Plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in Escherichia coli from the Arabian Peninsula. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sonnevend, Ágnes; Ghazawi, Akela; Alqahtani, Manaf; Shibl, Atef; Jamal, Wafa; Hashmey, Rayhan; Pal, Tibor
• Is Part Of: International journal of infectious diseases. Volume 50(2016:Sep.)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Escherichia coli -- multi-drug resistance -- colistin resistance -- mcr-1 -- Middle-East; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.07.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1201-9712

Abstract

Highlights: This is the first report on colistin resistance gene mcr-1 from the Arabian Peninsula. Strains represented multi-resistant global E. coli clones, including ST131. Strains produced beta-lactamases such as bla NDM-1, bla CTX-M-64, and bla CTX-M-15 . The first sequence of an IncHI2 MDR-mcr-1 plasmid from a human isolate is provided. Abstract: Objectives: Searching for the presence of the mcr-1 gene in colistin resistant Enterobacteriaceae in countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Methods: Seventy-five independent, colistin resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated from clinical cases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were tested by PCR for the mcr-1 gene. mcr-1 positive strains were genotyped, and their antibiotic susceptibility was established. The mcr-1 containing plasmids were mobilized into Escherichia coli K-12 and their sequence was determined. Results: Four E. coli isolates (two from Bahrain, one from Saudi Arabia and one from the United Arab Emirates) were identified carrying the mcr-1 gene on conjugative plasmids. They belonged to global multidrug resistant E. coli clones, i.e. ST648, ST224, ST68 and ST131, respectively. One strain carried the bla NDM-1 carbapenemase gene. Three strains carried mcr-1 on IncI2 type plasmids, one of them also harboring a bla CTX-M-64 gene. In the fourth strain mcr-1 was located on a 240 kb IncHI2 plasmid co-harboring 13 other resistance genes. Conclusions: This is the first report on the presence of the plasmid-coded mcr-1 gene in a variety of multi-resistant clinical isolates from the Arabian Peninsula indicating that several commonly used antibiotics can potentially facilitate the spread of mcr-1 carrying strains, or directly, mcr-1 containing plasmids.