RESUMEN
Addressing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant challenge in veterinary and public health. In this study, we focused on determining the presence, phenotypic background, and genetic epidemiology of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance (mcr) in Escherichia coli bacteria isolated from camels farmed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Fecal samples were collected from 50 camels at a Dubai-based farm in the UAE and colistin-resistant Gram-negative bacilli were isolated using selective culture. Subsequently, a multiplex PCR targeting a range of mcr-genes, plasmid profiling, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were conducted. Eleven of fifty camel fecal samples (22%) yielded colonies positive for E. coli isolates carrying the mcr-1 gene on mobile genetic elements. No other mcr-gene variants and no chromosomally located colistin resistance genes were detected. Following plasmid profiling and WGS, nine E. coli isolates from eight camels were selected for in-depth analysis. E. coli sequence types (STs) identified included ST7, ST21, ST24, ST399, ST649, ST999, and STdaa2. Seven IncI2(delta) and two IncX4 plasmids were found to be associated with mcr-1 carriage in these isolates. These findings represent the first identification of mcr-1-carrying plasmids associated with camels in the Gulf region. The presence of mcr-1 in camels from this region was previously unreported and serves as a novel finding in the field of AMR surveillance.
RESUMEN
Microbes have inhabited the earth for hundreds of millions of years longer than humans. The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) represents a bidirectional communication pathway. These communications occur between the central nervous system (CNS), the enteric nervous system (ENS), and the emotional and cognitive centres of the brain. The field of research on the gut-brain axis has grown significantly during the past two decades. Signalling occurs between the gut microbiota and the brain through the neural, endocrine, immune, and humoral pathways. A substantial body of evidence indicates that the MGBA plays a pivotal role in various neurological diseases. These include Alzheimer's disease (AD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rett syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), non-Alzheimer's neurodegeneration and dementias, fronto-temporal lobe dementia (FTLD), Wilson-Konovalov disease (WD), multisystem atrophy (MSA), Huntington's chorea (HC), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), depression, and schizophrenia (SCZ). Furthermore, the bidirectional correlation between therapeutics and the gut-brain axis will be discussed. Conversely, the mood of delivery, exercise, psychotropic agents, stress, and neurologic drugs can influence the MGBA. By understanding the MGBA, it may be possible to facilitate research into microbial-based interventions and therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases.