Prevalence and Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Freshwater Fish and Pork in Wet Markets of Hong Kong

Abstract

Extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are of global health importance, yet there is a paucity of surveillance studies on food animals in Hong Kong. Here, we report a high prevalence of ESBL-E (ranging from 0.5% to 52.4%) and CPE (0% to 9.9%) from various food animal samples procured from wet markets across Hong Kong. All CPE strains were characterized by whole-genome sequencing and possessed NDM-1 and -5 genes and other resistance determinants. Given the increased resistance profile of these strains, this study highlights the emerging threat of ESBL-E and CPE disseminated in farmed animals. Furthermore, our data enriched our understanding of antibiotic resistance reservoirs from a One Health perspective that can widely spread across various niches, beyond health care settings.