Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from Swine Faeces and Lagoons in Bulgaria

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a worldwide health problem affecting humans, animals, and the environment within the framework of the One Health concept. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of pathogenic strains of the species Escherichia coli (E. coli), their AMR profile, and biofilm-forming potential. The isolated strains from three swine faeces and free lagoons (ISO 16654:2001/Amd 1:2017) were confirmed using Phoenix M50 and 16S rDNA PCR. The antibiotic sensitivity to 34 clinically applied antibiotics was determined by Phoenix M50 and the disc diffusion method, according to the protocols of the CLSI and EUCAST. We confirmed the presence of 16 E. coli isolates, of which 87.5% were multi-drug-resistant and 31.25% performed strong biofilms. The possibility for the carrying and transmission of antibiotic-resistance genes to quinolones (qnr), aminoglycosides (aac(3)), beta-lactamase-producing plasmid genes ampC, and blaSHV/blaTEM was investigated. We confirmed the carrying of blaSHV/blaTEM in one and ampC in seven isolates. The strains were negative for the virulence genes (ETEC (LT, STa, and F4), EPEC (eae), and STEC/VTEC (stx and stx2all)). The results should contribute to the development of effective measures for limitation and control on the use of antibiotics, which is a key point in the WHO action plan.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the prevalence of pathogenic strains of E. coli, their antimicrobial resistance profile, and biofilm-forming potential. Results showed a high percentage of multi-drug-resistant isolates with strong biofilm formation, and the possibility of carrying antibiotic-resistance genes. These findings contribute to the development of effective measures for antibiotic limitation and control, as outlined in the WHO action plan.