Genomic Analysis of a Highly Virulent NDM-1-Producing Escherichia coli ST162 Infecting a Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps) in South America.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales are rapidly spreading and adapting to different environments beyond hospital settings. During COVID-19 lockdown, a carbapenem-resistant NDM-1-positive Escherichia coli isolate (BA01 strain) was recovered from a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps), which was found stranded on the southern coast of Brazil. BA01 strain belonged to the global sequence type (ST) 162 and carried the bla NDM-1, besides other medically important antimicrobial resistance genes. Additionally, genes associated with resistance to heavy metals, biocides, and glyphosate were also detected. Halophilic behavior (tolerance to > 10% NaCl) of BA01 strain was confirmed by tolerance tests of NaCl minimal inhibitory concentration, whereas halotolerance associated genes katE and nhaA, which encodes for catalase and Na+/H+ antiporter cytoplasmic membrane, respectively, were in silico confirmed. Phylogenomics clustered BA01 with poultry- and human-associated ST162 lineages circulating in European and Asian countries. Important virulence genes, including the astA (a gene encoding an enterotoxin associated with human and animal infections) were detected, whereas in vivo experiments using the Galleria mellonella infection model confirmed the virulent behavior of the BA01 strain. WHO critical priority carbapenemase-producing pathogens in coastal water are an emerging threat that deserves the urgent need to assess the role of the aquatic environment in its global epidemiology.

Phylogenomic analysis of CTX-M-15-producing Enterobacter hormaechei belonging to the high-risk ST78 from animal infection: another successful One Health clone?

OBJECTIVES: Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) members have been a leading cause of severe infections in hospital setting and have lately been recognized as important pathogens for animals. In this article, we report phylogenomic data of a multidrug-resistant and CTX-M-15-positive E. hormaechei belonging to ST78 isolated from a calf with omphalitis. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq platform. De novo assembly was performed by Unicycler and in silico prediction accomplished by curated bioinformatics tools. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based comparative phylogenomic analysis was conducted by using publicly available ECC genomes belonging to ST78. RESULTS: The genome size was calculated at 3 8465 40 bp, comprising 4717 total genes, 3 rRNAs, 43 tRNAs, 7 ncRNAs, and 74 pseudogenes. The animal-associated E. hormaechei (ECBEZ strain) ST78 harboured the blaCTX-M-15 ESBL gene in addition to other critically important resistance genes conferring resistance to ß-lactams, aminoglycosides, fosfomycin, phenicol, quinolones, sulphonamides, tetracyclines, and trimethoprim. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ECBEZ is closely related to human-isolated strains from Asian and African countries. CONCLUSION: Phylogenomic analysis of CTX-M-15-producing E. hormaechei from animal infection reveals that ST78 is a successful One Health clone among ECC members. Furthermore, data presented in this study reinforce the urgent need to monitor ESBL-producing ECC members in veterinary settings.