Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli sequence type 131 H30-R and H30-Rx subclones in retail chicken meat, Italy.

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131), typically fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) and/or extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing, has emerged globally. Among clinical isolates, ST131, primarily its H30-R and H30-Rx subclones, accounts for most antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and is the dominant E. coli strain worldwide. We assessed its prevalence and characteristics among raw chicken meat samples on sale in Palermo, Italy. A collection of 237 fluoroquinolone resistant and ESBL/AmpC producing E. coli isolates, which had been isolated from processed retail chicken meat in the period May 2013-April 2015, was analyzed. Established polymerase chain reaction methods were used to define ST131 and its H30 subclones, ESBL, AmpC, and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) was performed to assess the relatedness among ST131 isolates. Out of the 237 E. coli isolates, 12 isolates belonged to the phylogenetic group B2. Based on the molecular definition of ExPEC, all isolates were attributed with the status of ExPEC. SNP-PCR results confirmed that nine isolates were ST131. SNP-PCR for H30-R and H30-Rx subclones showed that six and three ExPEC ST131 were positive for H30-R and H30-Rx, respectively. The results of AFLP showed that, except for four isolates grouped into two clusters which proved to be indistinguishable, the isolates under study were genetically heterogeneous. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of H30-R and H30-Rx subclones in animal food samples. Our findings appear to support the role of food chain in their transmission to humans.

Ghodousi A ，Bonura C ，Di Carlo P ，van Leeuwen WB ，Mammina C ... -  《-》

Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase, AmpC-Producing, and Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli in Retail Broiler Chicken Meat, Italy.

Ghodousi A ，Bonura C ，Di Noto AM ，Mammina C ... -  《-》

The epidemic of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli ST131 is driven by a single highly pathogenic subclone, H30-Rx.

Price LB ，Johnson JR ，Aziz M ，Clabots C ，Johnston B ，Tchesnokova V ，Nordstrom L ，Billig M ，Chattopadhyay S ，Stegger M ，Andersen PS ，Pearson T ，Riddell K ，Rogers P ，Scholes D ，Kahl B ，Keim P ，Sokurenko EV ... -  《-》

Extraintestinal Pathogenic and Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli, Including Sequence Type 131 (ST131), from Retail Chicken Breasts in the United States in 2013.

Chicken meat products are hypothesized to be vehicles for transmitting antimicrobial-resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) to consumers. To reassess this hypothesis in the current era of heightened concerns about antimicrobial use in food animals, we analyzed 175 chicken-source E. coli isolates from a 2013 Consumer Reports national survey. Isolates were screened by PCR for ExPEC-defining virulence genes. The 25 ExPEC isolates (12% of 175) and a 2:1 randomly selected set of 50 non-ExPEC isolates were assessed for their phylogenetic/clonal backgrounds and virulence genotypes for comparison with their resistance profiles and the claims on the retail packaging label ("organic," "no antibiotics," and "natural"). Compared with the findings for non-ExPEC isolates, the group of ExPEC isolates had a higher prevalence of phylogroup B2 isolates (44% versus 4%; P < 0.001) and a lower prevalence of phylogroup A isolates (4% versus 30%; P = 0.001), a higher prevalence of multiple individual virulence genes, higher virulence scores (median, 11 [range, 4 to 16] versus 8 [range, 1 to 14]; P = 0.001), and higher resistance scores (median, 4 [range, 0 to 8] versus 3 [range, 0 to 10]; P < 0.001). All five isolates of sequence type 131 (ST131) were ExPEC (P = 0.003), were as extensively resistant as the other isolates tested, and had higher virulence scores than the other isolates tested (median, 12 [range, 11 to 13] versus 8 [range, 1 to 16]; P = 0.005). Organic labeling predicted lower resistance scores (median, 2 [range, 0 to 3] versus 4 [range, 0 to 10]; P = 0.008) but no difference in ExPEC status or virulence scores. These findings document a persisting reservoir of extensively antimicrobial-resistant ExPEC isolates, including isolates from ST131, in retail chicken products in the United States, suggesting a potential public health threat.IMPORTANCE We found that among Escherichia coli isolates from retail chicken meat products purchased across the United States in 2013 (many of these isolates being extensively antibiotic resistant), a minority had genetic profiles suggesting an ability to cause extraintestinal infections in humans, such as urinary tract infection, implying a risk of foodborne disease. Although isolates from products labeled "organic" were less extensively antibiotic resistant than other isolates, they did not appear to be less virulent. These findings suggest that retail chicken products in the United States, even if they are labeled "organic," pose a potential health threat to consumers because they are contaminated with extensively antibiotic-resistant and, presumably, virulent E. coli isolates.

Johnson JR ，Porter SB ，Johnston B ，Thuras P ，Clock S ，Crupain M ，Rangan U ... -  《-》

Molecular epidemiology of Escherichia coli sequence type 131 and its H30/H30-Rx subclones recovered from extra-intestinal infections: first report of OXA-48 producing ST131 clone from Iran.

Hojabri Z ，Mirmohammadkhani M ，Kamali F ，Ghassemi K ，Taghavipour S ，Pajand O ... -  《-》