Genome sequence of pan drug-resistant enteroaggregative Escherichia coli belonging to ST38 clone from India, an emerging EAEC/UPEC hybrid pathotype

Harpreet Kaur; Inderjit Singh; Vinay Modgil; Nisha Singh; Balvinder Mohan; Neelam Taneja

doi:10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100606

Genome sequence of pan drug-resistant enteroaggregative Escherichia coli belonging to ST38 clone from India, an emerging EAEC/UPEC hybrid pathotype

Indian J Med Microbiol. 2024 May 9:49:100606. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100606. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Harpreet Kaur¹, Inderjit Singh², Vinay Modgil³, Nisha Singh⁴, Balvinder Mohan⁵, Neelam Taneja⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: sandhu.preet205@gmail.com.
² Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: inderjit837ij@gmail.com.
³ Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: vnmodgil@gmail.com.
⁴ Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: singhnisha531@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: balvindermohan2002@yahoo.com.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: drneelampgi@gmail.com.

PMID: 38723718
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100606

Abstract

Here, we report the genomic characterization of a pan drug-resistant (PDR) enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) isolated from an immunocompromised infant who had diarrhea. The isolate belonged to the sequence type (ST) 38, which is a known enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC)/uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) hybrid strain having multi-drug resistance (MDR). The strain carried genes encoding multiple resistances to carbapenems, third-generation cephalosporins, polymyxin, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, sulphonamides, and multiple efflux pump genes. Interspecies horizontal transfer, inter-strain, and clonal spread of these resistances to commensals and pathogens will be worrisome. We are concerned about the spread of such PDR strains. The genomic characterization of such strains will be useful in understanding the genetic makeup of EAEC/UPEC hybrid strains and developing new vaccines/diagnostics and therapeutics.

Keywords: Enteroaggregative E. coli; New vaccines/diagnostics; Pan-drug resistant; Sequence type; Whole genome sequencing.