No abstract

Carbapenem and colistin antibiotics have been classified as critically important antimicrobial agents and are reserved primarily for the treatment of severe infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria (1-3).…

Antimicrobial resistance within pets has gained worldwide attention due to pets close contact with humans. This report examined at the molecular level, the antimicrobial resistance mechanisms associated with kennel cough and cat flu. 1378 pets in total were assessed for signs of respiratory infection, and nasal and conjunctival swabs were collected across 76 diseased animals. Phenotypically, 27% of the isolates were characterized by multidrug resistance and possessed high levels of resistance rates to β-lactams. Phenotypic ESBLs/AmpCs production were identified within 40.5% and 24.3% of the isolates, respectively. Genotypically, ESBL- and AmpC-encoding genes were detected in 33.8% and 10.8% of the isolates, respectively, with blaSHV comprising the most identified ESBL, and blaCMY and blaACT present as the AmpC with the highest levels. qnr genes were identified in 64.9% of the isolates, with qnrS being the most prevalent (44.6%). Several antimicrobial resistance determinants were detected for the first time within pets from Africa, including blaCTX-M-37, blaCTX-M-156, blaSHV-11, blaACT-23, blaACT25/31, blaDHA-1, and blaCMY-169. Our results revealed that pets displaying symptoms of respiratory illness are potential sources for pathogenic microbes possessing unique resistance mechanisms which could be disseminated to humans, thus leading to the development of severe untreatable infections in these hosts.

Despite increasing reports of skin and soft tissue infections caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Japan, the extent to which these strains cause nosocomial infections remains unknown, and this is especially true for bloodstream infections. In this study, we molecularly characterized MRSA isolates from Japanese blood samples. Among the 151 MRSA isolates collected from 53 medical facilities in 2011, 115 (76%) and 30 (20%) were classified as staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types II and IV, respectively, while the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene was detected in only two isolates. Among 66 MRSA isolates collected from Tokyo Medical University Hospital between 2012 and 2015, 43 (65%) and 20 (30%) were classifiable as SCCmec types II and IV, respectively. In 2015, highly virulent strains, such as the SCCmec type IV/PVL and SCCmec type IV/ toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 clonal types, increased in number. Therefore, the SCCmec type IV clone may cause invasive infections not only in community settings but also in healthcare settings in Japan.

Carbapenemase nonproducing isolates included 52 isolates that were recovered from Egypt, 13 isolates that were recovered from Japan, and a single isolate that was recovered from Bangladesh. The isolates recovered from Egypt include 40 Escherichia coli isolates (36 clinical isolates from urine, 2 clinical isolates from pus, and 2 animal isolates from nasal swabs), 6 clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from urine, 5 clinical Enterobacter cloacae isolates from urine, and 1 clinical Enterobacter kobei isolate from urine. Furthermore, 13 isolates were recovered from Japan, including 6 E. cloacae isolates (4 clinical isolates from urine, 1 clinical isolate from bile, and 1 unknown isolate), 3 E. coli isolates (1 clinical isolate from bile and 2 unknown isolates), 3 K. pneumoniae isolates (unknown), and 1 clinical Enterobacter aerogenes isolate from an abdominal drain. Finally, a single community Serratia plymuthica isolate was recovered from Bangladesh. All remaining isolates are from the current study.