Carriage of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase- and AmpC Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Strains from Humans and Pets in the Same Households

Abstract

Extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- or AmpC beta-lactamase (ACBL)- producing Escherichia coli are the most common cause of community-acquired multidrug resistant urinary tract infections (UTIs) in New Zealand. The carriage of antimicrobial resistant bacteria has been found in both people and pets from the same household; thus, the home environment may be a place where antimicrobial resistant bacteria are shared between humans and pets. In this study we sought to determine whether household members (pets and people), from households of human index cases with a UTI caused by an ESBL- or ACBL- producing E. coli strain, also carried an ESBL- or ACBL- producing Enterobacteriaceae strain and if so, whether it was a clonal match to the index case clinical strain. Index cases with a community-acquired UTI were recruited based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing of urine isolates. Fecal samples were collected from 18 non-index people and 36 pets across 27 households. Eleven of the 27 households screened had non-index household members (8/18 people and 5/36 animals) positive for ESBL- and/or ACBL- E. coli. Whole-genome sequence analysis of 125 E. coli isolates (including the clinical urine isolate) from these 11 households showed that within seven households the same strain of ESBL-/ACBL- producing E. coli was cultured, from both the index case and another person (5/11 households) or pet dog (2/11 households). These results suggest that transmission within the household may contribute to community spread of ESBL- or ACBL- producing E. coli. IMPORTANCE Enterobacteriaceae that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC beta-lactamases (ACBL) are important pathogens and can cause community-acquired illnesses such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Fecal carriage of these resistant bacteria by companion animals may pose a risk for transmission to humans. Our work evaluated the sharing of ESBL- and ACBL- producing E. coli between humans and companion animals. We found that in some households, dogs carried the same strain of ESBL producing E. coli as the household member with a UTI. This suggests that transmission events between humans and animals (or vice versa) are likely to be occurring within the home environment and therefore the community as a whole. This is significant from a health perspective when considering measures to minimize community transmission and highlights that in order to manage community spread, we need to consider interventions at the household level.

Transmission Chains of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae at the Companion Animal Veterinary Clinic–Household Interface

“…Households have been previously described as a potential reservoir for ESBL-E [ 37 , 38 ]. Environmental contamination with ESBL-E in the household was extensive in household 1 with the persistently colonized dog but was undetectable in household 2 where only the owner was colonized, although hygiene habits seemed to be comparable in the two investigated households.…”

The epidemiology of AmpC-producing Escherichia coli isolated from dairy cattle faeces on pasture-fed farms

“…ESBL- and AmpC-producing E. coli confirmation disc diffusion assays were carried out on all the presumptive ESBL- and AmpC-producers using a double-disc (for ESBL) and triple-disc (for AmpC) assessment methods, as per the EUCAST guidelines, described previously [23]. The reference strains E.…”

Antimicrobial Activity of Selected Essential Oils against Selected Pathogenic Bacteria: In Vitro Study

“…The worldwide dispersion of resistant clinical isolates has led to the necessity to discover new antimicrobial agents [ 1 ]. Nevertheless, the earlier record of the precipitous, prevalent resistance to freshly created antimicrobial agents suggests that new families of antimicrobial agents will also have a short lifespan [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Many aromatic and medicinal plants, herbs, and spices have been proposed as a significant source of natural antimicrobials as an alternative to synthetic drugs to treat bacterial infections [ 6 ].…”