Researchers find new antimicrobial resistance patterns in food-borne E.coli and Salmonella

Researchers from United Arab Emirates University, led by Associate Professor Ihab Habib, studied pathogens in supermarket chicken meat. Their recent findings, documented in two articles, reveal new antimicrobial resistance patterns and plasmid-borne AMR genes that could transfer to humans. Solu was used for parts of the genomic characterization and analysis.

The researchers collected whole chicken carcass samples from supermarkets and screened them for priority pathogens. They performed whole genome sequencing for the isolates and analyzed the genomes.

Colistin-resistant E. coli in locally produced chicken meat

The study Genomic Characterization of Colistin-Resistant Escherichia coli from Chicken Meat – the First Report in the United Arab Emirates examined E.coli in chilled chicken carcasses. It's the first report of mcr-harboring E.coli in locally produced chicken in the UAE.

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In summary, 12 out of 315 (3.8%) chicken samples contained colistin-resistant E.coli and carried the mcr-1 gene. Genomic characterization revealed that half of the positive samples also had the CTX-M-55 gene. The isolates had 4 to 17 virulence factors each. All of the isolates contained Inc2 plasmids. These genomes will provide an important baseline for future E. coli findings.
Link to full article

Salmonella in imported chicken meat

The second article, Genomic insights into antimicrobial resistant Salmonella in internationally traded chicken meat: First baseline findings in the United Arab Emirates, examined 254 frozen imported chicken carcasses. Salmonella was found in 16 samples (6.3%). The country of origin didn’t matter - Salmonella-positive samples were found in all included countries.

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Salmonella is a prevalent cause of foodborne illness in the Middle East. This article helps understand its prevalence in imported food, the virulence factors causing pathogenicity, and the antimicrobial resistance patterns and HGT potential in these Salmonella samples.

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The genomic characterization provides a solid baseline for understanding foodborne Salmonella in the UAE, with detailed descriptions of serotypes, AMR, virulence factors, plasmid incompatibility types, and phylogenetic relationships.
Link to full article

Pathogen surveillance is necessary to prevent the spread of AMR

These studies provide important visibility into the spread of AMR. The results are particularly important to public health, as they deal with human food found in regular supermarkets. The authors summarize:

“The detection and co-carriage of mcr1.1 and ESBL E. coli isolates in about 4% of retail chicken are worrying.”

These studies establish not only baselines of food-borne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the UAE, calling for improved One Health management and antibiotic stewardship. Research like this is important for making informed policies.

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The UAE has banned the use of colistin in veterinary medicine starting February 2024, which aligns with WHO’s recommendations.

References

Habib I, Mohamed MI, Elbediwi M, Ghazawi A, Khan M, Abdalla A, Lakshmi GB. Genomics Characterization of Colistin Resistant Escherichia coli from Chicken Meat-the First Report in the United Arab Emirates. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2024 May 28. doi: 10.1089/fpd.2024.0021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38804146.
Habib I, Abdalla A, Mohamed MI, Ghazawi A, Khan M, Elbediwi M, Anes F, Lakshmi GB. Genomic insights into antimicrobial resistant Salmonella in internationally traded chicken meat: First baseline findings in the United Arab Emirates. J Agric Food Res. 2024;17:101237. doi:10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101237.

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See more work from Dr. Habib and the Veterinary Public Health Research Laboratory on PubMed.

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