Genomic insights of mcr-1 harboring Escherichia coli by geographical region and a One-Health perspective

Abstract

The importance of the One Health concept in attempting to deal with the increasing levels of multidrug-resistant bacteria in both human and animal health is a challenge for the scientific community, policymakers, and the industry. The discovery of the plasmid-borne mobile colistin resistance (mcr) in 2015 poses a significant threat because of the ability of these plasmids to move between different bacterial species through horizontal gene transfer. In light of these findings, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries implement surveillance strategies to detect the presence of plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant microorganisms and take suitable measures to control and prevent their dissemination. Seven years later, ten different variants of the mcr gene (mcr-1 to mcr-10) have been detected worldwide in bacteria isolated from humans, animals, foods, the environment, and farms. However, the possible transmission mechanisms of the mcr gene among isolates from different geographical origins and sources are largely unknown. This article presents an analysis of whole-genome sequences of Escherichia coli that harbor mcr-1 gene from different origins (human, animal, food, or environment) and geographical location, to identify specific patterns related to virulence genes, plasmid content and antibiotic resistance genes, as well as their phylogeny and their distribution with their origin. In general, E. coli isolates that harbor mcr-1 showed a wide plethora of ARGs. Regarding the plasmid content, the highest concentration of plasmids was found in animal samples. In turn, Asia was the continent that led with the largest diversity and occurrence of these plasmids. Finally, about virulence genes, terC, gad, and traT represent the most frequent virulence genes detected. These findings highlight the relevance of analyzing the environmental settings as an integrative part of the surveillance programs to understand the origins and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.

Co-Harboring of Beta-Lactamases and mcr-1 Genes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from Healthy Carriers and Backyard Animals in Rural Communities in Ecuador

“…The ESBL genes have been found historically in clinical isolates in Ecuador of Enterobacterales, such as E. coli [30], K. pneumoniae [31], Acinetobacter baumanii [32], and Raoultella ornithinolytica [33]. Others studies in Ecuador indicated the presence of β-lactamresistance genes in food animals [27,34] and in the environment [6,18].…”

“…After this first report, the mcr genes have been found in more than 70 countries and 10 different variants have been described (mcr-1-mcr-10). In Ecuador, several recent studies have shown an increase of the prevalence of mcr genes in different hosts and sources [6,7]. The widespread of these resistance genes can be attributed to selective pressure due to the use of colistin in livestock and, consequently, the increase of the horizontal transfer of plasmids that contains this type of resistance gene [8].…”

Characterization of antimicrobial resistance profiles in Escherichia coli isolated from captive mammals in Ecuador

“…These practices accelerate the evolution and spread of resistant pathogens, a phenomenon that has been exacerbated by the global interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health (Hernando‐Amado et al., 2019 ). The concept of One Health, which recognizes the interconnectedness of these health domains, is crucial in understanding and combating the spread of AMR (Calero‐Cáceres et al., 2022 ).…”