title: High prevalence and widespread distribution of multi-resistant Escherichia coli isolates in pigs and poultry in China.
abstract: Escherichia coli play an important ecological role within resistant bacteria populations, and can be used as a bio-indicator of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of the present study was to use this feature of E. coli to investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and the degree of cross-species transmission of bacteria in pigs and poultry in China. A total of 592 E. coli strains, isolated from pigs and poultry (healthy and diseased animals), were tested for resistance to 22 antimicrobials representing eight antimicrobial drug types. E. coli isolates had high rates of resistance to ampicillin (99.5%), doxycycline (95.6%), tetracycline (93.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (74.3%), amoxicillin (65.1%), streptomycin (54.7%), and chloramphenicol (50.2%). Resistance to cephalosporins, quinolones, and aminoglycosides was also quite prevalent. The majority (81%) of isolates demonstrated multi-antimicrobial resistance, most commonly to 5-6 different antimicrobial types. One isolate was resistant to all 22 antimicrobials. Twenty-two cultures exhibiting multi-antimicrobial resistance were analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to assess their distribution between farms. Three distinct PFGE types were identified, indicating inter-farm transmission of multi-antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The study confirmed the presence and transmission of multi-antimicrobial-resistant E. coli strains amongst pigs and poultry in China and highlights the urgent need for appropriate monitoring programmes.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Dian-Hong
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Zhang-Liu
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiu-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ya-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhen-Ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000662:veterinary; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015995:Prevalence; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents