TY - JOUR
T1 - Widespread distribution of mcr-1-bearing bacteria in the ecosystem, 2015 to 2016
AU - Chen, Kaichao
AU - Chan, Edward Wai Chi
AU - Xie, Miaomiao
AU - Ye, Liangwei
AU - Dong, Ning
AU - Chen, Sheng
PY - 2017/9/28
Y1 - 2017/9/28
N2 - The recently discovered colistin resistance-encoding element, mcr-1, adds to the list of mobile resistance genes whose products rapidly erode the antimicrobial efficacy of not only the commonly used antibiotics, but also the last line agents of carbapenems and colistin. The relative prevalence of mcr-1-bearing strains in various ecological niches including 1,371 food samples, 480 animal faecal samples, 150 human faecal samples and 34 water samples was surveyed using a novel in-house method. Bacteria bearing mcr-1 were commonly detected in water (71% of samples), animal faeces (51%), food products (36%), and exhibited stable carriage in 28% of human subjects surveyed. Such strains, which exhibited variable antibiotic susceptibility profiles, belonged to various Enterobacteriaceae species, with Escherichia coli being the most dominant in each specimen type. The mcr-1 gene was detectable in the chromosome as well as plasmids of various sizes. Among these, two conjugative plasmids of sizes ca 33 and ca 60 kb were found to be the key vectors that mediated mcr-1 transmission in organisms residing in various ecological niches. The high mcr-1 carriage rate in humans found in this study highlights the importance of continued vigilance, careful antibiotic stewardship, and the development of new antimicrobials.
AB - The recently discovered colistin resistance-encoding element, mcr-1, adds to the list of mobile resistance genes whose products rapidly erode the antimicrobial efficacy of not only the commonly used antibiotics, but also the last line agents of carbapenems and colistin. The relative prevalence of mcr-1-bearing strains in various ecological niches including 1,371 food samples, 480 animal faecal samples, 150 human faecal samples and 34 water samples was surveyed using a novel in-house method. Bacteria bearing mcr-1 were commonly detected in water (71% of samples), animal faeces (51%), food products (36%), and exhibited stable carriage in 28% of human subjects surveyed. Such strains, which exhibited variable antibiotic susceptibility profiles, belonged to various Enterobacteriaceae species, with Escherichia coli being the most dominant in each specimen type. The mcr-1 gene was detectable in the chromosome as well as plasmids of various sizes. Among these, two conjugative plasmids of sizes ca 33 and ca 60 kb were found to be the key vectors that mediated mcr-1 transmission in organisms residing in various ecological niches. The high mcr-1 carriage rate in humans found in this study highlights the importance of continued vigilance, careful antibiotic stewardship, and the development of new antimicrobials.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85030790862&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.39.17-00206
DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.39.17-00206
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29019312
SN - 1025-496X
VL - 22
JO - Eurosurveillance
JF - Eurosurveillance
IS - 39
M1 - 17-00206
ER -