Dantas Karine, Melocco Gregory, Esposito Fernanda, Fontana Herrison, Cardoso Brenda, Lincopan Nilton
Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil.
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil.
J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2025 Mar;41:105-110. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.11.020. Epub 2024 Dec 12.
Critical priority carbapenem-resistant pathogens constitute a worldwide public health problem. Escherichia coli (E. coli) ST1193 is an emerging high-risk clone that demonstrates prolonged gut persistence, and association with community-onset urinary and bloodstream infections. The purpose of this study is to report microbiological and genomic data on the emergence of KPC-2-producing E. coli ST1193 in ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables.
RTE vegetables were purchased from markets in southeastern Brazil. Epiphytic and endophytic Gram-negative bacteria displaying resistance to broad-spectrum beta-lactams were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Whole-genome sequence was conducted using the Illumina NextSeq platform. Antimicrobial susceptibility, conjugation, and acid tolerance assays were performed. Virulence behaviour was evaluated using the Galleria mellonella (G. mellonella) infection model.
Epiphytic KPC-2-producing E. coli belonging to pandemic ST1193 was identified in RTE arugula. Genomic analysis predicted clinically relevant genes conferring resistance to β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, hazardous heavy metals, pesticides, disinfectants, and chlorine sanitizer. The bla gene was carried by a conjugative IncF plasmid. Acid tolerance of E. coli KPC-2/ST1193 during exposure to pH 2.0 was confirmed, being associated with gadWX and ibaG pH tolerance genes, supporting survival to stomach acid prior to reaching the small intestine, and potential for a dietary mode of host colonization. Virulent behaviour was supported by wide virulome of the highly virulent phylogroup B2, whereas single nucleotide polymorphisms of core genes (cgSNP)-based phylogenomics revealed clonal relationship with healthcare-associated lineages circulating in the United States, China, Mexico, France, and Brazil.
We report the occurrence of KPC-2-producing E. coli of the highly virulent B2-ST1193 clone in RTE vegetables, highlighting a possible route of dissemination of the World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogens to humans. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
关键优先级耐碳青霉烯病原体构成了一个全球性的公共卫生问题。大肠埃希菌（E. coli）ST1193是一种新兴的高风险克隆株，具有在肠道中长期存活的特性，并与社区获得性泌尿系统感染和血流感染有关。本研究的目的是报告即食（RTE）蔬菜中产生KPC-2的大肠埃希菌ST1193出现的微生物学和基因组数据。
从巴西东南部市场购买即食蔬菜。通过基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱法鉴定对广谱β-内酰胺类药物耐药的附生和内生革兰氏阴性菌。使用Illumina NextSeq平台进行全基因组测序。进行了药敏试验、接合试验和耐酸试验。使用大蜡螟（G. mellonella）感染模型评估毒力行为。
在即食芝麻菜中鉴定出属于大流行ST1193的产KPC-2附生大肠埃希菌。基因组分析预测了赋予对β-内酰胺类、氟喹诺酮类、有害重金属、农药、消毒剂和氯消毒剂耐药性的临床相关基因。bla基因由接合性IncF质粒携带。证实了大肠埃希菌KPC-2/ST1193在暴露于pH 2.0时的耐酸性，这与gadWX和ibaG耐酸基因有关，支持其在到达小肠之前在胃酸中存活，并具有通过饮食方式在宿主体内定植的潜力。高毒力B2菌群广泛的毒力组支持了其毒力行为，而基于核心基因单核苷酸多态性（cgSNP）的系统发育基因组学揭示了与在美国、中国、墨西哥、法国和巴西传播的医疗保健相关谱系的克隆关系。
我们报告了在即食蔬菜中出现高毒力B2-ST1193克隆的产KPC-2大肠埃希菌，突出了世界卫生组织（WHO）重点病原体向人类传播的一种可能途径。© 2024作者。由爱思唯尔有限公司代表国际抗菌化疗协会出版。
