Characterisation of blaNDM-5-bearing IncHI2 plasmid from Escherichia fergusonii in China
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: • The meropenem-resistant Escherichia fergusonii strain EFSXRJ10 was isolated from poultry samples. • The bla NDM-5 -harbouring IncHI2/ST3 plasmid pSXRJ10–250 K was first identified in E. fergusonii . • Plasmid pSXRJ10–250 K shows a high homology with plasmids in other species and can be conjugatively transferred. Carbapenems are considered to be the last resort for serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, and the emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae has posed a serious threat to human health. However, carbapenem resistance is rarely reported in Escherichia fergusonii . In this study, a New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-5-producing E. fergusonii strain, EFSXRJ10, was isolated from a chicken in China. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined using broth microdilution-based antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The complete genome sequence of the NDM-positive isolate was obtained using the Illumina NovaSeq and Oxford Nanopore GridION sequencing platforms, followed by hybrid assembly with Unicycler. In the plasmid conjugation assay, a sodium azide–resistant Escherichia coli strain, J53, was employed as the recipient. Strain EFSXRJ10 was resistant to ampicillin, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid, gentamicin, spectinomycin, tetracycline, florfenicol, sulfafurazole, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, apramycin and meropenem. The bla NDM-5 gene was located on the IncHI2 plasmid, which can be transferred by conjugation at a frequency of (4.78 ± 0.67) × 10 –5 . The bla NDM-5 -carrying plasmid, which harbours 14 antibiotic resistance genes belonging to the IncHI2/ST3 type and exhibiting high similarity to other bla NDM-5 -carrying IncHI2 plasmids, was deposited in GenBank. The genetic structure containing bla NDM-5 was organised as ‘IS 3000 -ΔIS Aba125- IS 5 -ΔIS Aba125 - bla NDM-5 - ble MBL - trpF - dsbD -IS 26 -∆ umuD -∆IS Kox3 -∆IS 3000 ’. This is the first report characterising the bla NDM-5 -bearing IncHI2 plasmid in E. fergusonii . Surveillance and control measures should be implemented to halt transmission of bla NDM-5 in food animals.
Authors: Yan Shi, Yue Yang, Yu Song, Yujie Zhu, Guoping Zhao, Biao Tang
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Medicine
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,890
OpenAlex ID: W4408541626