Coexistence of virulent and multidrug-resistant plasmids in an uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Yongli Wu; Ziyao Li; Zichen Lei; Jiankang Zhao; Yulin Zhang; Xinmeng Liu; Yanning Hu; Feilong Zhang; Binghuai Lu

doi:10.1016/j.jgar.2024.02.007

Coexistence of virulent and multidrug-resistant plasmids in an uropathogenic Escherichia coli

J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2024 Feb 24:37:4-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.02.007. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yongli Wu¹, Ziyao Li², Zichen Lei², Jiankang Zhao³, Yulin Zhang³, Xinmeng Liu⁴, Yanning Hu⁴, Feilong Zhang⁴, Binghuai Lu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
² Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
³ Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴ Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China.
⁵ Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zs25041@126.com.

PMID: 38408563
DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.02.007

Abstract

Objectives: The emergence of pathogens co-harbouring multiple mobile resistance and virulence elements is of great concern in clinical settings. Herein, we report an O101: H10-ST167 Escherichia coli Hu106 strain isolated from the urinary tract of a female in China.

Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility testing was used to present the antimicrobial resistance spectrum. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatic analysis were used to clarify the virulent and resistance mechanisms. Furthermore, the virulence of this strain was tested by the Greater wax moth larvae and siderophore production experiment.

Results: The strain E. coli Hu106 was resistant to almost all antimicrobials tested, and only susceptible to aztreonam, amikacin, and tigecycline. WGS analysis revealed that the strain Hu106 co-harboured bla_NDM-9 and mcr-1 on p2-Hu106, belonging to IncHI2/IncHI2A (256,000 bp). The co-existence of both resistance genes, bla_NDM-9 and mcr-1, on the plasmid p2-Hu106 was mainly acquired by transposition recombination of mobile antibiotic elements mediated by IS26 and/or IS1 on IncHI2/IncHI2A type plasmid. In addition, the virulence clusters aerobactin (iutA-iucABCD) and salmochelin (iroBCDEN) were identified on an IncFIB/IncFIC(IncFII) type plasmid p1-Hu106, flanked by small mobile elements such as IS1A, ISkpn28, and IS3, respectively. After performing genomic comparison of p1-Hu106 with the WGS in NCBI, we identified that the virulent plasmid p1-Hu106-like could spread in different clones of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing its underlying dissemination mechanism between Enterobacterales. Furthermore, the strain caused a decreased survival rate of larvae and produced high siderophore units (62.33%), similar to hypervirulent K. pneumoniae NTUH-K2044.

Conclusions: The strains co-carrying the multidrug-resistant plasmid p2-Hu106 and virulent plasmid p1-Hu106 should be closely monitored to prevent its further spreading.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; Resistance; Siderophores; Virulence; bla(NDM-9); mcr-1.