Molecular Epidemiology of Fosfomycin Resistant <i>E. coli</i> from a Pigeon Farm in China
Lu Han,
Xiao-Qing Lu,
Xu-Wei Liu,
Mei-Na Liao,
Ruan-Yang Sun,
Yao Xie,
Xiao-Ping Liao,
Ya-Hong Liu,
Jian Sun,
Rong-Min Zhang
Affiliations
Lu Han
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xiao-Qing Lu
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xu-Wei Liu
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Mei-Na Liao
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Ruan-Yang Sun
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Yao Xie
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xiao-Ping Liao
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Ya-Hong Liu
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Jian Sun
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Rong-Min Zhang
National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
We determined the prevalence and molecular characteristics of fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli from a domestic pigeon farm. A total of 79 samples collected from pigeons and their surrounding environments were screened for the presence of fosfomycin resistant isolates and these included 49 E. coli isolates that displayed high-level resistance (MIC ≥ 256 mg L−1) and carried the fosA3 gene on plasmids with sizes ranging from 80 to 370 kb. MLST analysis of these fosA3-positive E. coli isolates indicated the presence of nine sequence types (ST6856, ST8804, ST457, ST746, ST533, ST165, ST2614, ST362 and ST8805) of which ST6856 was the most prevalent (24.5%, 12/49). PFGE combined with genomic context comparative analyses indicated that the fosA3 gene was spread by horizontal transfer as well as via clonal transmission between E. coli in the pigeon farm, and IS26 played an important role in fosA3 transmission. The high prevalence of fosA3 in the pigeon farm and the high similarity of the fosA3 genomic environment between E. coli isolates from humans and pigeons indicated that the pigeon farm served as a potential reservoir for human infections. The pigeon farm was found to be an important reservoir for the fosA3 gene and this should be further monitored.
