Background: The emergence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing isolates is alarming since they carry mobile genetic elements with great ability to spread; therefore, early detection of these isolates, particularly their reservoir, is crucial to prevent their inter- and intra-care setting dissemination and establish suitable antimicrobial therapies. The current study was designed to evaluate the frequency of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), MBL producers and identification of MBL resistance genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from fecal samples of the healthy children under three years old. A total of 412 fecal E. coli isolates were collected from October 2017 to December 2018. The study population included healthy infants and children aged <3 years who did not exhibit symptoms of any diseases, especially gastrointestinal diseases. E. coli isolates were assessed to determine the pattern of AMR. E. coli isolates were assessed to determine the pattern of AMR, the production of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and MBL by phenotypic methods. Carbapenem-resistant isolates were investigated for the presence of MBL and carbapenemase genes, plasmid profiling, and the ability of conjugation.
Results: In sum, AMR, multi-drug resistance (MDR) and ESBL production were observed in more than 54.9%, 36.2% and 11.7% of commensal E. coli isolates, respectively. Out of six isolates resistant to imipenem and meropenem, four isolates were phenotypically detected as MBL producers. Two and one E. coli strains carried the blaNDM-1 and blaVIM-2 genes, respectively and were able to transmit imipenem resistance through conjugation.
Conclusion: Our findings showed that children not exposed to antibiotics can be colonized by E. coli isolates resistant to the commonly used antimicrobial compounds and can be a good indicator for the occurrence and prevalence of AMR in the community. These bacteria can act as a potential reservoir of AMR genes including MBL genes of pathogenic bacteria and lead to the dissemination of resistance mechanisms to other bacteria.
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Posted 03 Dec, 2020
On 15 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 12 Oct, 2020
Received 10 Oct, 2020
Received 06 Oct, 2020
On 12 Sep, 2020
On 07 Sep, 2020
Received 24 Aug, 2020
On 03 Aug, 2020
Invitations sent on 29 Jul, 2020
On 20 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
Posted 03 Dec, 2020
On 15 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 03 Nov, 2020
On 12 Oct, 2020
Received 10 Oct, 2020
Received 06 Oct, 2020
On 12 Sep, 2020
On 07 Sep, 2020
Received 24 Aug, 2020
On 03 Aug, 2020
Invitations sent on 29 Jul, 2020
On 20 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
Background: The emergence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing isolates is alarming since they carry mobile genetic elements with great ability to spread; therefore, early detection of these isolates, particularly their reservoir, is crucial to prevent their inter- and intra-care setting dissemination and establish suitable antimicrobial therapies. The current study was designed to evaluate the frequency of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), MBL producers and identification of MBL resistance genes in Escherichia coli strains isolated from fecal samples of the healthy children under three years old. A total of 412 fecal E. coli isolates were collected from October 2017 to December 2018. The study population included healthy infants and children aged <3 years who did not exhibit symptoms of any diseases, especially gastrointestinal diseases. E. coli isolates were assessed to determine the pattern of AMR. E. coli isolates were assessed to determine the pattern of AMR, the production of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and MBL by phenotypic methods. Carbapenem-resistant isolates were investigated for the presence of MBL and carbapenemase genes, plasmid profiling, and the ability of conjugation.
Results: In sum, AMR, multi-drug resistance (MDR) and ESBL production were observed in more than 54.9%, 36.2% and 11.7% of commensal E. coli isolates, respectively. Out of six isolates resistant to imipenem and meropenem, four isolates were phenotypically detected as MBL producers. Two and one E. coli strains carried the blaNDM-1 and blaVIM-2 genes, respectively and were able to transmit imipenem resistance through conjugation.
Conclusion: Our findings showed that children not exposed to antibiotics can be colonized by E. coli isolates resistant to the commonly used antimicrobial compounds and can be a good indicator for the occurrence and prevalence of AMR in the community. These bacteria can act as a potential reservoir of AMR genes including MBL genes of pathogenic bacteria and lead to the dissemination of resistance mechanisms to other bacteria.
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