Virulence, Resistance Profile, Antimicrobial Resistance Genes of ESBLs, XDR Escherichia coli Isolated from Ducks

Abstract

Ducks are possible carriers of zoonotic diseases to humans. Public health is impacted by the widespread dissemination of Enterobacteriaceae carrying extended-spectrum-lactamase (ESBL) genes. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from Egyptian ducks, as well as the molecular characteristics of ESBLs to ESBLs genes and non-ESBLs genes, were studied.15% E. coli isolates were recovered from duck, and all of them were virulent as hemolytic and congo red positive. All ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were resistant to tetracycline, and nalidixic acid and 83.3% of isolates were also resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, penicillin, both ceftazidime, and cefotaxime. Recovered ESBL-producing E. coli strains harbored qnrA, tetA, sul1, bla_TEM, bla_CTX-M, aadA1, bla_OXA-1, and bla_SHV antimicrobial-resistance genes with a prevalence of 100%, 100%,83.3%, 83.3%, 83.3%, 75%, 58.3%, and 41.6%, respectively. 33.3% of the ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were MDR, and 66.7% were recognized as XDR. The extension of ESBLs- E. coli threatens public health should be carefully monitored.