Multidrug-resistant enterobacteriaceae in coastal water: an emerging threat

• Main Authors: Regev Cohen, Svetlana Paikin, Assaf Rokney, Maxim Rubin-Blum, Peleg Astrahan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2020-10-01
• Series: Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
• Subjects: Carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE); Seawater; Estuary; Israel; Public health; Enterobacter spp.
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13756-020-00826-2

Abstract Background The environmental role of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) acquisition and infection in human disease has been described but not thoroughly investigated. We aimed to assess the occurrence of CPE in nearshore aquatic bodies. Methods Enterobacteriaceae were cultured from coastal and estuary water near Netanya, Israel in June and July of 2018. Bacteria were identified by VITEK2® and their antimicrobial susceptibility was tested according to the CLSI guidelines. Enterobacteriaceae genomes were sequenced to elucidate their resistome and carbapenemase types. Results Among other clinically relevant bacteria, four CPE (three Enterobacter spp and one Escherichia coli isolate) were isolated from two river estuaries (Poleg and Alexander Rivers) and coastal water at a popular recreational beach (Beit Yanai). Molecular analysis and genome sequencing revealed the persistent presence of rare beta-lactamase resistance genes, including bla IMI-2 and a previously unknown bla IMI-20 allele, which were not found among the local epidemiological strains. Genome comparisons revealed the high identity of riverine and marine CPE that were cultivated one month apart. Conclusions We show that CPE contamination was widespread in nearshore marine and riverine habitats. The high genome-level similarity of riverine and marine CPEs, isolated one month apart, hints at the common source of infection. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings and stress the urgent need to assess the role of the aquatic environment in CPE epidemiology.