Prevalence, detection and characterisation of fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli strains carrying fosA genes in Community of Madrid, Spain. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Loras, Cristina; González-Prieto, Andrea; Pérez-Vázquez, María; Bautista, Verónica; Ávila, Alicia; Campoy, Pedro Sola; Oteo-Iglesias, Jesús; Alós, Juan-Ignacio
• Is Part Of: Journal of global antimicrobial resistance. Volume 25(2021)
• Page Start: 137
• Page End: 141
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Escherichia coli -- fosA -- Fosfomycin -- Antibiotic resistance -- Urinary tract infection; Drug resistance -- Periodicals; Drug resistance -- Periodicals; Drug resistance; Periodicals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.02.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-7165

Abstract

Highlights: Prevalence of fosfomycin resistance mediated by fos genes is low in Europe. Phenotypic screening assay may be useful to detect fos genes in Escherichia coli . Different variants of plasmid-mediated fosA genes are detected in Madrid, Spain. First description of fosA4 and fosA6 genes in E. coli in Spain. ABSTRACT: Objectives: The aim of this this study was to describe the presence of different variants of the fosA gene in fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli strains in Madrid, Spain. Methods: fos genes were searched for in 55 E. coli strains collected from seven representative hospitals located in Madrid. A phenotypic screening test was performed following the disk diffusion method with sodium phosphonoformate added as described by Nakamura et al. Additionally, a molecular study based on PCR was used to confirm the screening results. Positive strains for fos genes were further subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Results: Phenotypic screening was positive in 9/55 strains (16.4%), although genotypic detection was positive in only 3 ( fosA3, fosA4 and fosA6 ). Thus, the prevalence of fos genes in Madrid was 5.5% (3/55). WGS data were not available for the fosA6 -positive strain. One isolate with fosA3 (ST69) carried a bla CTX-M-55 gene and seven virulence genes ( air, eilA, iha, iss, lpfA, sat and senB ). The fosA4 -positive isolate (ST4038) carried the virulence genes iss, lpfA, iroN and mchF . Both fos genes were located between two IS 26 mobile elements of a plasmid. Conclusion: We detected the presence of different variants of plasmid-mediated fosA genes in fosfomycin-resistant E. coli strains in Madrid, Spain. Despite the few reports in Europe, it would be of interest to monitor the spread of these acquired resistance genes.