The Emergence of Chromosomally Located blaCTX-M-55 in Salmonella From Foodborne Animals in China.

Zhang C. Z., Ding X. M., Lin X. L., Sun R. Y., Lu Y. W., Cai R. M., Webber M., Ding H. Z., Jiang H. X.. (2019)

Frontiers in microbiology, 10, 1268


The emergence and increase in prevalence of resistance to cephalosporins amongst isolates of Salmonella from food animals imposes a public health threat. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of CTX-M-producing Salmonella isolates from raw meat and food animals. 27 of 152 (17.76%) Salmonella isolates were ESBL-positive including 21/70 (30%) from food animals and 6/82 (7.32%) from raw meat. CTX-M-55 was the most prevalent ESBL type observed (12/27, 44.44%). 7 of 12 CTX-M-55-positive Salmonella isolates were Salmonella Indiana, 2 were Salmonella Typhimurium, 2 were Salmonella Chester, and the remaining isolate was not typeable. Eight CTX-M-55-positive Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to fluoroquinolones (MICCIP = 64 ug/mL) and co-harbored aac(6')-Ib-cr and oqxAB. Most of the CTX-M-55 positive isolates (11/12) carried blaCTX-M-55 genes on the chromosome, with the remaining isolate carrying this gene on a transferable 280 kb IncHI2 plasmid. A chromosomal blaCTX-M-55 gene from one isolate transferred onto a 250 kb IncHI2 plasmid which was subsequently conjugated into recipient strain J53. PFGE and MLST profiles showed a wide range of strain types were carrying blaCTX-M-55. Our study demonstrates the emergence and prevalence of foodborne Salmonella harboring a chromosomally located blaCTX-M-55 in China. The co-existence of PMQR genes with blaCTX-M-55 in Salmonella isolates suggests co-selection and dissemination of resistance to both fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins in Salmonella via the food chain in China represents a public health concern.


Frontiers in microbiology, 10, 1268


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