Emergence and Comparative Genomics Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Carrying mcr-1 in Fennec Fox Imported from Sudan to China

Abstract

The extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are a global concern for both animal and human health. There is some information indicating a high prevalence of ESBL producers in food animals. Moreover, there have been an increasing number of reports on ESBL-producing strains resistant to the last-resort antibiotic colistin with the global dissemination of the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 gene, which is believed to have originated in animal breeding. However, little is known regarding the burden of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae on wild animals. No data were available on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among wild animals imported into China. This is the first study to investigate the microbiological and genomics surveillance investigation of ESBL colonization among fennec fox ( Vulpes zerda ) imported from Sudan to China, and we uncovered a high prevalence of ESBL-EC. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of colistin resistance in an isolate that harbored mcr-1 was also investigated. Results of characterization and analysis of 29 ESBL-producing E. coli may have important implications on our understanding of the transmission dynamics of these bacteria. We emphasize the importance of improved multisectoral surveillance for colistin-resistant E. coli in this region.