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QnrS1- and Aac(6')-Ib-cr-Producing Escherichia coli among Isolates from Animals of Different Sources: Susceptibility and Genomic Characterization

Publication . Jones-Dias, Daniela; Manageiro, Vera; Graça, Rafael; Sampaio, Daniel A.; Albuquerque, Teresa; Themudo, Patrícia; Vieira, Luís; Ferreira, Eugénia; Clemente, Lurdes; Caniça, Manuela

Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli can inhabit humans and animals from multiple origins. These bacteria are often associated with gastroenteritis in animals, being a frequent cause of resistant zoonotic infections. In fact, bacteria from animals can be transmitted to humans through the food chain and direct contact. In this study, we aimed to assess the antibiotic susceptibility of a collection of S. enterica and E. coli recovered from animals of different sources, performing a genomic comparison of the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR)-producing isolates detected. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high number of non-wild-type isolates for fluoroquinolones among S. enterica recovered from poultry isolates. In turn, the frequency of non-wild-type E. coli to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin was higher in food-producing animals than in companion or zoo animals. Globally, we detected two qnrS1 and two aac(6')-Ib-cr in E. coli isolates recovered from animals of different origins. The genomic characterization of QnrS1-producing E. coli showed high genomic similarity (O86:H12 and ST2297), although they have been recovered from a healthy turtle dove from a Zoo Park, and from a dog showing symptoms of infection. The qnrS1 gene was encoded in a IncN plasmid, also carrying bla TEM-1-containing Tn3. Isolates harboring aac(6')-Ib-cr were detected in two captive bottlenose dolphins, within a time span of two years. The additional antibiotic resistance genes of the two aac(6')-Ib-cr-positive isolates (bla OXA-1, bla TEM-1,bla CTX-M-15, catB3, aac(3)-IIa, and tetA) were enclosed in IncFIA plasmids that differed in a single transposase and 60 single nucleotide variants. The isolates could be assigned to the same genetic sublineage-ST131 fimH30-Rx (O25:H4), confirming clonal spread. PMQR-producing isolates were associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic hosts, which highlight the aptitude of E. coli to act as silent vehicles, allowing the accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes, mobile genetic elements and other relevant pathogenicity determinants. Continuous monitoring of health and sick animals toward the presence of PMQR should be strongly encouraged in order to restrain the clonal spread of these antibiotic resistant strains.

2016-05-23Journal article

Open access

Assessing the antibiotic susceptibility of freshwater Cyanobacteria spp.

Publication . Dias, Elsa; Oliveira, Micaela; Jones-Dias, Daniela; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Ferreira, Eugénia; Manageiro, Vera; Caniça, Manuela

Freshwater is a vehicle for the emergence and dissemination of Antibiotic resistance. Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous in freshwater, where they are exposed to antibiotics and resistant organisms, but their role on water resistome was never evaluated. Data concerning the effects of antibiotics on cyanobacteria, obtained by distinct methodologies, is often contradictory. This emphasizes the importance of developing procedures to understand the trends of antibiotic susceptibility in cyanobacteria. In this study we aimed to evaluate the susceptibility of four cyanobacterial isolates from different genera (Microcystis aeruginosa, Aphanizomenon gracile, Chrisosporum bergii, Planktothix agradhii), and among them nine isolates from the same specie (M.aeruginosa) to distinct antibiotics (amoxicillin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, kanamycine, gentamicine, tetracycline, trimethoprim, nalidixicacid, norfloxacin). We used a method adapted from the bacteria standard broth microdilution. Cyanobacteria were exposed to serial dilution of each antibiotic (0.0015–1.6mg/L) in Z8 medium (20±1◦C; 14/10hL/D cycle; light intensity 16±421μEm−s−). Cell growth was followed overtime (OD450nm/microscopic examination) and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated for each antibiotic/ isolate. We found that β-lactams exhibited the lower MICs, aminoglycosides, tetracycline and norfloxacine presented intermediate MICs; none of the isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim and nalidixic acid. The reduced susceptibility of all tested cyanobacteria to some antibiotics suggests that they might be naturally non-susceptible to these compounds, or that they might became non-susceptible due to antibiotic contamination pressure, or to the transfer of genes from resistant bacteria present in the environment.

2015-08-11Journal article

Open access

Current perspectives on the dynamics of antibiotic resistance in different reservoirs

Publication . Caniça, Manuela; Manageiro, Vera; Jones-Dias, Daniela; Clemente, Lurdes; Gomes-Neves, Eduarda; Poeta, Patrícia; Dias, Elsa; Ferreira, Eugénia

Antibiotic resistance consists of a dynamic web. In this review, we describe the path by which different antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes disseminate among relevant reservoirs (human, animal, and environmental settings), evaluating how these events contribute to the current scenario of antibiotic resistance. The relationship between the spread of resistance and the contribution of different genetic elements and events is revisited, exploring examples of the processes by which successful mobile resistance genes spread across different niches. The importance of classic and next generation molecular approaches, as well as action plans and policies which might aid in the fight against antibiotic resistance, are also reviewed.

2015Journal article

Restricted access

CTX-M-15-Producing Escherichia coli in Dolphin, Portugal

Publication . Manageiro, Vera; Clemente, Lurdes; Jones-Dias, Daniela; Albuquerque, Teresa; Ferreira, Eugénia; Caniça, Manuela

Escherichia coli among humans and its detection in livestock, companion animals, and wildlife is a major cause for concern. Hence, it is imperative to identify and explore its dissemination traits. If CTX-M-15–producing E. coli continues to spread among different environments, therapeutic options in veterinary and human medicine will be greatly narrowed. E. coli is one of the gram-negative bacteria most frequently isolated from bottlenose dolphins. However, few studies about antimicrobial drug–resistant bacteria in dolphins have been published. We explored dissemination linkages between CTX-M-15–producing E. coli isolated from a marine dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and clinical isolates collected during the same period from humans all over Portugal. (...)

2015Journal article

Open access

Current perspectives on the dynamics of antibiotic resistance in different reservoirs

Publication . Caniça, Manuela; Manageiro, Vera; Jones-Dias, Daniela; Clemente, Lurdes; Gomes-Neves, Eduarda; Poeta, Patrícia; Dias, Elsa; Ferreira, Eugénia

2015Journal article

Restricted access