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China banned colistin as growth promoter for animals in the year of 2017. A decrease of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli (COREC) and mcr-1-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC) were observed in livestock (pigs and chickens) and humans after the ban policy. However, the prevalence of COREC among Chinese companion animals after the ban policy has not been investigated. Here, we recovered 771 E. coli isolates from the China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network for Pets (CARPet) surveillance system (19 provinces/municipalities) from 2018 to 2021. We identified 12 COREC from eight dogs and four cats, among which one feline and three canine isolates were MCRPEC. The prevalence of COREC and MCRPEC in pets from 2018–2021 (1.1%–2.2% and 0.8%–1.1%) were lower than those from 2012–2016 (7.1%–17.8% and 6.1%–14.3%). The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the four MCRPEC isolates displayed genetic diversity, while one canine isolate exhibited only 26 SNPs difference with one human MCRPEC isolate in the same city, suggesting the exchange of MCRPEC isolates between companion animals and humans. In three MCRPEC isolates, mcr-1 was located on an IncI2 plasmid, which exhibited 99.5%–99.9% nucleotide sequence identity with plasmid pHNSD133-MCR from E. coli of chicken origin. In the remaining MCRPEC, mcr-1 was chromosomally located flanked by intact ISApl1 elements forming a unit of ISApl1-mcr-1-pap2-ISApl1. Despite the low prevalence of COREC and MCRPEC observed in companion animals after the ban policy, the association of pet-derived MCRPEC and mcr-carrying plasmids with those from humans and farm animals suggest that annual surveillance of colistin resistance in bacteria of pet origin is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is an important zoonotic pathogen, often multi-resistant to antimicrobial agents. Among swine, LA-MRSA of clonal complex (CC) 398 dominates in Europe, Australia and the Americas, while LA-MRSA-CC9 is the main epidemic lineage in Asia. Here, we comparatively investigated the metabolic properties of rare and widespread porcine LA-MRSA isolates from Germany and China using Biolog Phenotype MicroArray technology to evaluate if metabolic variations could have played a role in the development of two different epidemic LA-MRSA clones in swine. Overall, we were able to characterize the isolates' metabolic profiles and show their tolerance to varying environmental conditions. Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) supported the detection of the most informative substrates and/or conditions that revealed metabolic differences between the LA-MRSA lineages. The Chinese LA-MRSA-CC9 isolates displayed unique characteristics, such as a consistently delayed onset of cellular respiration, and increased, reduced or absent usage of several nutrients. These possibly unfavorable metabolic properties might promote the ongoing gradual replacement of the current epidemic LA-MRSA-CC9 clone in China with the emerging LA-MRSA-CC398 lineage through livestock trade and occupational exposure. Due to the enhanced pathogenicity of the LA-MRSA-CC398 clone, the public health risk posed by LA-MRSA from swine might increase further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To reconstruct the evolutionary history and genomic epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus ST9 in China.Methods: Using WGS analysis, we described the phylogeny of 131 S. aureus ST9 isolates collected between 2002 and 2016 from 11 provinces in China, including six clinical samples from Taiwan. We also investigated the complex structure and distribution of the lsa(E)-carrying multiresistance gene cluster, and genotyped prophages in the genomes of the ST9 isolates.Results: ST9 was subdivided into one major (n = 122) and one minor (n = 9) clade. Bayesian phylogeny predicted the divergence of ST9 isolates in pig farming in China as early as 1987, which then evolved rapidly in the following three decades. ST9 isolates shared similar multiresistance properties, which were likely acquired before the ST9 emergence in China. The accessory genome is highly conserved, and ST9 harboured similar sets of phages, but lacked certain virulence genes.Conclusions: Host exchange and regional transmission of ST9 have occurred between pigs and humans. Pig rearing and trading might have favoured gene exchanges between ST9 isolates. Resistance genes, obtained from the environment and other isolates, were stably integrated into the chromosomal DNA. The abundance of resistance genes among ST9 is likely attributed to the extensive use of antimicrobial agents in livestock. Phages are present in the genomes of ST9 and may play a role in the rapid evolution of this ST. Although human ST9 infections are rare, ST9 isolates may constitute a potential risk to public health as a repository of antimicrobial resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report a novel tigecycline resistance gene, tet(X6), and its variants in four bacterial species isolated from chickens and pigs in China.Methods: WGS was conducted to identify the suspected resistance genes in the tigecycline-resistant Myroides phaeus 18QD1AZ29W. Functional cloning, homology modelling and molecular docking were performed to compare the function with other Tet(X) variants. Retrospective screening for tet(X6) was conducted for 80 isolates in our WGS data collection, and all genomic environments of tet(X6)-positive isolates were analysed.Results: The tigecycline-resistant M. phaeus 18QD1AZ29W isolated from a pig farm in Shandong in 2018 was positive for tet(X2) and a novel tet(X) gene, designated tet(X6). Tet(X6) could increase the MICs of all tested tetracyclines/glycylcyclines for Escherichia coli only 2- to 4-fold, which was possibly due to a lower tetracycline binding capacity of Tet(X6) compared with that of other Tet(X) variants. Retrospective screening showed that seven other isolates (7/80, 8.8%), comprising four Proteus spp. and three Acinetobacter spp. from chickens and pigs in Shandong and Guangdong, were positive for three different variants of tet(X6). The analysis of the genomic environment revealed that two tet(X6)-positive isolates from M. phaeus and Proteus cibarius, respectively, contained ISCR2, which may play a role in tet(X6) transmission.Conclusions: This study identified a novel type of tigecycline resistance gene, tet(X6), in Myroides, Acinetobacter and Proteus from chickens and swine. Tet(X6) conferred lower tetracycline/glycylcycline MICs than other Tet(X) variants, and ISCR2 may play a role in the transmission of tet(X6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The rapidly increasing dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in both humans and animals poses a global threat to public health. However, the transmission of CRE between humans and animals has not yet been well studied. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and drivers of CRE transmission between humans and their backyard animals in rural China. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive sampling strategy in 12 villages in Shandong, China. Using the household [residents and their backyard animals (farm and companion animals)] as a single surveillance unit, we assessed the prevalence of CRE at the household level and examined the factors associated with CRE carriage through a detailed questionnaire. Genetic relationships among human- and animal-derived CRE were assessed using whole-genome sequencing–based molecular methods. RESULTS: A total of 88 New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamases–type carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (NDM-EC), including 17 from humans, 44 from pigs, 12 from chickens, 1 from cattle, and 2 from dogs, were isolated from 65 of the 746 households examined. The remaining 12 NDM-EC were from flies in the immediate backyard environment. The NDM-EC colonization in households was significantly associated with a) the number of species of backyard animals raised/kept in the same household, and b) the use of human and/or animal feces as fertilizer. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) revealed that a large proportion of the core genomes of the NDM-EC belonged to strains from hosts other than their own, and several human isolates shared closely related core single-nucleotide polymorphisms and blaNDM genetic contexts with isolates from backyard animals. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, we are the first to report evidence of direct transmission of NDM-EC between humans and animals. Given the rise of NDM-EC in community and hospital infections, combating NDM-EC transmission in backyard farm systems is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the occurrence, the genetic environment and the functionality of novel variants of the MDR gene cfr(C) in Campylobacter from China.Methods: A total of 370 Campylobacter isolates of porcine and chicken origin collected from three regions of China in 2015 were screened for cfr(C) by PCR. The phenotypes and genotypes of cfr(C)-positive isolates were investigated by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PFGE, MLST, S1-PFGE, Southern blotting and WGS. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to compare the expression levels of the cfr(C) variants in their original isolate and clone constructs in Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168.Results: Four (1.1%) porcine Campylobacter coli isolates were positive for cfr(C). They failed to show elevated MICs of phenicols. The deduced Cfr(C) sequences identified exhibited 2-6 amino acid changes compared with the original Cfr(C) reported in the USA. Cloning of the cfr(C) variant genes into C. jejuni NCTC 11168 resulted in ≥32-fold increases in the MICs of phenicols, indicating that the cfr(C) variant genes are functional. The cfr(C)-carrying isolates belonged to three genotypes and WGS analysis revealed the cfr(C) genes were chromosomally located in MDR genomic islands, which contained multiple antibiotic resistance genes of Gram-positive origin.Conclusions: This study identified chromosomal cfr(C) genes in C. coli isolates from China. They appeared functionally dormant in the original isolates but were fully functional when cloned and expressed in C. jejuni. The cfr(C) genes were co-transferred with other antibiotic resistance genes, possibly from Gram-positive bacteria. These findings reveal new insights into the function and transmission of cfr(C) in Campylobacter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To characterize an MDR bla IMP-4-harbouring plasmid from Enterobacter cloacae EC62 of swine origin in China. Methods Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 from E. cloacae EC62 was transferred by conjugation via filter mating into Escherichia coli J53. Plasmid DNA was extracted from an E. coli J53 transconjugant and sequenced using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology. MIC values for both the isolate EC62 and the transconjugant were determined using the broth microdilution and agar dilution methods. Plasmid stability in both the isolate EC62 and the transconjugant was assessed through a series of passages on antibiotic-free media. Results Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 is 314351 bp in length, encodes 369 predicted proteins and harbours a novel class 1 integron carrying bla IMP-4 and a group II intron. The bla IMP-4-bearing plasmid belongs to the IncHI2/ST1 incompatibility group. Sequence analysis showed that pIMP-4-EC62 carries four MDR regions and several gene clusters encoding heavy metal resistance. Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 was stably maintained in both the E. cloacae EC62 isolate and the transconjugant E. coli J53-pIMP-4-EC62 in the absence of selective pressure. Analysis of the evolutionary relatedness of selected IncHI2 plasmids indicates that ST1-type plasmids are key carriers of carbapenemase genes among IncHI2 plasmids. Conclusions pIMP-4-EC62 represents the first fully sequenced IncHI2-type bla IMP-4-harbouring plasmid from E. cloacae in China. Co-location of bla IMP-4 with other resistance genes on an MDR plasmid is likely to further accelerate the dissemination of bla IMP-4 by co-selection among bacteria from humans, animals and the environment under the selective pressure of other antimicrobial agents, heavy metals and disinfectants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, suidae, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: To investigate the presence and molecular characteristics of oxazolidinone resistance genes cfr and optrA in staphylococci from household animals in rural China.Methods: Various samples were collected from household animals in 12 rural villages. Staphylococcal isolates showing florfenicol MICs ≥10 mg/L were identified and screened for the presence of cfr and/or optrA. PCR-positive isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, S1 nuclease PFGE and Southern blotting. WGS data were analysed to identify the core-genome phylogenetic profile of each isolate as well as the genetic environment of cfr and/or optrA.Results: Nine optrA-positive (seven Staphylococcus sciuri and two Staphylococcus simulans) and 10 cfr-positive staphylococci were identified from eight and five villages, respectively. The gene optrA was chromosomally encoded in all nine isolates, whereas cfr was located on a plasmid in one S. sciuri and three Staphylococcus saprophyticus and in the chromosomal DNA of single Staphylococcus cohnii and Staphylococcus lentus isolates and two S. sciuri isolates. The remaining two cfr-carrying Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolates were indistinguishable by PFGE. Most optrA- or cfr-carrying staphylococci also harboured phenicol, tetracycline and/or macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance genes. Genetic environment analysis showed that, for the first time, optrA was associated with transposon Tn6261, while cfr was adjacent to both a tnp (transposase) gene and a Tn558 transposon.Conclusions: The current study reveals for the first time the wide distribution of oxazolidinone resistance genes optrA and cfr in household animals in rural areas of China and is the first identification of optrA in S. simulans isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Leading article, we summarize current knowledge of the occurrence of the first and so far only transferable colistin resistance gene, mcr-1 Its location on a conjugative plasmid is likely to have driven its spread into a range of enteric bacteria in humans and animals. Screening studies have identified mcr-1 in five of the seven continents and retrospective studies in China have identified this gene in Escherichia coli originally isolated in the 1980s, while the first European isolate dates back to 2005. Based on the widespread use of colistin in pigs and poultry in several countries and the higher number of mcr-1-carrying isolates of animal origin than of human origin, it is tempting to assume that this resistance may have emerged in the animal sector. Whatever its origin, interventions to reduce its further spread will require an integrated global one-health approach, comprising robust antibiotic stewardship to reduce unnecessary colistin use, improved infection prevention, and control and surveillance of colistin usage and resistance in both veterinary and human medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how household pigs in rural areas also show the presence of the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-3 in Escherichia coli which previously was thought to occur mainly in large-scale commercial farm pigs. It examines how the presence of these genes limit the antibiotics treatment options. It proposes the prudent usage of colistin in pigs for disease prevention and treatment.

Abstract: The present study focussed on the analysis of the genetic environment of the multi-resistance gene cfr detected among 21, mostly methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolates obtained from chickens, ducks and pigs in China. It included sequencing of the regions up- and downstream of the cfr gene on various plasmid types in 13 isolates, such as pSS-02 and pSS-02-like (n =7), pSS-03-like (n =1), pJP1-like (n =3), pSS-04 (n =1) and pJP2 (n =1). This analysis revealed that insertion sequences (IS21-558, IS256, IS257, or IS1216E) and other resistance genes (aacA-aphD and aadD for aminoglycoside resistance, ble for bleomycin resistance, fosD for fosfomycin resistance, erm(B) and erm(C) for macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin B resistance, or fexA for phenicol resistance) coexisted on the respective plasmids. In the chromosomal copies of cfr identified in eight S. lentus isolates, the cfr gene was found to be bracketed by insertion sequences, such as IS256 or ISEnfa5. Stability tests confirmed that all chromosomal cfr-containing regions could be looped out via IS-mediated recombination. The observations made in this study extend the rather rudimentary knowledge about the genetic environment of cfr in staphylococci from chickens and ducks and confirmed that insertion sequences play an important role in the dissemination of cfr, not only among different types of plasmids, but also for the integration in the chromosomal DNA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The multidrug-resistance gene cfr was detected in coagulase-negative staphylococci from 3/401 pigs, 15/305 chickens, and 3/78 ducks from 31 different farms and one slaughterhouse in 2 provinces of China. Twenty of the 21 cfr-positive isolates were methicillin-resistant. Various SmaI-PFGE patterns were observed among the isolates of the same staphylococcal species and suggested horizontal transfer of cfr rather than clonal expansion. The detection of cfr on plasmids in the majority of the isolates supported this assumption. Analysis of the drug usage records of the farms strongly correlated with the resistance patterns of the cfr-positive isolates and suggested that antimicrobial use on farms supports the spread of the cfr gene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents the study which examined the presence of the cfr and erm (A) genes of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST9 in cows suffering from bovine mastitis in China. It claims that MRSA could cause various infections in animals, with bovine mastitis the predominant staphylococcal infection in dairy cattle. The instruments used in the study include the Gene Pulser apparatus from German firm Bio-Rad.

We discuss the motivation and technique of Penning trap mass spectrometry applied to radioactive 44V and 44mV, using the LEBIT 9.4 T Penning trap mass spectrometer at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University. A complementary measurement of these nuclides, performed at the CSRe in Lanzhou, China, was recently published, but with errors several times larger than obtainable for a short-lived radionuclide in a Penning trap. Interpretation of the higher precision results is ongoing and a full accounting of this measurement is anticipated in the coming months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the prevalence of a tet (A) gene variant and its role in developing high-level tigecycline resistance among carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) clinical isolates. The mechanism of high-level tigecycline resistance in CRKP mediated by a tet (A) variant was explored by induction experiments, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The amplification and overexpression of the tet (A) variant were measured by the determination of sequencing depth, gene copy numbers, and qRT-PCR. A high rate (62.1%, 998/1607) of tet (A) variant carriage was observed among 1607 CRKP clinical isolates from Henan Province, China. High-level tigecycline resistance could rapidly develop by the amplification of the tet (A) variant in these isolates. The analysis of the raw sequencing data and the plasmid mapping depth revealed that the Δ tnpA homologous sequence of Tn 1721 supports the amplification of the region that harbours the tet (A) variant by forming a large number of repeat arrays through translocatable units (TUs). Moreover, the epidemiological analysis of tet (A) variant-carrying structures among 1607 clinical CRKPs showed that the TU structure is widely present. The presence of a tigecycline resistance-mediating tet (A) variant in CRKP clinical isolates represents a greater health concern than initially thought and should be monitored consistently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first 'One Health' molecular epidemiological survey of Staphylococcus aureus along a pork production chain and in the surrounding community in Asian counties. • The first study providing large-scale whole-genome sequencing data of livestock-associated meticillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA) CC9. • An early report of LA-MRSA ST398 and a novel LA-MRSA CC9 variant ST3597 from pigs in China. • Dissemination of LA-MRSA CC9 was confirmed between various segments along the pork production chain. Livestock-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is an increasingly important public health concern worldwide; however, data on LA-MRSA from Asian countries is scarce. As such, a comprehensive molecular epidemiological survey of S. aureus along a pork production chain and in the community was undertaken in Shandong Province, China. spa typing and whole-genome sequencing were used to survey the occurrence and potential transmission of S. aureus in various sectors, including 899 porcine samples (snout or skin swabs, carcass swabs and pork portions), 845 human nasal samples and 239 environmental samples from commercial farms, a slaughterhouse, a pork wholesale market and the surrounding community. MRSA was detected in higher frequencies in samples from two commercial pig farms (pigs, 49%; farm workers, 64%; environmental samples, 16%) than in samples from the slaughterhouse (fatteners, 8.2%; carcasses, 1.1%; operation workers, 0%; environmental samples, 3.8%), the pork wholesale market (pork, 14%; sellers, 0%) and individuals in the community (6.8%). There were significant differences in population structures, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and the presence of resistance and virulence genes between human- and pig-associated isolates. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the dissemination of LA-MRSA between various segments along the pork production chain. However, MRSA of the same sequence type was not found to be disseminated between the commercial farms and the surrounding communities. Furthermore, one MRSA ST398 was observed, and a novel CC9 variant ST3597 was detected within the chain. The high MRSA carriage rates and the emergence of a new MRSA CC9 variant identified in this study highlight the need for MRSA surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) of sequence types ST398 and ST9 are dominant lineages among livestock in Europe and Asia, respectively. Although both STs were commonly found as colonizers of the skin and the mucosal membranes, MRSA ST398, rather than MRSA ST9, has been reported to cause infections in humans and animals. Herein, we comparatively analyzed the genomic characteristics, fitness and virulence of MRSA ST398 and ST9 isolated from pigs in both China (CHN) and Germany (GER) to explore the factors that lead to differences in their epidemics and pathogenicity. We observed that the CHN-MRSA ST9 and the GER-MRSA ST9 have evolved independently, whereas the CHN-MRSA ST398 and GER-MRSA ST398 had close evolutionary relationships. Resistance to antimicrobial agents commonly used in livestock, the enhanced ability of biofilm formation, and the resistance to desiccation contribute to the success of the dominant clones of CHN-MRSA ST9 and GER-MRSA ST398, and the vwb νSaα gene on the genomic island might in part contribute to their colonization fitness in pigs. All MRSA ST398 strains revealed more diverse genome structures, higher tolerance to acids and high osmotic pressure, and greater competitive fitness in co-culture experiments. Notably, we identified and characterized a novel hysA νSaβ gene, which was located on the genomic island νSaβ of MRSA ST398 but was absent in MRSA ST9. The enhanced pathogenicity of the MRSA ST398 strains due to hysA νSaβ might in part explain why MRSA ST398 strains are more likely to cause infections.

The transferable optrA gene encodes an ABC-F protein which confers resistance to oxazolidinones and phenicols, and has so far been detected exclusively in Gram-positive bacteria, including enterococci, staphylococci and streptococci. Here, we identified for the first time the presence of optrA in naturally occurring Gram-negative bacteria. Seven optrA-positive Campylobacter coli were identified from 563 Campylobacter isolates of animal origin from Guangdong (n = 1, chicken) and Shandong (n = 6, duck) provinces of China in 2017-2018. The detected optrA genes were functionally active and mediated resistance or elevated minimal inhibitory concentrations of linezolid, florfenicol and chloramphenicol in the respective C. coli isolates. The optrA gene, together with other transferable resistance genes, such as fexA, catA9, tet(O), tet(L), erm(A)-like, spc, or aadE, was located in two different chromosome-borne multidrug resistance genomic islands (MDRGIs). In both MDRGIs, complete or truncated copies of the insertion sequence IS1216E were present in the vicinity of optrA. The IS1216E-bracketed genetic environment of optrA was almost identical to the optrA regions on enterococcal plasmids, suggesting that the optrA in Campylobacter probably originated from Enterococcus spp.. Moreover, the formation of an optrA-carrying translocatable unit by recombination of IS1216E indicated that this IS element may play an important role in the horizontal transfer of optrA in Campylobacter. Although optrA was only found in a small number of C. coli isolates, enhanced surveillance is needed to monitor the distribution and the potential emergence of optrA in Campylobacter., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The rapidly increasing dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in both humans and animals poses a global threat to public health. However, the transmission of CRE between humans and animals has not yet been well studied., Objectives: We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and drivers of CRE transmission between humans and their backyard animals in rural China., Methods: We conducted a comprehensive sampling strategy in 12 villages in Shandong, China. Using the household [residents and their backyard animals (farm and companion animals)] as a single surveillance unit, we assessed the prevalence of CRE at the household level and examined the factors associated with CRE carriage through a detailed questionnaire. Genetic relationships among human- and animal-derived CRE were assessed using whole-genome sequencing-based molecular methods., Results: A total of 88 New Delhi metallo- β -lactamases -type carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (NDM-EC), including 17 from humans, 44 from pigs, 12 from chickens, 1 from cattle, and 2 from dogs, were isolated from 65 of the 746 households examined. The remaining 12 NDM-EC were from flies in the immediate backyard environment. The NDM-EC colonization in households was significantly associated with a ) the number of species of backyard animals raised/kept in the same household, and b ) the use of human and/or animal feces as fertilizer. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) revealed that a large proportion of the core genomes of the NDM-EC belonged to strains from hosts other than their own, and several human isolates shared closely related core single-nucleotide polymorphisms and b l a NDM genetic contexts with isolates from backyard animals., Conclusions: To our knowledge, we are the first to report evidence of direct transmission of NDM-EC between humans and animals. Given the rise of NDM-EC in community and hospital infections, combating NDM-EC transmission in backyard farm systems is needed. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5251.

The occurrence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) poses a considerable risk for public health. The gene for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-2 (KPC-2) has been reported in many countries worldwide, and KPC-2-producing strains are mainly of human origin. In this study, we identified two novel hybrid plasmids that carry either bla KPC-2 or the fosfomycin resistance gene fosA3 isolate K15 of swine origin in China. The K. pneumoniae isolate K15 of swine origin in China. The bla KPC-2 -bearing plasmid pK15-KPC was a fusion derivative of an IncF33:A-:B- incompatibility group (Inc) plasmid and chromosomal sequences of K. pneumoniae (CSKP). A 5-bp direct target sequence duplication (GACTA) was identified at the boundaries of the CSKP, suggesting that the integration might have been due to a transposition event. The bla KPC-2 gene on pK15-KPC was in a derivative of ΔTn 6296-1 The multireplicon fosA3 -carrying IncN-IncR plasmid pK15-FOS also showed a mosaic structure, possibly originating from a recombination between an epidemic fosA3 -carrying pHN7A8-like plasmid and a pKPC-LK30-like IncR plasmid. Stability tests demonstrated that both novel hybrid plasmids were stably maintained in the original host without antibiotic selection but were lost from the transformants after approximately 200 generations. This is apparently the first description of a porcine sequence type 11 (ST11) K. pneumoniae isolate coproducing KPC-2 and FosA3 via pK15-KPC and pK15-FOS, respectively. The multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype of this high-risk K. pneumoniae isolate may contribute to its spread and its persistence. IMPORTANCE The global dissemination of carbapenem resistance genes is of great concern. Animals are usually considered a reservoir of resistance genes and an important source of human infection. Although carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strains of animal origin have been reported increasingly, bla KPC-2 -positive strains from food-producing animals are still rare. In this study, we first describe the isolation and characterization of a carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 isolate, strain K15, which is of pig origin and coproduces KPC-2 and FosA3 via two novel hybrid plasmids. Furthermore, our findings highlight that this ST11 Klebsiella pneumoniae strain K15 is most likely of human origin and could be easily transmitted back to humans via direct contact or food intake. In light of our findings, significant attention must be paid to monitoring the prevalence and further evolution of bla KPC-2 -carrying plasmids among the Enterobacteriaceae strains of animal origin., (Copyright © 2019 Zhang et al.)

Objectives: To characterize an MDR blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmid from Enterobacter cloacae EC62 of swine origin in China., Methods: Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 from E. cloacae EC62 was transferred by conjugation via filter mating into Escherichia coli J53. Plasmid DNA was extracted from an E. coli J53 transconjugant and sequenced using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology. MIC values for both the isolate EC62 and the transconjugant were determined using the broth microdilution and agar dilution methods. Plasmid stability in both the isolate EC62 and the transconjugant was assessed through a series of passages on antibiotic-free media., Results: Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 is 314351 bp in length, encodes 369 predicted proteins and harbours a novel class 1 integron carrying blaIMP-4 and a group II intron. The blaIMP-4-bearing plasmid belongs to the IncHI2/ST1 incompatibility group. Sequence analysis showed that pIMP-4-EC62 carries four MDR regions and several gene clusters encoding heavy metal resistance. Plasmid pIMP-4-EC62 was stably maintained in both the E. cloacae EC62 isolate and the transconjugant E. coli J53-pIMP-4-EC62 in the absence of selective pressure. Analysis of the evolutionary relatedness of selected IncHI2 plasmids indicates that ST1-type plasmids are key carriers of carbapenemase genes among IncHI2 plasmids., Conclusions: pIMP-4-EC62 represents the first fully sequenced IncHI2-type blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmid from E. cloacae in China. Co-location of blaIMP-4 with other resistance genes on an MDR plasmid is likely to further accelerate the dissemination of blaIMP-4 by co-selection among bacteria from humans, animals and the environment under the selective pressure of other antimicrobial agents, heavy metals and disinfectants., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The aim of this study was to assess the presence of mobile colistin resistance in bacteria isolated from the swine production environment and to analyze the genomic environment of the new colistin resistance gene mcr-3. Anal swabs and environmental samples were collected from a commercial pig farm. Direct sample testing (DST) for mcr genes and isolation of colistin-resistant isolates was performed. The mcr-3-positive isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS). Transferability and genomic location analyses of mcr-3 gene were performed using conjugation and S1 nuclease-PFGE with Southern blotting assays, respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the mcr-carrying isolates were determined using the agar dilution method. A total of 65 samples were collected. The DST rates of mcr-1 (64.6%, 42/65) and mcr-3 (40.0%, 26/65) were considerably higher than the rates of mcr-1-positive E. coli (49.2%, 32/65) and mcr-3-positive E. coli (7.7%, 5/65) isolated from these samples, respectively. The five mcr-3-positive isolates were derived from different sources (pig, fly and soil) and four of the five isolates were also positive for mcr-1. The mcr-3 genes were located on IncP-1 plasmids in three isolates or IncHI2 plasmids in two isolates. Several mobile elements, including IS4321, ΔTnAs2 or ISKpn40, were identified in the flanking regions of mcr-3 in the E. coli isolates. In conclusion, the mobile colistin resistance genes mcr-1 and mcr-3 are prevalent in the monitored pig farm and its surrounding environment. Due to their location on broad-host range IncP-1 plasmids and their proximity to different IS sequences, mcr-3 gene might have excellent opportunities for transmission., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-3 is globally disseminated in both Enterobacteriaceae and Aeromonas species, with the latter potentially serving as a reservoir for this gene. Here, we investigated the prevalence of mcr-3 in rectal swabs from humans, in food-producing animals and their products, and in the aquatic environment, and we investigated the genetic relationships between the mcr-3 -positive isolates. An enriched broth screening method was used to detect mcr-3 in samples, and species identification of isolates from positive samples was carried out by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and shotgun sequencing. All mcr-3 -positive isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, conjugation, and whole-genome sequencing. Ten Aeromonas isolates, including 2 from human rectal swabs, 1 from pork, 3 from chicken meat, and 4 from the aquatic environment, were positive for mcr-3 , but only 2 showed resistance to colistin. In addition to the mcr-3 variants identified previously (the novel variants were termed mcr-3.13 to mcr-3.18 ), all isolates harbored mcr-3 -like genes downstream of the mcr-3 variants. The MCR-3.13 to MCR-3.18 proteins exhibited only 89.2% to 96.1% amino acid identity to the original MCR-3 protein. Whole-genome sequence analysis indicated diversity within the genetic environments of mcr-3 -positive Aeromonas isolates and possible transmission between different sources in China and even worldwide. Close relationships between mcr-3 -positive and mcr-3 -negative Aeromonas isolates suggested that mcr-3 might be common in Aeromonas species, which are not inherent hosts of mcr-3 but may act as an important reservoir of this mobile colistin resistance gene., (Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.)

Objectives: To investigate the presence and molecular characteristics of oxazolidinone resistance genes cfr and optrA in staphylococci from household animals in rural China., Methods: Various samples were collected from household animals in 12 rural villages. Staphylococcal isolates showing florfenicol MICs ≥10 mg/L were identified and screened for the presence of cfr and/or optrA. PCR-positive isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, S1 nuclease PFGE and Southern blotting. WGS data were analysed to identify the core-genome phylogenetic profile of each isolate as well as the genetic environment of cfr and/or optrA., Results: Nine optrA-positive (seven Staphylococcus sciuri and two Staphylococcus simulans) and 10 cfr-positive staphylococci were identified from eight and five villages, respectively. The gene optrA was chromosomally encoded in all nine isolates, whereas cfr was located on a plasmid in one S. sciuri and three Staphylococcus saprophyticus and in the chromosomal DNA of single Staphylococcus cohnii and Staphylococcus lentus isolates and two S. sciuri isolates. The remaining two cfr-carrying Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolates were indistinguishable by PFGE. Most optrA- or cfr-carrying staphylococci also harboured phenicol, tetracycline and/or macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance genes. Genetic environment analysis showed that, for the first time, optrA was associated with transposon Tn6261, while cfr was adjacent to both a tnp (transposase) gene and a Tn558 transposon., Conclusions: The current study reveals for the first time the wide distribution of oxazolidinone resistance genes optrA and cfr in household animals in rural areas of China and is the first identification of optrA in S. simulans isolates.

Thirty-nine fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli isolates carrying fosA3 were obtained from pigs, chickens, dairy cows, and staff in four northeastern provinces of China between June 2015 and April 2016. The fosA3 gene was colocated with bla CTX-M genes on conjugative plasmids of the incompatibility groups IncN ( n = 12), IncN-F33:A - :B - ( n = 2), IncF33:A - :B - ( n = 14), IncF14:A - :B - ( n = 2), and IncI1/sequence type 136 (ST136) ( n = 9). Four different genetic contexts of fosA3 were detected among the 39 E. coli isolates. Three potential epidemic plasmids circulated among E. coli strains from this region., (Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.)

By 2030, the global population will be 8.5 billion, placing pressure on international poultry production, of which China is a key producer 1 . From April 2017, China will implement the withdrawal of colistin as a growth promoter, removing over 8,000 tonnes per year from the Chinese farming sector 2 . To understand the impact of banning colistin and the epidemiology of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (using bla NDM and mcr-1 as marker genes), we sampled poultry, dogs, sewage, wild birds and flies. Here, we show that mcr-1, but not bla NDM , is prevalent in hatcheries, but bla NDM quickly contaminates flocks through dogs, flies and wild birds. We also screened samples directly for resistance genes to understand the true breadth and depth of the environmental and animal resistome. Direct sample testing for bla NDM and mcr-1 in hatcheries, commercial farms, a slaughterhouse and supermarkets revealed considerably higher levels of positive samples than the bla NDM - and mcr-1-positive E. coli, indicating a substantial segment of unseen resistome-a phenomenon we have termed the 'phantom resistome'. Whole-genome sequencing identified common bla NDM -positive E. coli shared among farms, flies, dogs and farmers, providing direct evidence of carbapenem-resistant E. coli transmission and environmental contamination.

Objectives: To investigate the genetic basis of pleuromutilin resistance in porcine methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and to map the genetic environment of the identified plasmid-borne resistance gene., Methods: Seventy porcine MRSA isolates, which exhibited high MICs of tiamulin, valnemulin and retapamulin, were investigated for pleuromutilin resistance genes and mutations. They were characterized by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Plasmid DNA was extracted from the lsa(E)-positive strains and transferred to S. aureus RN4220 for selection of resistance plasmids. The plasmid-borne lsa(E) gene region was sequenced and 10 overlapping PCR assays for the analysis of the genetic environment of lsa(E) were developed., Results: All 70 MRSA isolates were ST9 (MLST)-t899 (spa)-IVa (SCCmec). Sixteen isolates carried the lsa(E) gene; all others were negative for known pleuromutilin resistance mechanisms. An lsa(E)-carrying plasmid of ∼41 kb was detected in a single isolate. Sequence analysis revealed that the lsa(E) gene was located in a multiresistance gene cluster, which showed partial homology to clusters identified in MRSA, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and Enterococcus faecalis. PCR analysis of the remaining isolates revealed a partly deleted multiresistance gene cluster in 6/15 isolates and solely the lsa(E) gene without the known flanking regions in 9/15 isolates., Conclusions: We identified the pleuromutilin-lincosamide-streptogramin A resistance gene lsa(E) in porcine MRSA isolates. The multiresistance gene cluster in which lsa(E) was located differed from the previously described ones found in human MRSA/MSSA or in E. faecalis. The location of lsa(E) on a multiresistance plasmid facilitates its persistence and dissemination.

A total of 149 porcine Staphylococcus isolates with florfenicol MICs of ≥ 16 μg/ml were screened for the presence of the multiresistance gene cfr, its location on plasmids, and its genetic environment. In total, 125 isolates carried either cfr (16 isolates), fexA (92 isolates), or both genes (17 isolates). The 33 cfr-carrying staphylococci, which included isolates of the species Staphylococcus cohnii, S. arlettae, and S. saprophyticus in which the cfr gene has not been described before, exhibited a wide variety of SmaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. In 18 cases, the cfr gene was located on plasmids. Four different types of cfr-carrying plasmids--pSS-01 (n = 2; 40 kb), pSS-02 (n = 3; 35.4 kb), pSS-03 (n = 10; 7.1 kb), and pBS-01 (n = 3; 16.4 kb)--were differentiated on the basis of their sizes, restriction patterns, and additional resistance genes. Sequence analysis revealed that in plasmid pSS-01, the cfr gene was flanked in the upstream part by a complete aacA-aphD-carrying Tn4001-like transposon and in the downstream part by a complete fexA-carrying transposon Tn558. In plasmid pSS-02, an insertion sequence IS21-558 and the cfr gene were integrated into transposon Tn558 and thereby truncated the tnpA and tnpB genes. The smallest cfr-carrying plasmid pSS-03 carried the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance gene erm(C). Plasmid pBS-01, previously described in Bacillus spp., harbored a Tn917-like transposon, including the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance gene erm(B) in the cfr downstream region. Plasmids, which in part carry additional resistance genes, seem to play an important role in the dissemination of the gene cfr among porcine staphylococci.