Exploring the third-generation tetracycline resistance of multidrug-resistant livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST9 across healthcare settings in China.
Yiyi Chen, Lu Sun, Yueqin Hong, Mengzhen Chen, Hao Zhang, Yaqin Peng, Kang Liao, Haiping Wang, Feiteng Zhu, Hemu Zhuang, Zhengan Wang, Shengnan Jiang, Yunsong Yu, Yan Chen
Author Information
Yiyi Chen: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Lu Sun: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yueqin Hong: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Mengzhen Chen: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Hao Zhang: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yaqin Peng: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Kang Liao: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Haiping Wang: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Feiteng Zhu: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Hemu Zhuang: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Zhengan Wang: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Shengnan Jiang: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yunsong Yu: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. ORCID
Yan Chen: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. ORCID
BACKGROUND: The overuse of antibiotics in livestock is contributing to the burden of antimicrobial resistance in humans, representing a One Health challenge. Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) has recently become a growing concern, and ST9 is the major LA-MRSA lineage in China and has emerged in clinical settings. METHODS: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was used to evaluate the tetracycline resistance of ST9 MRSA collections, and gene cloning experiments were performed to explore the resistance mechanisms. Whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics were used to analyse the genetic features of clinical ST9 isolates. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to investigate the relationship of human- and livestock-derived ST9 isolates. RESULTS: Clinical ST9 isolates were found to possess several types of resistance genes and resistance-related mutations and were multidrug-resistant. Notably, all clinical ST9 isolates were resistant to third-generation tetracyclines. Cloning experiments showed that both the acquisition of the tetracycline resistance gene tet(L)/tet(63) and a mutation in the rpsJ gene contributed to third-generation tetracycline resistance. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the ST9 isolates collected in healthcare systems were probably transmitted from livestock. The ST9 lineage underwent multiple interspecies recombination events and gained many resistance elements. Furthermore, the resistance to third-generation tetracyclines may have evolved under tetracycline pressure in livestock. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of ST9 MRSA in livestock and transmission of this clone between humans and livestock highlight the importance of establishing control strategies with the One Health approach to reduce the burden of antibiotic resistance.
References
Zoonoses Public Health. 2013 Dec;60(8):572-6
[PMID: 23279691]
