Multi-drug Resistant (MDR), Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) and New Delhi Metallo Beta-lactamase (NDM) Producing Escherichia Coli in Rescued Sloth Bears (Melursus Ursinus), India

Abstract

The study reports the MDR, ESBL, and NDM producing Escherichia coli (CRE) isolated from the rescued sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), India. The faecal samples of adult rescued sloth bear (n=21) were collected from a rescue center located in India during 2015-2016 and processed for isolation and antibacterial susceptibility pattern of E. coli. 45E. coli isolates were recovered, and on phenotypic screening, 23 were MDR, 17 were ESBL producers, and five were carbapenem-resistant (CR). The MDR isolates carried beta-lactamase, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, tetracycline, fluroquinone, and sulphadimidine resistance genes. All the phenotypic ESBL producing isolates had blaCTX-M genes. On genotypic screening, three CRE (60.0 %, 3/5) were positive for blaNDM carbapenemase gene. Efflux pump-mediated carbapenem resistance was noticed in two CRE isolates (40.0 %, 2/5).The CRE also isolates co-harbored AMR genes like blaTEM-1, blaAmpC, qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, tetA, tetB and sulI. Virulence screening of the resistant isolates revealed the presence of Stx1, Stx2, eae, hlyA genes.Plasmid incompatibility (Inc) typesof three NDM positive isolates revealed that two isolates blaNDM-5 gene on Incl1 an one isolate on IncF plasmid. Apart from NDM genes, the plasmids also carried tetracycline, beta-lactamase and quinolone resistance genes. The plasmid multilocus sequence typing (pMLST) of the E. coli Incl1 plasmid showed the Sequence Type (ST) 297.This appears to be the first report of multi-drug resistant, extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing and blaNDM-5geneson Incl1 and IncF plasmids in rescued sloth bear.