Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance, Pathogenicity, and Virulence Potentials of Non-Typhoidal <i>Salmonella</i> Isolates at the Yaounde Abattoir Using Whole-Genome Sequencing Technique
Chelea Matchawe,
Eunice M. Machuka,
Martina Kyallo,
Patrice Bonny,
Gerard Nkeunen,
Isaac Njaci,
Seraphine Nkie Esemu,
Dedan Githae,
John Juma,
Bawe M. Nfor,
Bonglaisin J. Nsawir,
Marco Galeotti,
Edi Piasentier,
Lucy M. Ndip,
Roger Pelle
Affiliations
Chelea Matchawe
Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaounde P.O. Box 6163, Cameroon
Eunice M. Machuka
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
Martina Kyallo
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
Patrice Bonny
Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaounde P.O. Box 6163, Cameroon
Gerard Nkeunen
Department of Biochemistry, University of Dschang, Dschang P.O. Box 96, Cameroon
Isaac Njaci
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
Seraphine Nkie Esemu
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Dedan Githae
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
John Juma
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
Bawe M. Nfor
Department of Rangeland, Animal Nutrition and Livestock Infrastructures, Sub Department of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA), Yaounde P.O. Box 930, Cameroon
Bonglaisin J. Nsawir
Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaounde P.O. Box 6163, Cameroon
Marco Galeotti
Department of Agricultural, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Edi Piasentier
Department of Agricultural, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Lucy M. Ndip
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Roger Pelle
Bioscience Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi P.O. Box 30709, Kenya
One of the crucial public health problems today is the emerging and re-emerging of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria coupled with a decline in the development of new antimicrobials. Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is classified among the MDR pathogens of international concern. To predict their MDR potentials, 23 assembled genomes of NTS from live cattle (n = 1), beef carcass (n = 19), butchers’ hands (n = 1) and beef processing environments (n = 2) isolated from 830 wet swabs at the Yaounde abattoir between December 2014 and November 2015 were explored using whole-genome sequencing. Phenotypically, while 22% (n = 5) of Salmonella isolates were streptomycin-resistant, 13% (n = 3) were MDR. Genotypically, all the Salmonella isolates possessed high MDR potentials against several classes of antibiotics including critically important drugs (carbapenems, third-generation cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone). Moreover, >31% of NTS exhibited resistance potentials to polymyxin, considered as the last resort drug. Additionally, ≤80% of isolates harbored “silent resistant genes” as a potential reservoir of drug resistance. Our isolates showed a high degree of pathogenicity and possessed key virulence factors to establish infection even in humans. Whole-genome sequencing unveiled both broader antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles and inference of pathogen characteristics. This study calls for the prudent use of antibiotics and constant monitoring of AMR of NTS.
