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Research article2021Peer reviewedOpen access

Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae complex isolates from pigs and humans in farms in Thailand: population genomic structure, antibiotic resistance and virulence genes

Leangapichart, Thongpan; Lunha, Kamonwan; Jiwakanon, Jatesada; Angkititrakul, Sunpetch; Jarhult, Josef D.; Magnusson, Ulf; Sunde, Marianne

Abstract

Objectives: To define characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae complex (hereafter KP) isolates from healthy pigs, farm workers and their householdmembers in Thailand.Methods: A total of 839 individual rectal swabs from pigs on 164 farms and 271 faecal samples of humans working on pig farms and persons living in the same household in Khon Kaen, Thailand were screened for gut colonization by KP. Genomic sequenceswere investigated for antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Phylogenetic analyseswere performed in addition to comparison with isolates from previous studies from Thailand.Results: KP was detected in approximately 50% of pig and human samples. In total, 253 KP isolates were obtained: 39% from pigs, 34% from farmers and 26% from individuals living on the same farm but without animal contact. MLST revealed high genetic diversity with 196 different STs distributed over four phylogroups (Kp1 to Kp4). Low prevalence of ESBL-KP (7.5%) and colistin-resistant KP (3.2%) was observed among pigs and humans. Remarkably, four convergent MDR and hypervirulent strains were observed: one from pigs (ST290) and three from humans [ST35, ST3415 (strain 90CP1), ST17 (strain 90CM2)]. Sharing of KP clones among pigs and humans was identified for some STs including ST4788, ST661, ST3541 and ST29.Conclusions: The study indicated a low prevalence of ESBL and mcr genes among KP isolated from pigs and healthy humans in Thailand and suggested the possibility of zoonotic transmission for a subset of circulating KP clones.

Published in

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
2021, Volume: 76, number: 8, pages: 2012-2016 Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

      SLU Authors

        • Associated SLU-program

        AMR: Bacteria

        Sustainable Development Goals

        SDG3 Good health and well-being

        UKÄ Subject classification

        Clinical Science
        Microbiology in the medical area

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkab118

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/113423