CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli ST602 carrying a wide resistome in South American wild birds: Another pandemic clone of One Health concern
Gislaine Dalazen,
Danny Fuentes-Castillo,
Luiz G. Pedroso,
Herrison Fontana,
Elder Sano,
Brenda Cardoso,
Fernanda Esposito,
Quezia Moura,
Bianca S. Matinata,
Luiz F. Silveira,
Mashkoor Mohsin,
Eliana R. Matushima,
Nilton Lincopan
Affiliations
Gislaine Dalazen
Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Danny Fuentes-Castillo
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Departamento de Patología y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
Luiz G. Pedroso
Laboratory of Acarology, Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
Herrison Fontana
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Clinical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Elder Sano
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Brenda Cardoso
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Fernanda Esposito
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Clinical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Quezia Moura
Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, Vila Velha, Brazil
Bianca S. Matinata
Zoology Museum of the University of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Luiz F. Silveira
Zoology Museum of the University of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Mashkoor Mohsin
Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Eliana R. Matushima
Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Nilton Lincopan
One Health Brazilian Resistance Project (OneBR), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Clinical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Corresponding author at: Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Wild birds have emerged as novel reservoirs and potential spreaders of antibiotic-resistant priority pathogens, being proposed as sentinels of anthropogenic activities related to the use of antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and genomic features of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria in wild birds in South America. In this regard, we have identified two ESBL (CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-65)-positive Escherichia coli (UNB7 and GP188 strains) colonizing Creamy-bellied Thrush (Turdus amaurochalinus) and Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) inhabiting synanthropic and wildlife environments from Brazil and Chile, respectively. Whole-genome sequence (WGS) analysis revealed that E. coli UNB7 and GP188 belonged to the globally disseminated clone ST602, carrying a wide resistome against antibiotics (β-lactams), heavy metals (arsenic, copper, mercury), disinfectants (quaternary ammonium compounds), and pesticides (glyphosate). Additionally, E. coli UNB7 and GP188 strains harbored virulence genes encoding hemolysin E, type II and III secretion systems, increased serum survival, adhesins and siderophores. SNP-based phylogenomic analysis, using an international genome database, revealed genomic relatedness (19–363 SNP differences) of GP188 with livestock and poultry strains, and genomic relatedness (61–318 differences) of UNB7 with environmental, human and livestock strains (Table S1), whereas phylogeographical analysis confirmed successful expansion of ST602 as a global clone of One Health concern. In summary, our results support that ESBL-producing E. coli ST602 harboring a wide resistome and virulome have begun colonizing wild birds in South America, highlighting a potential new reservoir of critical priority pathogens.
