Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of resistance and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from poultry farms in Egypt using whole genome sequencing

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an ESKAPE pathogen that can quickly develop resistance to most antibiotics. This bacterium is a zoonotic pathogen that can be found in humans, animals, foods, and environmental samples, making it a One-Health concern. P. aeruginosa threatens the poultry industry in Egypt, leading to significant economic losses. However, the investigation of this bacterium using NGS technology is nearly non-existent in Egypt. In this study, 38 isolates obtained from broiler farms of the Delta region were phenotypically investigated, and their genomes were characterized using whole genome sequencing (WGS). The study found that 100% of the isolates were resistant to fosfomycin and harbored the fosA gene. They were also resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, although only one isolate harbored the sul1 gene. Non-susceptibility (resistant, susceptible with increased dose) of colistin was observed in all isolates. WGS analysis revealed a high level of diversity between isolates, and MLST analysis allocated the 38 P. aeruginosa isolates into 11 distinct sequence types. The most predominant sequence type was ST267, found in 13 isolates, followed by ST1395 in 8 isolates. The isolates were susceptible to almost all tested antibiotics carrying only few different antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Various AMR genes that confer resistance mainly to ß-lactam, aminoglycoside, sulfonamide, and phenicol compounds were identified. Additionally, several virulence associated genes were found without any significant differences in number and distribution among isolates. The majority of the virulence genes was identified in almost all isolates. The fact that P. aeruginosa, which harbors several AMR and virulence-associated factors, is present in poultry farms is alarming and threatens public health. The misuse of antimicrobial compounds in poultry farms plays a significant role in resistance development. Thus, increasing awareness and implementing strict veterinary regulations to guide the use of veterinary antibiotics is required to reduce health and environmental risks. Further studies from a One-Health perspective using WGS are necessary to trace the potential transmission routes of resistance between animals and humans and clarify resistance mechanisms.

Keywords: Egypt; Poultry; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Resistomes; Virulomes; WGS.