Isolation of extended ‐spectrum β‐lactamase‐producing Escherichia coli from Japanese red fox (Vulpes vulpes japonica)

We report here that extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers may have spilled over from humans and domestic animals. This suggests that handling dropped feces with care around areas of human activity is essential. AbstractAntimicrobial resistance is a global concern requiring a one-health approach. Given wild animals can harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB), we investigated their presence in 11 fecal samples from wild animals using deoxycholate hydrogen sulfide lactose agar with or without cefotaxime (CTX, 1  mg/L). Thus, we isolated CTX-resistantEscherichia coli from two Japanese red fox fecal samples. One strain was O83:H42-ST1485-fimH58 CTX-M-55-producingE. coli carrying the genesaph(3 ″)-Ib,aph(3 ′)-Ia,aph(6)-Id,mdf(A),sitABCD,sul2,tet(A), andtet(B), whereas the other was O25:H4-ST131-fimH30 CTX-M-14-producingE. coli carryingmdf(A) andsitABCD and showing fluoroquinolone resistance. Thus, the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers in wild foxes suggests a spillover of ARB from human activities to these wild animals.
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research