Characterization of VCC-1, a Novel Ambler Class A Carbapenemase from Vibrio cholerae Isolated from Imported Retail Shrimp Sold in Canada

Abstract

One of the core goals of the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) is to monitor major meat commodities for antimicrobial resistance. Targeted studies with methodologies based on core surveillance protocols are used to examine other foods, e.g., seafood, for antimicrobial resistance to detect resistances of concern to public health. Here we report the discovery of a novel Ambler class A carbapenemase that was identified in a nontoxigenic strain of Vibrio cholerae (N14-02106) isolated from shrimp that was sold for human consumption in Canada. V. cholerae N14-02106 was resistant to penicillins, carbapenems, and monobactam antibiotics; however, PCR did not detect common ␤-lactamases. Bioinformatic analysis of the whole-genome sequence of V. cholerae N14-02106 revealed on the large chromosome a novel carbapenemase (referred to here as VCC-1, for Vibrio cholerae carbapenemase 1) with sequence similarity to class A enzymes. Two copies of bla VCC-1 separated and flanked by ISVch9 (i.e., 3 copies of ISVch9) were found in an acquired 8.5-kb region inserted into a VrgG family protein gene. Cloned bla VCC-1 conferred a ␤-lactam resistance profile similar to that in V. cholerae N14-02106 when it was transformed into a susceptible laboratory strain of Escherichia coli. Purified VCC-1 was found to hydrolyze penicillins, 1st-generation cephalosporins, aztreonam, and carbapenems, whereas 2nd-and 3rd-generation cephalosporins were poor substrates. Using nitrocefin as a reporter substrate, VCC-1 was moderately inhibited by clavulanic acid and tazobactam but not EDTA. In this report, we present the discovery of a novel class A carbapenemase from the food supply.

Resistome, Mobilome and Virulome Analysis of Shewanella algae and Vibrio spp. Strains Isolated in Italian Aquaculture Centers

“…It harbors a genome containing several MGEs such as plasmids, superintegrons and insertion sequences (ISs) carrying cargo genes, particularly resistance and virulence genes [21]. Tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones are generally used as antibiotic therapy in human vibriosis outbreaks [13,22] but, several cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR) vibrios are reported in literature even to the last-resort antibiotics used in human medicine such as carbapenems [22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

Molecular Basis for the Potent Inhibition of the Emerging Carbapenemase VCC-1 by Avibactam

“…In 2016, we reported the identification of a new class A carbapenemase, VCC-1, in a nontoxigenic Vibrio cholerae strain (N14-02106) that had been isolated from retail shrimp imported into Canada from India for human consumption (20). In 2017, an additional seven VCC-1 carbapenemase-producing V. cholerae isolates were recovered at different locations along the German coastline (21).…”

Frequency of MCR-1-mediated colistin resistance among Escherichia coli clinical isolates obtained from patients in Canadian hospitals (CANWARD 2008-2015)

“…The sequences were assembled and analyzed as previously described. 21 Multilocus sequence type analysis and identification of mcr-1 and mcr-2 alleles were performed with the use of the Center for Genomic Epidemiology analysis tools (www.genomicepidemiology.org). …”