Prevalence of ESBL/AmpC genes and specific clones among the third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from canine and feline clinical specimens in Japan

In recent years, besides the widespread occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and/or plasmid-mediated AmpC (pAmpC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in both healthcare and community settings of humans, the third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant microbes have also been reported from companion animals worldwide. Here, we characterized ESBL- and/or pAmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates from companion animals. Among the 487 clinical isolates mainly from urine of dogs and cats between May and September 2016, 104 non-repetitive isolates were resistant to the 3GC, and they consisted of 81 of 381 (21.3%) Escherichia coli, 21 of 50 (42.0%) Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 2 of 56 (3.6%) Proteus mirabilis isolates. In the 81 E. coli, the predominant bla genes were blaCTX-M-27 and blaCMY-2 (n = 15 each), followed by blaCTX-M-15 (n = 14), blaCTX-M-14 (n = 10), and blaCTX-M-55 (n = 5). In 21 K. pneumoniae, 10 bla gene types including blaCTX-M-15 (n = 4), blaCTX-M-2 (n = 4), and blaCTX-M-14 (n = 3) were found. The blaCTX-M-2 was identified in 2 P. mirabilis. Twenty-four of the 42 E. coli belonging to phylogroup B2 were O25b-ST131 clone, mostly associated with uropathogenic E. coli pathotype, and 22 isolates of this clone were identified as specific H30R subclone. High prevalence of the blaCTX-M-27-harboring isolates were noted among the H30R/non-Rx lineage (13/19, 68.4%) (p <  0.05). The genetic environment of blaCTX-M-27 of most isolates of this lineage was identical to that of human isolates, but unique flanking genetic structures were also identified. Newly emerging virulent lineage B2-non-O25b-ST1193 was also confirmed in 5 isolates. The fosA3 and/or armA genes were detected in E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates. These data suggest that companion animals serve as a potential reservoir of antimicrobial resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae. This also has considerable veterinary importance, since urinary tract infections are an important disease causing therapeutic challenges worldwide.