Global transmission of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene
tet
(X)-bearing
Escherichia coli
strains incurs a public health concern. However, the research focusing on the prevalence of
tet
(X)-positive isolates in clinical specimens is still rare, and to our knowledge, there is no such report from South Asia.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a pressing public health and economic concern. The ‘One-Health’ framework recognizes that effective management of AMR requires surveillance in agricultural as well as clinical settings, particularly in low-resource regions such as Pakistan. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing to characterise 49 isolates of Klebisella spp. (including 43 Kp) and 2 presumptive Providencia rettgeri isolates recovered from dairy farms located near 3 cities in Pakistan—Quetta (n = 29), Faisalabad (n = 19), and Sargodha (n = 3). The 43 Kp isolates corresponded to 38 sequence types (STs), and 35 of these STs were only observed once. This high diversity indicates frequent admixture and limited clonal spread on local scales. Of the 49 Klebsiella spp. isolates, 41 (84%) did not contain any clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and we did not detect any ARGs predicted to encode resistance to carbapenems or colistin. However, four Kp lineages contained multiple ARGs: ST11 (n = 2), ST1391-1LV (n = 1), ST995 (n = 1) and ST985 (n = 1). STs 11, 1391-1LV and 995 shared a core set of five ARGs, including blaCTX-M-15, harboured on different AMR plasmids. ST985 carried a different set of 16 resistance genes, including blaCTX-M-55. The two presumptive P. rettgeri isolates also contained multiple ARGs. Finally, the four most common plasmids which did not harbour ARGs in our dataset were non-randomly distributed between regions, suggesting that local expansion of the plasmids occurs independently of the host bacterial lineage. Evidence regarding how dairy farms contribute to the emergence and spread of AMR in Pakistan is valuable for public authorities and organizations responsible for health, agriculture and the environment, as well as for industrial development.
Bacterial infections are one cause of food borne illness. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills, and abdominal pain are common symptoms of food poisoning. Campylobacter jejuni is a diarrheal illness often accompanied by cramps and fever. Clostridium botulinum is a potentially life-threatening bacterium that produces powerful neurotoxins. Escherichia coli is a diarrheal (often bloody) illness that may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps. Listeria monocytogenes causes fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Pregnant women, elderly individuals, infants, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for acquiring this infection. Salmonella causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms typically last between 4 and 7 days. Vibrio causes diarrhea when ingested, but it can also cause severe skin infections. Bacterial vaginosis, which causes an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria in the vagina. Bacterial meningitis is a severe infection of the meninges, the lining of the brain.
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