FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Foodborne pathogens and disease2012; 9(12); 1137-1142; doi: 10.1089/fpd.2012.1267

Prevalence and characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and CMY-2-producing Escherichia coli isolates from healthy food-producing animals in Tunisia.

Abstract: The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and plasmidic AmpC-beta-lactamase (pAmpC-BL)-producing Escherichia coli isolates has been studied in food-producing animals at the farm level in Tunisia, and recovered isolates were characterized for the presence of other resistance genes and integrons. Eighty fecal samples of food-producing animals (23 sheep, 22 chickens, 22 cattle, six horses, five rabbits, and two dromedaries) were obtained from 35 different farms in Tunisia in 2011. Samples were inoculated onto MacConkey agar plates supplemented with cefotaxime (2 mg/L) for cefotaxime-resistant (CTX(R)) E. coli recovery. CTX(R) E. coli isolates were detected in 11 out of 80 samples (13.8%), and one isolate per sample was further characterized (10 from chickens and one from a dromedary). The 11 CTX(R) isolates were distributed into phylogroups: B1 (five isolates), A (two isolates), D (three isolates), and B2 (one isolate). The following beta-lactamase genes were detected: bla(CTX-M-1) (seven isolates), bla(CTX-M-1)+bla(TEM-135) (one isolate), bla(CTX-M-1)+bla(TEM-1b) (one isolate), and bla(CMY-2) (two isolates). All ESBL- and pAmpC-BL-producing E. coli strains showed unrelated pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. Seven isolates contained class 1 integrons with four gene cassette arrangements: dfrA17-aadA5 (three isolates), dfrA1-aadA1 (two isolates), dfrA15-aadA1 (one isolate), and aadA1 (one isolate). All isolates showed tetracycline resistance and contained the tet(A) +/- tet(B) genes. Virulence genes detected were as follows (number of isolates in parentheses): fimA (10); aer (eight); papC (two); and papGIII, hly, cnf, and bfp (none). Chicken farms constitute a reservoir of ESBL- and pAmpC-BL-producing E. coli isolates of the CTX-M-1 and CMY-2 types that potentially could be transmitted to humans via the food chain or by direct contact.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2012-11-29 PubMed ID: 23194332DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2012.1267Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the presence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria in food-producing animals from Tunisia. The bacterial strains identified are capable of producing specific enzymes that can resist antibiotics, making treatment of infections caused by these bacteria potentially difficult. Furthermore, these bacteria could be transmitted to humans via the food chain or direct contact.

Sampling and Detection:

  • The authors collected 80 fecal samples from food-producing animals including sheep, chickens, cattle, horses, rabbits, and dromedaries, from 35 different farms in Tunisia.
  • The samples were inoculated onto specific agar plates to identify cefotaxime-resistant E. coli. This antibiotic resistance is significant as these bacteria may also resist treatment with other beta-lactam antibiotics, a common class of drugs.

Characterization of Resistant Strains:

  • From the samples, 11 (13.8%) had cefotaxime-resistant E. coli, ten of which came from chickens and one from a dromedary.
  • The identified strains belonged to phylogroups B1, A, D, and B2.
  • These resistant strains produced the beta-lactamase enzymes CTX-M-1, TEM-135, TEM-1b, and CMY-2. These enzymes break down the antibiotics, allowing the bacteria to survive treatment.

Additional Resistance and Virulence Traits:

  • All the resistant strains had unique genetic patterns, indicating they were unrelated.
  • Seven strains contained class 1 integrons, mobile genetic elements that can acquire, exchange, and express genes, often conferring further resistance to antibiotics.
  • Additionally, all resistant strains showed resistance to tetracycline, another widely-used antibiotic, and contained the tet(A) and/or tet(B) genes responsible for this resistance.
  • Various virulence genes, which contribute to the bacteria’s ability to cause disease, were also identified. These included fimA, present in 10 isolates, which is associated with the bacterium’s ability to adhere to host cells; and aer, found in eight isolates, which enhances the bacterium’s survival in oxygen-poor environments. Threatening virulence genes such as hly, cnf, and bfp were not found within the isolates.

Implications:

  • The study suggests chicken farms may be a significant reservoir for these antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains.
  • The presence of these strains in food-producing animals is concerning as it makes the treatment of any resulting infections complex due to the resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
  • Moreover, these bacteria could potentially be transmitted to humans via the food chain or direct contact.

This research highlights the importance of continuous monitoring for antibiotic resistance in food-producing animals and the necessity to develop appropriate strategies to mitigate the spread of resistance.

Cite This Article

APA
Ben Sallem R, Ben Slama K, Sáenz Y, Rojo-Bezares B, Estepa V, Jouini A, Gharsa H, Klibi N, Boudabous A, Torres C. (2012). Prevalence and characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and CMY-2-producing Escherichia coli isolates from healthy food-producing animals in Tunisia. Foodborne Pathog Dis, 9(12), 1137-1142. https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2012.1267

Publication

Foodborne pathogens and disease
ISSN: 1556-7125
NlmUniqueID: 101120121
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
Pages: 1137-1142

Researcher Affiliations

Ben Sallem, Rym
  • Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ben Slama, Karim
    Sáenz, Yolanda
      Rojo-Bezares, Beatriz
        Estepa, Vanesa
          Jouini, Ahlem
            Gharsa, Haythem
              Klibi, Naouel
                Boudabous, Abdellatif
                  Torres, Carmen

                    MeSH Terms

                    • Animals
                    • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
                    • Camelus
                    • Cattle
                    • Chickens
                    • Disease Reservoirs
                    • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
                    • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
                    • Escherichia coli / drug effects
                    • Escherichia coli / enzymology
                    • Escherichia coli / genetics
                    • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
                    • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
                    • Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology
                    • Escherichia coli Infections / veterinary
                    • Feces / microbiology
                    • Genotype
                    • Horses
                    • Humans
                    • Integrons / genetics
                    • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
                    • Phylogeny
                    • Prevalence
                    • Rabbits
                    • Serotyping
                    • Sheep
                    • Tunisia / epidemiology
                    • Virulence / genetics
                    • beta-Lactamases / genetics
                    • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

                    Citations

                    This article has been cited 25 times.
                    1. Igbinosa EO, Beshiru A, Igbinosa IH, Cho GS, Franz CMAP. Multidrug-resistant extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli from farm produce and agricultural environments in Edo State, Nigeria. PLoS One 2023;18(3):e0282835.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282835pubmed: 36897838google scholar: lookup
                    2. Akunda IK, Kariuki DW, Matulis G, Mwaura P, Maina B, Mohammed H, Paul A, Onyambu FG, Ole Kwallah A, Martins DJ, von Fricken ME, Kamau JM. Antimicrobial resistance patterns and characterisation of emerging beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in camels sampled from Northern Kenya. Vet Med Sci 2023 May;9(3):1407-1416.
                      doi: 10.1002/vms3.1090pubmed: 36795022google scholar: lookup
                    3. Ahmad N, Joji RM, Shahid M. Evolution and implementation of One Health to control the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes: A review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022;12:1065796.
                      doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1065796pubmed: 36726644google scholar: lookup
                    4. Gambushe SM, Zishiri OT, El Zowalaty ME. Review of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Prevalence, Pathogenicity, Heavy Metal and Antimicrobial Resistance, African Perspective. Infect Drug Resist 2022;15:4645-4673.
                      doi: 10.2147/IDR.S365269pubmed: 36039321google scholar: lookup
                    5. Jouini A, Klibi A, Kmiha S, Hamrouni S, Ghram A, Maaroufi A. Lineages, Virulence Gene Associated and Integrons among Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) and CMY-2 Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Bovine Mastitis, in Tunisia. Pathogens 2022 Aug 22;11(8).
                      doi: 10.3390/pathogens11080948pubmed: 36015067google scholar: lookup
                    6. Abbassi MS, Kilani H, Abid I, Sáenz Y, Hynds P, Lengliz S, Ben Chehida N, Boutiba-Ben Boubaker I. Genetic Background of Antimicrobial Resistance in Multiantimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates from Feces of Healthy Broiler Chickens in Tunisia. Biomed Res Int 2021;2021:1269849.
                      doi: 10.1155/2021/1269849pubmed: 34631876google scholar: lookup
                    7. Jouini A, Klibi A, Elarbi I, Chaabene MB, Hamrouni S, Souiai O, Hanachi M, Ghram A, Maaroufi A. First Detection of Human ST131-CTX-M-15-O25-B2 Clone and High-Risk Clonal Lineages of ESBL/pAmpC-Producing E. coli Isolates from Diarrheic Poultry in Tunisia. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021 Jun 4;10(6).
                      doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10060670pubmed: 34199696google scholar: lookup
                    8. Nüesch-Inderbinen M, Kindle P, Baschera M, Liljander A, Jores J, Corman VM, Stephan R. Antimicrobial resistant and extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli isolated from fecal samples of African dromedary camels. Sci Afr 2020 Mar;7:e00274.
                      doi: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00274pubmed: 34171008google scholar: lookup
                    9. Lay KK, Jeamsripong S, Sunn KP, Angkititrakul S, Prathan R, Srisanga S, Chuanchuen R. Colistin Resistance and ESBL Production in Salmonella and Escherichia coli from Pigs and Pork in the Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar Border Area. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021 May 31;10(6).
                      doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10060657pubmed: 34072965google scholar: lookup
                    10. Carvalho I, Tejedor-Junco MT, González-Martín M, Corbera JA, Silva V, Igrejas G, Torres C, Poeta P. Escherichia coli Producing Extended-Spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) from Domestic Camels in the Canary Islands: A One Health Approach. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jul 29;10(8).
                      doi: 10.3390/ani10081295pubmed: 32751146google scholar: lookup
                    11. Ramovic E, Madigan G, McDonnell S, Griffin D, Bracken E, NiGhallchoir E, Quinless E, Galligan A, Egan J, Prendergast DM. A pilot study using environmental screening to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Irish cattle herds. Ir Vet J 2020;73:3.
                      doi: 10.1186/s13620-020-0156-2pubmed: 32082542google scholar: lookup
                    12. Ben Yahia H, Chairat S, Gharsa H, Alonso CA, Ben Sallem R, Porres-Osante N, Hamdi N, Torres C, Ben Slama K. First Report of KPC-2 and KPC-3-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Wild Birds in Africa. Microb Ecol 2020 Jan;79(1):30-37.
                      doi: 10.1007/s00248-019-01375-xpubmed: 31055618google scholar: lookup
                    13. Mansour W. Tunisian antibiotic resistance problems: three contexts but one health. Afr Health Sci 2018 Dec;18(4):1202-1203.
                      doi: 10.4314/ahs.v18i4.41pubmed: 30766586google scholar: lookup
                    14. Dandachi I, Chabou S, Daoud Z, Rolain JM. Prevalence and Emergence of Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-, Carbapenem- and Colistin-Resistant Gram Negative Bacteria of Animal Origin in the Mediterranean Basin. Front Microbiol 2018;9:2299.
                      doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02299pubmed: 30323797google scholar: lookup
                    15. Ye Q, Wu Q, Zhang S, Zhang J, Yang G, Wang J, Xue L, Chen M. Characterization of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae From Retail Food in China. Front Microbiol 2018;9:1709.
                      doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01709pubmed: 30135680google scholar: lookup
                    16. Ben Yahia H, Ben Sallem R, Tayh G, Klibi N, Ben Amor I, Gharsa H, Boíª»ous A, Ben Slama K. Detection of CTX-M-15 harboring Escherichia coli isolated from wild birds in Tunisia. BMC Microbiol 2018 Apr 2;18(1):26.
                      doi: 10.1186/s12866-018-1163-2pubmed: 29609544google scholar: lookup
                    17. Aslantaş Ö, Yilmaz EŞ. Prevalence and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and plasmidic AmpC β-lactamase (pAmpC) producing Escherichia coli in dogs. J Vet Med Sci 2017 Jun 16;79(6):1024-1030.
                      doi: 10.1292/jvms.16-0432pubmed: 28450661google scholar: lookup
                    18. Ye Q, Wu Q, Zhang S, Zhang J, Yang G, Wang H, Huang J, Chen M, Xue L, Wang J. Antibiotic-Resistant Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase- and Plasmid-Mediated AmpC-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Isolated from Retail Food Products and the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China. Front Microbiol 2017;8:96.
                      doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00096pubmed: 28217112google scholar: lookup
                    19. Bajaj P, Singh NS, Virdi JS. Escherichia coli β-Lactamases: What Really Matters. Front Microbiol 2016;7:417.
                      doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00417pubmed: 27065978google scholar: lookup
                    20. Kilani H, Abbassi MS, Ferjani S, Mansouri R, Sghaier S, Ben Salem R, Jaouani I, Douja G, Brahim S, Hammami S, Ben Chehida N, Boubaker IB. Occurrence of bla CTX-M-1, qnrB1 and virulence genes in avian ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates from Tunisia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2015;5:38.
                      doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2015.00038pubmed: 26000252google scholar: lookup
                    21. Reist M, Geser N, Hächler H, Schärrer S, Stephan R. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae: occurrence, risk factors for fecal carriage and strain traits in the Swiss slaughter cattle population younger than 2 years sampled at abattoir level. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e71725.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071725pubmed: 23977126google scholar: lookup
                    22. Tayh G, Nsibi F, Abdallah K, Abbes O, Fliss I, Messadi L. Phenotypic and Molecular Study of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates Expressing Diverse Resistance and Virulence Genes from Broilers in Tunisia. Antibiotics (Basel) 2025 Sep 15;14(9).
                      doi: 10.3390/antibiotics14090931pubmed: 41009909google scholar: lookup
                    23. Kazemi S, Mojtahedi A, Hosseini F. Emergence of Escherichia coli sequence type 131 clone carrying bla(CTX-M) genes in Guilan Province, Northern Iran. Microbiol Spectr 2025 Oct 7;13(10):e0227024.
                      doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02270-24pubmed: 40827951google scholar: lookup
                    24. Ayinla AO, Mateus ALP. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in poultry in Africa: a systematic review. Front Antibiot 2023;2:1140750.
                      doi: 10.3389/frabi.2023.1140750pubmed: 39816659google scholar: lookup
                    25. Dossouvi KM, Ametepe AS. Carbapenem Resistance in Animal-Environment-Food from Africa: A Systematic Review, Recommendations and Perspectives. Infect Drug Resist 2024;17:1699-1728.
                      doi: 10.2147/IDR.S458317pubmed: 38715963google scholar: lookup
                    Subscribe to our newsletter
                    Join 99,658 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.