Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of CTX‐M‐type‐producing Escherichia coli from a wildlife zoo in China

BACKGROUND: Wildlife zoos provide the opportunity for children and adults to interact with animals, However, it's unknown that the risk of contact with animals, which carried zoonotic pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases Escherichia coli (ESBLs‐EC) from a wildlife zoo in China. METHODS: A total of 93 wildlife faecal samples were collected from a wildlife zoo. Agar dilution method was used to determine the resistant phenotype. Whole genomes sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were employed to evaluate the molecular typing and genetic relationships of ESBLs‐EC. RESULTS: A total of 23 CTX‐M‐positive ESBLs‐EC were isolated from swan (n = 14), squirrel monkey (n = 5), black hat hanging monkey (n = 2), gibbon monkey (n = 1) and phoenicopteridae (n = 1) respectively. All ESBLs‐EC strains were resistant to cefotaxime, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole, but susceptible to colistin, tigecycline, meropenem and amikacin. By screening whole genome sequences, ESBLs‐EC strains main carried bla (CTX‐M‐55) (34.8%, 8/23) and bla (CTX‐M‐14) (26.0%, 6/23), following by bla (CTX‐M‐27) (21.7%, 5/23), bla (CTX‐M‐15) (13.0%, 3/23) and bla (CTX‐M‐121) (4.3%, 1/23). ESBLs‐EC strains mainly belonged to phylogroup A (60.9%, 14/23), and ST48, ST746 and ST616 (3 strains respectively, 13.0%) were major ST types. Core genome‐based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis suggested that strains from the swan, over the phylogenetic tree, have a closer genetic relationship with strains from other animals (black hat hanging monkey, gibbon monkey, phoenicopteridae and squirrel monkey). CONCLUSIONS: CTX‐M type ESBLs‐EC can transmit between animals in wildlife zoos, which may be a risk of spread to animal keepers, veterinarians and visitors when contact with animals. Our study provides that the importance of hygiene measures to minimise the risk of transmission of ESBLs‐EC to visitors in wildlife zoos.