Molecular characterization of IncFII plasmid carrying blaNDM-5 in a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ST34 clinical isolate in China.

IMPORTANCE: In this study, an IncFII plasmid pIncFII-NDM5 carrying blaNDM-5 was found in carbapenem-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. enterica serovar Typhimurium), which has conjugative transferability and carried blaNDM-5, bleMBL, mph(A), and blaTEM-1 four resistance genes that can mediate resistance to multiple antibiotics including cephalosporins, beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, carbapenems, and macrolides. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 1104-65 and 1104-75 were closely related to other S. enterica serovar Typhimurium in this area. The above-mentioned S. enterica serovar Typhimurium chromosome carries blaCTX-M-55, qnrS1, and tet(A) genes, so the antibiotic resistance of isolates will be further enhanced after obtaining the pIncFII_NDM5-like plasmid. Meanwhile, we discovered a novel genetic structure of blaNDM-5 mediated by the IS26 composite transposon, which will expand our understanding of the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistance genes. Altogether, the presence of the IncFII plasmid pIncFII-NDM5 further underscores the need for vigilant surveillance and appropriate infection control measures to mitigate the impact of carbapenem-resistant S. enterica serovar Typhimurium in clinical settings.

Emergence of a Salmonella Rissen ST469 clinical isolate carrying bla NDM-13 in China.

New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-13 (NDM-13) is an NDM variant that was first identified in 2015 and has not been detected in Salmonella species prior to this study. Here we describe the first identification of a Salmonella Rissen strain SR33 carrying bla NDM-13. The aim of this study was to molecularly characterize SR33's antimicrobial resistance and virulence features as well as investigate the genetic environment of bla NDM-13. The Salmonella Rissen SR33 strain was isolated from a patient with fever and diarrhea. SR33 belonged to ST469, and it was found to be multidrug-resistant (MDR) and to carry many virulence genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that SR33 shared a close relationship with most of the Chinese S. Rissen ST469 strains. bla NDM-13 was located in a transmissible IncI1 plasmid pNDM13-SR33. Sequence analysis of bla NDM-13-positive genomes downloaded from GenBank revealed that a genetic context (ΔISAba125-bla NDM-13-ble MBL-trpF) and a hybrid promoter (consisting of -35 sequences provided by ISAba125 and -10 sequences) were conserved. ISAba125 was truncated by IS1294 in three plasmids carrying bla NDM-13, including pNDM13-SR33. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bla NDM-13 carried by Salmonella. The emergence of bla NDM-13 in a clinical MDR S. Rissen ST469 strain highlights the critical need for monitoring and controlling the dissemination of bla NDM-13. bla NDM-13 carried by a transmissible IncI1 plasmid may result in an increased risk of bla NDM-13 transmission. IS1294 may be involved in the movement of bla NDM-13.

Prevalence of Chromosomally Located blaCTX-M-55 in Salmonella Typhimurium ST34 Isolates Recovered from a Tertiary Hospital in Guangzhou, China.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is one of the most prevalent bacterial causes of gastrointestinal infections worldwide. Meanwhile, the detection rate of CTX-M-55 ESBL-positive has increased gradually in China. To identify the molecular epidemiological and genomic characteristics of blaCTX-M-55-carrying nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) clinical isolates, a total of 105 NTS isolates were collected from a Chinese tertiary hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed to determine the resistance phenotype. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to determine the antimicrobial resistance genes, serotypes, phylogenetic relationships, and the genetic environment of the blaCTX-M-55 gene. The results showed that among the 22 ceftriaxone resistant isolates, the blaCTX-M-55 was the most common ß-Lactamase gene carried by 14 isolates, including serotypes S. Typhimurium (10/14), S. Muenster (2/14), S. Rissen (1/14), and S. Saintpaul (1/14). Phylogenetic analysis shows that 10 blaCTX-M-55-positive S. Typhimurium ST34 isolates were divided into two clusters. The genetic relationship of isolates in each cluster was very close (≤10 cgMLST loci). The blaCTX-M-55 gene was located on the chromosome in 10 isolates, on IncI1 plasmid in three isolates, and IncHI2 plasmid in one isolate. In conclusion, the blaCTX-M-55 gene, mainly located on the chromosome of S. Typhimurium ST34 isolates, was the main driving force associated with the resistance of NTS to cephalosporins. Therefore, close attention to the clonal dissemination of blaCTX-M-55-carrying S. Typhimurium ST34 in clinical settings must be monitored carefully. IMPORTANCE ESCs are the first choice for treating NTS infections. However, ESBLs and AmpC ß-lactamases are the most typical cause for ESCs resistance. The CTX-M-55 ESBL-positive rate has gradually increased in the clinic in recent years. At present, the research about blaCTX-M-55-positive Salmonella mainly focuses on the foodborne animals or the environment while less on clinical patients. Thus, this study was carried out for identifying molecular epidemiological and genomic characteristics of blaCTX-M-55-carrying NTS clinical isolates. The results showed that the blaCTX-M-55 gene, mainly located on the chromosome of S. Typhimurium ST34 isolates from Conghua District, was the main driving force associated with the resistance of NTS to cephalosporins. Therefore, our work highlights the importance of monitoring the clonal dissemination of blaCTX-M-55-carrying S. Typhimurium ST34 in clinical settings.

Corrigendum: Molecular Epidemiology and Characteristics of CTX-M-55 Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli From Guangzhou, China.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.730012.].

Prevalence, Serotype Distribution and Antimicrobial Resistance of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella in Hospitalized Patients in Conghua District of Guangzhou, China.

Salmonella infection is a major public health concern worldwide, has contributed to an increased economic burden on the health systems. Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a common cause of bacterial enteritis in humans, causing 93.8 million cases of gastroenteritis globally each year, with 155,000 deaths. Guangzhou city is situated in the south of China and has a sub-tropical climate, the heat and heavy rainfall helps the spread of NTS. However, no information of NTS infection is available in humans in Conghua District, the largest administrative district of Guangzhou. To understand the prevalence, serotype distribution, risk factors and drug resistance of NTS infection in humans in the survey area, an epidemiological investigation was conducted in hospitalized patients in Conghua District in Guangzhou, China. A total of 255 fecal specimens were collected from hospitalized patients (one each), with a questionnaire for each participant, and NTS infection was identified by culture, as well as serotypes confirmed by slide agglutination tests. An average prevalence of 20.39% (52/255) was observed and three serogroups were identified-serogroup B (n = 46), serogroup C1 (n = 4) and serogroup D1 (n = 2). Among them, Salmonella Typhimurium (n = 39) was the most common serotype. Children aged <3 years were observed to have a statistically higher prevalence of NTS infection than adults (25.15% versus 4.65%, P = 0.006); children with artificial feeding had a statistically higher prevalence than those with breastfeeding (30.77% versus 8.33%, P = 0.044). Antimicrobial resistance testing revealed that the majority of strains were resistant to ampicillin (92.16%), as well as 47.06% of all strains were multi-drug resistant. Therefore, it is necessary to continuous monitoring and rational use of antibiotics, which will be helpful to reduce the prevalence of resistant strains. These data will aid in making efficient control strategies to intervene with and prevent occurrence of salmonellosis.

Molecular Epidemiology and Characteristics of CTX-M-55 Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli From Guangzhou, China.

In recent years, the CTX-M-55 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-positive rate has gradually increased in the clinic. To identify the molecular epidemiology and characteristics of bla CTX-M -55-positive isolates, a total of 374 non-repetitive ESBL-producing Escherichia coli strains were collected from patients in two hospitals in Guangzhou, and 89 bla CTX-M -55-positive isolates were selected by CTX-M-1-group PCR amplification and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze the resistance phenotype, plasmid types, phylogenetic relationships and genetic environment of the bla CTX-M -55 gene. Conjugation experiments and PCR were performed to confirm whether the plasmid harboring bla CTX-M-55 gene could be transferred. The results showed that all bla CTX-M-55-positive isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, and 88.76 and 76.40% were resistant to ceftazidime and cefepime, respectively. The resistance rates to levofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole were 66.29 and 59.55%, respectively. However, the sensitivity rate of piperacillin/tazobactam, amoxicillin/clavulanate, and amikacin exceeded 90%. All bla CTX-M-55-positive isolates were sensitive to carbapenems. Thirty-two STs were detected in the bla CTX-M-55-positive isolates, among which the detection rate of ST1193 was relatively high (19.10%, 17/89), and other ST types were scattered. It remains to be seen whether ST1193 carrying the bla CTX-M -55 gene can become a popular clone strain in this region in the future. The plasmid types carrying the bla CTX-M -55 gene included IncI1, IncFII, IncFIC, IncFIB, IncHI2, IncI2, and IncX/Y, among which the IncI1 and IncFII plasmids were the main plasmids, accounting for 37.80 and 28.09%, respectively. Among them, 11 strains of the IncI1 plasmid existed in ST1193 strains. The bla CTX-M -55 gene was found on chromosomes of 13 isolates, and seemed to be increasing annually. Up to five distinct types of genetic environments surrounding the bla CTX-M -55 gene were analyzed. The most common structure was type II "ISEcp1-bla CTX-M -55-ORF477." In conclusion, whether ST1193, which carries bla CTX-M -55 gene, will be an epidemic clone of this region in the future remains to be concerned. The plasmids IncI1 and IncFII, and mobile elements such as ISEcp1 and IS26 may be the main factors leading to the spread and prevalence of CTX-M-55 genotypes.

Nitrogen-doped carbon encapsulated zinc vanadate polyhedron engineered from a metal-organic framework as a stable anode for alkali ion batteries.

In this work, we fabricated vanadium/zinc metal-organic frameworks (V/Zn-MOFs) derived from self-assembled metal organic frameworks, to further disperse ultrasmall Zn2VO4 nanoparticles and encapsulate them in a nitrogen-doped nanocarbon network (ZVO/NC) under in situ pyrolysis. When employed as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, ZVO/NC delivers a high reversible capacity (807 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and excellent rate performance (372 mAh g-1 at 8.0 A g-1). Meanwhile, when used in sodium-ion batteries, it exhibits long-term cycling stability (7000 cycles with 145 mAh g-1 at 2.0 A g-1). Additionally, when employed in potassium-ion batteries, it also shows outstanding electrochemical performance with reversible capacities of 264 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and 140 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 for 1000 cycles. The mechanism by which the pseudocapacitive behaviour of ZVO/NC enhances battery performance under a suitable electrolyte was probed, which offers useful enlightenment for the potential development of anodes of alkali-ion batteries. The performance of Zn2VO4 as an anode for SIBs/PIBs was investigated for the first time. This work provides a new horizon in the design ZVO/NC as a promising anode material owing to the intrinsically synergic effects of mixed metal species and the multiple valence states of V.

Synthesis of the Se-HPCF composite via a liquid-solution route and its stable cycling performance in Li-Se batteries.

In pursuit of a one-dimensional (1D) porous carbon framework to restrain selenium for advanced lithium-selenium batteries, the Se-hierarchical porous carbon fiber composite (Se-HPCF) is synthesized via a liquid-solution route followed by calcination treatment. The unique architecture of the HPCF, which exhibits a large surface area and high pore volume, is fabricated using sodium lignosulfonate (LN) as a green pore-forming agent via electrospinning. As a cathode material for Li-Se batteries, the Se-HPCF composite exhibits superior electrochemical performance. A reversible capacity of 533 mA h g-1 is maintained at a rate of 0.2C after 50 cycles. In addition, the Se-HPCF composite delivers high rate performance with a high specific capacity of 351 mA h g-1 at 5C. The enhanced capacity retention and rate performance of Se-HPCF is generated by the 1D structure characteristics, and the liquid phase melting diffusion method could be applied to produce other related materials.