Antimicrobial resistance patterns of multidrug resistant ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from sheep and goats in Punjab, India.

BACKGROUND

A serious community concern worldwide is the alarming spread of enterobacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes. The food-producing animals harbor ESBL-producing enterobacterales and disseminate these resistant strains of pathogens through faeces. ESBL producers are multidrug-resistant phenotype posing a challenge to the disease management in clinical settings.

AIMS: The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae from fecal samples (n=340) of healthy (n=300) and diarrhoeic (n=40) sheep and goats and hand swabs (n=70) of animal handlers.

METHODS

Presumptive ESBL producing bacteria were identified using ESBL agar, which were then confirmed by combined disc method (CDM). Genotypic detection of beta-lactamase, quinolones and tetracycline resistance genes was done using PCR.

RESULTS

A total of 156 enteropathogenic E. coli were recovered from sheep (79/170) and goats (77/170). Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance data revealed high resistance against cefazolin with 91.13% and 84.41% in sheep and goats, respectively. Low resistance was recorded against carbapenems. All the ESBL producing isolates revealed a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index >0.2. The predominant β-lactamase gene found was the blaTEM detected in 110 (70.51%) isolates followed by blaCTXM in 80 (51.28%) isolates.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study revealed a high prevalence of multidrug resistance E. coli and K. pneumoniae in food-producing animals. It represents an issue of concern and requires serious need for implementing effective approaches to reduce multidrug resistance in commensal organisms.