Emissions of Escherichia coli carrying extended-spectrum β-lactamase resistance from pig farms to the surrounding environment

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Apr 16;12(4):4203-13. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120404203.

Abstract

The dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) from food-producing animals to the surrounding environment has attracted much attention. To determine the emissions of ESBL-producing E. coli from pig farms to the surrounding environment, fecal and environmental samples from six pig farms were collected. In total, 119 ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from feces, air samples, water, sludge and soil samples. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that the ESBL-producing isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics and isolates of different origin within the same farm showed similar resistance phenotypes. Both CTX-M and TEM ESBL-encoding genes were detected in these isolates. CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-15 were the predominant ESBL genes identified. ESBL producers from feces and environmental samples within the same farm carried similar CTX-M types. The results indicated that the ESBL-producing E. coli carrying multidrug resistance could readily disseminate to the surrounding environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Environmental Pollutants / isolation & purification*
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / veterinary
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Sewage / microbiology
  • Swine
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Sewage
  • beta-Lactamases