Antimicrobial Usage Factors and Resistance Profiles of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Backyard Production Systems From Central Chile

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen and important cause of foodborne disease worldwide. Many animal species in backyard production systems (BPS) harbor STEC, systems characterized by low biosecurity and technification. No information is reported on STEC circulation, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and potential drivers of antimicrobial usage in Chilean BPS, increasing the risk of maintenance and transmission of zoonotic pathogens and AMR generation. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize phenotypic and genotypic AMR and to study the epidemiology of STEC isolated in BPS from Metropolitana region, Chile. A total of 85 BPS were sampled. Minimal inhibitory concentration and whole genome sequencing was assessed in 10 STEC strain isolated from BPS. All strains were cephalexin-resistant (100%, n = 10), and five strains were resistant to chloramphenicol (50%). The most frequent serotype was O113:H21 (40%), followed by O76:H19 (40%), O91:H14 (10%), and O130:H11 (10%). The stx1 type was detected in all isolated strains, while stx2 was only detected in two strains. The Stx subtype most frequently detected was stx1c (80%), followed by stx1a (20%), stx2b (10%), and stx2d (10%). All strains harbored chromosomal blaAmpC. Principal component analysis shows that BPS size, number of cattle, pet and horse, and elevation act as driver of antimicrobial usage. Logistic multivariable regression shows that recognition of diseases in animals (p = 0.038; OR = 9.382; 95% CI: 1.138–77.345), neighboring poultry and/or swine BPS (p = 0.006; OR = 10.564; 95% CI: 1.996–55.894), visit of Veterinary Officials (p = 0.010; OR = 76.178; 95% CI: 2.860–2029.315) and close contact between animal species in the BPS (p = 0.021; OR = 9.030; 95% CI: 1.385–58.888) increase significantly the risk of antimicrobial use in BPS. This is the first evidence of STEC strains circulating in BPS in Chile, exhibiting phenotypic AMR, representing a threat for animal and public health. Additionally, we identified factors acting as drivers for antimicrobial usage in BPS, highlighting the importance of integration of these populations into surveillance and education programs to tackle the potential development of antimicrobial resistance and therefore the risk for ecosystemic health.

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Effects of Plant Age and Root Damage on Internalization of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Leafy Vegetables and Herbs

Horticulturae ◽

10.3390/horticulturae7040068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 68

Author(s):

Yi-Ju Wang ◽

Amanda J. Deering ◽

Hye-Ji Kim

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Plant Species ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Production Systems ◽

Plant Age ◽

Leafy Vegetables ◽

Root Damage ◽

Hygiene Practices ◽

Hydroponic Systems ◽

Stx1 Gene

Our previous study reported that fresh produce grown in aquaponic and hydroponic systems can pose potential food safety hazards due to an accidental introduction of contaminated fish and cross-contamination between the systems. In this study, we examined the effects of plant species and age on the likelihood and level of internalization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in aquaponic and hydroponic systems. Four plant species, basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Genovese), cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv. Cherokee), and kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica), received root damage treatment as seedlings before transplanting or mature plants at three weeks after transplanting by cutting off 1-cm tips of one-third of the roots. Enrichments and selective media were used for the isolation, and presumptive positive colonies were confirmed by PCR for the presence of stx1 gene in plant tissues, recirculating water, and fish feces collected at four weeks after transplanting. In hydroponic systems, STEC was found neither in the solution nor in the roots and leaves of all four plant species, possibly through improved sanitation and hygiene practices. However, consistent with our previous findings, STEC was found in the water, on the plant roots, and in the fish feces in aquaponic systems, even after thorough sanitation prior to the study. Regardless of plant age, STEC was internalized in the roots of all plant species when the roots were damaged, but there was no difference in the degree of internalization with STEC among plant species. STEC was present in the leaves only when seedlings received root damage treatment and were grown to maturity, indicating that root damage allows STEC to internalize in the roots within a week, but a longer period is required for STEC to internalize into the leaves. We concluded that root damage on seedlings can cause the internalization of E. coli O157:H7 in the edible parts of leafy vegetables and herbs in soilless production systems.

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Prevalence, Shiga-toxin producing potential and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Escherichia coli isolated from dairy cow farms in Transylvania, Romania

International Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ijid.2018.11.133 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 79 ◽

pp. 50

Author(s):

C.I. Mates ◽

M. Spinu ◽

S. Popescu ◽

C. Peredi ◽

I. Ionut ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Dairy Cow ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Resistance Patterns

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Detection of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance patterns in shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates from sheep

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-736x2015000900002 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 35 (9) ◽

pp. 775-780 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Marcos R.A. Ferreira ◽

Talícia dos S. Silva ◽

Ariel E. Stella ◽

Fabricio R. Conceição ◽

Edésio F. dos Reis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Virulence Factors ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Resistance Profile ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Profile ◽

Healthy Sheep ◽

Resistance Patterns ◽

Group A ◽

Stx1 Gene

Abstract: In order to detect virulence factors in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates and investigate the antimicrobial resistance profile, rectal swabs were collected from healthy sheep of the races Santa Inês and Dorper. Of the 115 E. coli isolates obtained, 78.3% (90/115) were characterized as STEC, of which 52.2% (47/90) carried stx1 gene, 33.3% (30/90) stx2 and 14.5% (13/90) both genes. In search of virulence factors, 47.7% and 32.2% of the isolates carried the genes saa and cnf1. According to the analysis of the antimicrobial resistance profile, 83.3% (75/90) were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested. In phylogenetic classification grouped 24.4% (22/90) in group D (pathogenic), 32.2% (29/90) in group B1 (commensal) and 43.3% (39/90) in group A (commensal). The presence of several virulence factors as well as the high number of multiresistant isolates found in this study support the statement that sheep are potential carriers of pathogens threatening public health.

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Genomically Informed Strain-Specific Recovery of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli during Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-18-340 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 39-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

BURTON W. BLAIS ◽

KYLE TAPP ◽

MARTINE DIXON ◽

CATHERINE D. CARRILLO

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Food Samples ◽

Foodborne Illness ◽

Whole Genome Sequence ◽

Source Attribution ◽

Selective Enrichment ◽

Food Testing

ABSTRACT Next-generation sequencing plays an important role in the characterization of clinical bacterial isolates for source attribution purposes during investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks. Once an illness cluster and a suspect food vehicle have been identified, food testing is initiated for confirmation and to determine the scope of a contamination event so that the implicated lots may be removed from the marketplace. For biochemically diverse families of pathogens such as Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC), the ability to detect specific strains may be hampered by the lack of a universal selective enrichment approach for their recovery against high levels of background microbiota. The availability of whole genome sequence data for a given outbreak STEC strain prior to commencement of food testing may provide food microbiologists an opportunity to customize selective enrichment techniques favoring the recovery of the outbreak strain. Here we demonstrate the advantages of using the publicly available ResFinder tool in the analysis of STEC model strains belonging to serotypes O111 and O157 to determine antimicrobial resistance traits that can be used in formulating strain-specific enrichment media to enhance recovery of these strains from microbiologically complex food samples. The improved recovery from ground beef of model STEC strains with various antimicrobial resistance profiles was demonstrated using three classes of antibiotics as selective agents, suggesting the universal applicability of this new approach in supporting foodborne illness investigations.

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Antimicrobial resistance and resistance gene determinants in clinical Escherichia coli from different animal species in Switzerland

Veterinary Microbiology ◽

10.1016/s0378-1135(02)00263-8 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 91 (1) ◽

pp. 73-84 ◽

Cited By ~ 194

Author(s):

Roland Lanz ◽

Peter Kuhnert ◽

Patrick Boerlin

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Resistance Gene ◽

Animal Species

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Interaction of Enteropathogenic and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Porcine Intestinal Mucosa: Role of Intimin and Tir in Adherence

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.73.9.6005-6016.2005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 73 (9) ◽

pp. 6005-6016 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Francis Girard ◽

Isabelle Batisson ◽

Gad M. Frankel ◽

Josée Harel ◽

John M. Fairbrother

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Shiga Toxin ◽

Actin Polymerization ◽

Animal Species ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Epec Strain ◽

E Coli ◽

In Vitro Organ Culture

ABSTRACT The ileal in vitro organ culture (IVOC) model using tissues originating from colostrum-deprived newborn piglets has proven to be an effective way to study the attaching and effacing (A/E) phenotype of porcine enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) ex vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of intimin subtype and Tir in the adherence of EPEC and Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), isolated from different animal species, to porcine intestinal IVOC. Moreover, the role of intimin in Tir-independent adherence of the human EPEC strain E2348/69 was investigated using intimin and Tir-deficient derivatives. Our results demonstrated that A/E E. coli strains (AEEC) from various animal species and humans induce the A/E phenotype in porcine ileal IVOC and that intimin subtype influences intestinal adherence and tropism of AEEC strains. We also showed that a tir mutant of EPEC strain E2348/69 demonstrates close adherence to the epithelial cells of porcine ileal IVOC segments, with microvillous effacement but with no evidence of actin polymerization or pedestal formation, and that intimin seems to be involved in this phenotype. Overall, this study provides further evidence for the existence of one or more host-cell-encoded intimin receptor(s) in the pig gut.

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