Emergence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene, tet(X4), in Escherichia fergusonii from pigs

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to identify tigecycline-resistant tet(X4)-bearing Escherichia fergusonii isolated from pigs in China with a complete genome sequence.

Methods: E. fergusonii was isolated by selective medium and screened from tigecycline-supplemented agar plates. The microbroth dilution method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) results refer to the interpretation standard in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute of America (CLSI). Whole-genome sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq and Nanopore GridION platforms. The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes virulence genes and replicon types of plasmids were predicted by the CGE server.

Results: E. fergusonii EF21QZZ116 was identified from 760 faecal and caecal content samples and was resistant to tigecycline, tetracycline, ampicillin, sulfisoxazole, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, spectinomycin, and florfenicol. The AMR genes tet(X4), bla_TEM-1B, and floR are located on the hybrid IncFIA-IncHI1A-IncHI1B plasmid pQZZ166-tetX-190K and are 190 391 bp in length. This hybrid plasmid has high homology with the plasmids of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and Salmonella based on comparison and analysis with the NCBI database. Notably, conjugative transfer and S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE) assays show that the plasmid can transfer horizontally.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of E. fergusonii carrying the tet(X4) gene isolated from a pig; this report provides insight into the AMR characteristics of E. fergusonii and offers insight into public health.

Keywords: Complete genome sequence; Escherichia fergusonii; Tigecycline; tet(X4).