB to fimI, papB to papX, etc.) and prophages (Enterobacteria phage HK97, Enterobacteria phage P1, Escherichia phage D108 etc.) were unique to ocular E. coli. This is the first report on a whole-genome analysis of ocular E. coli strains.

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Complete Genome Sequence of a bla CTX-M-1 -Harboring Escherichia coli Isolate Recovered from Cattle in Germany

Genome Announcements ◽

10.1128/genomea.01476-17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jens A. Hammerl ◽

Alexandra Irrgang ◽

Mirjam Grobbel ◽

Bernd-Alois Tenhagen ◽

Annemarie Käsbohrer

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Genome Sequence ◽

Monitoring Program ◽

Sequence Type ◽

Whole Genome Sequence ◽

Coli Isolate ◽

E Coli ◽

National Monitoring ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Basic Characteristics

ABSTRACT We describe here the whole-genome sequence and basic characteristics of Escherichia coli isolate 15-AB01393, recovered from German beef within a national monitoring program in 2015. This isolate was identified as an extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing E. coli strain of multilocus sequence type (MLST) ST58 harboring the antimicrobial resistance genes bla CTX-M-1 , mph (A), sul2 , dfrA5 , strA , and strB .

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Antimicrobial Resistance Genes and Diversity of Clones among ESBL- and Acquired AmpC-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Fecal Samples of Healthy and Sick Cats in Portugal

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10030262 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 262

Author(s):

Isabel Carvalho ◽

Nadia Safia Chenouf ◽

Rita Cunha ◽

Carla Martins ◽

Paulo Pimenta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Phylogenetic Groups ◽

Disk Diffusion Test ◽

Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase ◽

E Coli ◽

Specific Pcr ◽

Flight Mass Spectrometry ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Esbl Producers

The aim of the study was to analyze the mechanisms of resistance in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and acquired AmpC (qAmpC)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from healthy and sick cats in Portugal. A total of 141 rectal swabs recovered from 98 sick and 43 healthy cats were processed for cefotaxime-resistant (CTXR) E. coli recovery (in MacConkey agar supplemented with 2 µg/mL cefotaxime). The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method was used for E. coli identification and antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by a disk diffusion test. The presence of resistance/virulence genes was tested by PCR sequencing. The phylogenetic typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were determined by specific PCR sequencing. CTXRE. coli isolates were detected in seven sick and six healthy cats (7.1% and 13.9%, respectively). Based on the synergy tests, 11 of 13 CTXRE. coli isolates (one/sample) were ESBL-producers (ESBL total rate: 7.8%) carrying the following ESBL genes: blaCTX-M-1 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-15 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-55 (n = 2), blaCTX-M-27 (n = 2) and blaCTX-M-9 (n = 1). Six different sequence types were identified among ESBL-producers (sequence type/associated ESBLs): ST847/CTX-M-9, CTX-M-27, CTX-M-1; ST10/CTX-M-15, CTX-M-27; ST6448/CTX-M-15, CTX-M-55; ST429/CTX-M-15; ST101/CTX-M-1 and ST40/CTX-M-1. Three of the CTXR isolates were CMY-2-producers (qAmpC rate: 2.1%); two of them were ESBL-positive and one ESBL-negative. These isolates were typed as ST429 and ST6448 and were obtained in healthy or sick cats. The phylogenetic groups A/B1/D/clade 1 were detected among ESBL- and qAmpC-producing isolates. Cats are carriers of qAmpC (CMY-2)- and ESBL-producing E. coli isolates (mostly of variants of CTX-M group 1) of diverse clonal lineages, which might represent a public health problem due to the proximity of cats with humans regarding a One Health perspective.

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Virulence Properties of mcr-1-Positive Escherichia coli Isolated from Retail Poultry Meat

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9020308 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 308

Author(s):

Michaela Kubelová ◽

Ivana Koláčková ◽

Tereza Gelbíčová ◽

Martina Florianová ◽

Alžběta Kalová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽

Poultry Meat ◽

Human Populations ◽

E Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Mlst Type ◽

On Line ◽

Sequence Types

The great plasticity and diversity of the Escherichia coli genome, together with the ubiquitous occurrence, make E. coli a bacterium of world-wide concern. Of particular interest are pathogenic strains and strains harboring antimicrobial resistance genes. Overlapping virulence-associated traits between avian-source E. coli and human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) suggest zoonotic potential and safety threat of poultry food products. We analyzed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of 46 mcr-1-positive E. coli strains isolated from retail raw meat purchased in the Czech Republic. The investigated strains were characterized by their phylogroup—B1 (43%), A (30%), D (11%), E (7%), F (4%), B2 (2%), C (2%), MLST type, and serotype. A total of 30 multilocus sequence types (STs), of which ST744 was the most common (11%), were identified, with O8 and O89 as the most prevalent serogroups. Using the VirulenceFinder tool, 3 to 26 virulence genes were detected in the examined strains and a total of 7 (15%) strains met the pathogenic criteria for ExPEC. Four strains were defined as UPEC (9%) and 18 (39%) E. coli strains could be classified as APEC. The WGS methods and available on-line tools for their evaluation enable a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis of virulent properties of E. coli strains and represent a suitable and comfortable platform for their detection. Our results show that poultry meat may serve as an important reservoir of strains carrying both virulence and antibiotic resistance genes for animal and human populations.

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Autotransporter Protein-Encoding Genes of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Are Found in both Typical and Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli Strains

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.02635-12 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

pp. 411-414 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Afonso G. Abreu ◽

Vanessa Bueris ◽

Tatiane M. Porangaba ◽

Marcelo P. Sircili ◽

Fernando Navarro-Garcia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Content Type ◽

E Coli ◽

Diarrheagenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Virulence Markers ◽

Protein Encoding ◽

Encoding Genes ◽

Specific Virulence

ABSTRACTAutotransporter (AT) protein-encoding genes of diarrheagenicEscherichia coli(DEC) pathotypes (cah,eatA,ehaABCDJ,espC,espI,espP,pet,pic,sat, andtibA) were detected in typical and atypical enteropathogenicE. coli(EPEC) in frequencies between 0.8% and 39.3%. Although these ATs have been described in particular DEC pathotypes, their presence in EPEC indicates that they should not be considered specific virulence markers.

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Multi-omic surveillance of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. in hospital sink drains and patients

10.1101/2020.02.19.952366 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

B Constantinides ◽

KK Chau ◽

TP Quan ◽

G Rodger ◽

M Andersson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Bacterial Infections ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Klebsiella Oxytoca ◽

Clinical Disease ◽

E Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Wide Range

ABSTRACTEscherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. are important human pathogens that cause a wide spectrum of clinical disease. In healthcare settings, sinks and other wastewater sites have been shown to be reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp., particularly in the context of outbreaks of resistant strains amongst patients. Without focusing exclusively on resistance markers or a clinical outbreak, we demonstrate that many hospital sink drains are abundantly and persistently colonised with diverse populations of E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, including both antimicrobial-resistant and susceptible strains. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 439 isolates, we show that environmental bacterial populations are largely structured by ward and sink, with only a handful of lineages, such as E. coli ST635, being widely distributed, suggesting different prevailing ecologies which may vary as a result of different inputs and selection pressures. WGS of 46 contemporaneous patient isolates identified one (2%; 95% CI 0.05-11%) E. coli urine infection-associated isolate with high similarity to a prior sink isolate, suggesting that sinks may contribute to up to 10% of infections caused by these organisms in patients on the ward over the same timeframe. Using metagenomics from 20 sink-timepoints, we show that sinks also harbour many clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes including blaCTX-M, blaSHV and mcr, and may act as niches for the exchange and amplification of these genes. Our study reinforces the potential role of sinks in contributing to Enterobacterales infection and antimicrobial resistance in hospital patients, something that could be amenable to intervention.IMPORTANCEEscherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. cause a wide range of bacterial infections, including bloodstream, urine and lung infections. Previous studies have shown that sink drains in hospitals may be part of transmission chains in outbreaks of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp., leading to colonisation and clinical disease in patients. We show that even in non-outbreak settings, contamination of sink drains by these bacteria is common across hospital wards, and that many antimicrobial resistance genes can be found and potentially exchanged in these sink drain sites. Our findings demonstrate that the colonisation of handwashing sink drains by these bacteria in hospitals is likely contributing to some infections in patients, and that additional work is needed to further quantify this risk, and to consider appropriate mitigating interventions.

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EVOLUÇÃO DA QUALIDADE MICROBIOLÓGICA DE QUEIJO MINAS FRESCAL COMERCIALIZADO EM CURITIBA (PR) NO INTERVALO DE 10 ANOS (1999 E 2009) Assessment of the microbiological quality of Minas frescal cheese commercialized in the city of Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil at 10 years’ interval (1999 and 2009)

Revista Acadêmica Ciência Animal ◽

10.7213/academica.7707 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 243 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hanna Lethycia Wolupeck ◽

Helen Caroline Raksa ◽

Luciane Silvia Rossa ◽

Raquel Biasi ◽

Renata Ernlund Freitas de Macedo

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Microbiological Quality ◽

Salmonella Spp ◽

E Coli ◽

The City

O queijo Minas frescal é um dos mais populares do Brasil, porém o alto teor de umidade associado ao métodode processamento, muitas vezes artesanal, e de armazenamento desse produto o tornam muito perecível.Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar e comparar a qualidade microbiológica de queijo Minas frescalcomercializado na cidade de Curitiba (PR) nos anos de 1999 e 2009, verificando a evolução na qualidadehigiênico-sanitária desse produto no período de 10 anos. Foram analisadas 11 marcas comerciais de queijo Minas frescal disponíveis no comércio varejista da cidade de Curitiba, sendo amostradas cinco unidades de cada marca, totalizando 55 amostras. Os queijos foram submetidos à pesquisa de Salmonella spp., contagem de coliformes totais e Escherichia coli, contagem de Staphylococcus coagulase positiva e contagem de aeróbios mesófilos, com resultados expressos em UFC/g. Das 55 amostras de queijo, 41,82% e 78,18% apresentaram contagem de E. coli e de coliformes totais acima do limite permitido, respectivamente. Somente uma amostra (1,82%) do total avaliado mostrou-se em desacordo com os padrões para S. coagulase positiva e uma para Salmonella spp. Ambas as amostras foram adquiridas em 2009. Todas as amostras avaliadas em 2009 apresentaram elevada contagem de aeróbios mesófilos, revelando alta carga microbiana. Comparativamente, os queijos avaliados em 1999 mostraram qualidade microbiológica superior aos queijos avaliados em 2009 (p < 0,05). Destes, 100% apresentaram no mínimo um parâmetro microbiológico em desacordo com a legislação vigente, indicando que a qualidade dos queijos Minas frescal avaliados em 2009 apresentou-se inferior a dos queijos avaliados em 1999.

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Comparison between human and animal isolates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 from Australia

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268801006689 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 128 (3) ◽

pp. 357-362 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

N. FEGAN ◽

P. DESMARCHELIER

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Human Infection ◽

Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Toxin Gene ◽

Escherichia Coli O157 ◽

Animal Population ◽

E Coli ◽

Virulence Markers ◽

Animal Isolates

There is very little human disease associated with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 in Australia even though these organisms are present in the animal population. A group of Australian isolates of E. coli O157:H7 and O157:H- from human and animal sources were tested for the presence of virulence markers and compared by XbaI DNA macrorestriction analysis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Each of 102 isolates tested contained the gene eae which encodes the E. coli attaching and effacing factor and all but one carried the enterohaemolysin gene, ehxA, found on the EHEC plasmid. The most common Shiga toxin gene carried was stx2c, either alone (16%) or in combination with stx1 (74%) or stx2 (3%). PFGE grouped the isolates based on H serotype and some clusters were source specific. Australian E. coli O157:H7 and H- isolates from human, animal and meat sources carry all the virulence markers associated with EHEC disease in humans therefore other factors must be responsible for the low rates of human infection in Australia.

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Impact of UV and Peracetic Acid Disinfection on the Prevalence of Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in Wastewater Effluents

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.00418-14 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 80 (12) ◽

pp. 3656-3666 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Basanta Kumar Biswal ◽

Ramzi Khairallah ◽

Kareem Bibi ◽

Alberto Mazza ◽

Ronald Gehr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Peracetic Acid ◽

Content Type ◽

E Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Gene ◽

Municipal Wastewaters ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACTWastewater discharges may increase the populations of pathogens, includingEscherichia coli, and of antimicrobial-resistant strains in receiving waters. This study investigated the impact of UV and peracetic acid (PAA) disinfection on the prevalence of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes in uropathogenicEscherichia coli(UPEC), the most abundantE. colipathotype in municipal wastewaters. Laboratory disinfection experiments were conducted on wastewater treated by physicochemical, activated sludge, or biofiltration processes; 1,766E. coliisolates were obtained for the evaluation. The target disinfection level was 200 CFU/100 ml, resulting in UV and PAA doses of 7 to 30 mJ/cm2and 0.9 to 2.0 mg/liter, respectively. The proportions of UPECs were reduced in all samples after disinfection, with an average reduction by UV of 55% (range, 22% to 80%) and by PAA of 52% (range, 11% to 100%). Analysis of urovirulence genes revealed that the decline in the UPEC populations was not associated with any particular virulence factor. A positive association was found between the occurrence of urovirulence and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). However, the changes in the prevalence of ARGs in potential UPECs were different following disinfection, i.e., UV appears to have had no effect, while PAA significantly reduced the ARG levels. Thus, this study showed that both UV and PAA disinfections reduced the proportion of UPECs and that PAA disinfection also reduced the proportion of antimicrobial resistance gene-carrying UPEC pathotypes in municipal wastewaters.

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Whole-Genome Sequence of Phage-Resistant Strain Escherichia coli DH5α

Genome Announcements ◽

10.1128/genomea.00097-18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jingchao Chen ◽

Yi Li ◽

Kun Zhang ◽

Hailei Wang

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Genome Sequence ◽

Resistant Strain ◽

Resistance Mechanism ◽

Whole Genome Sequence ◽

Whole Genome ◽

Content Type ◽

E Coli ◽

T4 Bacteriophage

ABSTRACT The genomes of many strains of Escherichia coli have been sequenced, as this organism is a classic model bacterium. Here, we report the genome sequence of Escherichia coli DH5α, which is resistant to a T4 bacteriophage (CCTCC AB 2015375), while its other homologous E. coli strains, such as E. coli BL21, DH10B, and MG1655, are not resistant to phage invasions. Thus, understanding of the genome of the DH5α strain, along with comparative analysis of its genome sequence along with other sequences of E. coli strains, may help to reveal the bacteriophage resistance mechanism of E. coli .

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