Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China

ABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent infectious diseases, yet there is still limited understanding of the epidemiology of Enterococcal strains isolated from UTI patients in Shanghai. This study aims to elucidate the antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence gene c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weiyi Wu, Shuzhen Xiao, Lizhong Han, Qiong Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2025-01-01
Series:Microbiology Spectrum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01217-24
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841556123351515136
author Weiyi Wu
Shuzhen Xiao
Lizhong Han
Qiong Wu
author_facet Weiyi Wu
Shuzhen Xiao
Lizhong Han
Qiong Wu
author_sort Weiyi Wu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent infectious diseases, yet there is still limited understanding of the epidemiology of Enterococcal strains isolated from UTI patients in Shanghai. This study aims to elucidate the antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence gene carriage, and molecular epidemiology of selected Enterococcal strains from UTI patients in Shanghai. A cohort of 80 Enterococcus faecalis and 40 Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates were randomly selected from UTI patients from October 2022 to March 2023. No vancomycin-resistant strains were identified based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing. However, five strains of linezolid-resistant E. faecalis were identified, all of which were confirmed to be optrA-positive through whole-genome sequencing (WGS), with ST300 being reported as the first instance of this ST type in China. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were employed to ascertain the presence of virulence genes and multi-locus sequence type (MLST). In E. faecalis, the most common virulence genes were asal (75%), gelE (65%), esp (52.5%), and cylA (47.5%). In contrast, E. faecium primarily exhibited esp (65%) and hyl (12.5%). Among the E. faecalis strains, 21 distinct MLST types were identified, with ST16 and ST179 prevailing. Conversely, E. faecium exhibited only five MLST types, with ST78 being predominant. The prevalence of E. faecalis CC16 and E. faecium CC17 further complicates the treatment landscape for Enterococcal UTIs.IMPORTANCEThis study highlighted the critical need to understand Enterococcal strains causing UTIs in Shanghai, given their high prevalence. By assessing antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence gene presence, and molecular epidemiology, the research offered valuable insights into the local epidemiology of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus. faecium. Identifying linezolid-resistant strains, all of which carry the optrA gene, including the first report of ST300 in China and recognizing dominant MLST types, such as ST16 and ST179 for E. faecalis and ST78 for E. faecium, are vital for guiding treatment and addressing the challenges these infections present. The data emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance and customized therapeutic approaches to combat emerging resistance and virulence factors in Enterococcal UTIs.
format Article
id doaj-art-d7b60789a0ad4ab8b4612ee8785a05d8
institution Kabale University
issn 2165-0497
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher American Society for Microbiology
record_format Article
series Microbiology Spectrum
spelling doaj-art-d7b60789a0ad4ab8b4612ee8785a05d82025-01-07T14:05:18ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972025-01-0113110.1128/spectrum.01217-24Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, ChinaWeiyi Wu0Shuzhen Xiao1Lizhong Han2Qiong Wu3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huangpu Branch, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent infectious diseases, yet there is still limited understanding of the epidemiology of Enterococcal strains isolated from UTI patients in Shanghai. This study aims to elucidate the antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence gene carriage, and molecular epidemiology of selected Enterococcal strains from UTI patients in Shanghai. A cohort of 80 Enterococcus faecalis and 40 Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates were randomly selected from UTI patients from October 2022 to March 2023. No vancomycin-resistant strains were identified based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing. However, five strains of linezolid-resistant E. faecalis were identified, all of which were confirmed to be optrA-positive through whole-genome sequencing (WGS), with ST300 being reported as the first instance of this ST type in China. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were employed to ascertain the presence of virulence genes and multi-locus sequence type (MLST). In E. faecalis, the most common virulence genes were asal (75%), gelE (65%), esp (52.5%), and cylA (47.5%). In contrast, E. faecium primarily exhibited esp (65%) and hyl (12.5%). Among the E. faecalis strains, 21 distinct MLST types were identified, with ST16 and ST179 prevailing. Conversely, E. faecium exhibited only five MLST types, with ST78 being predominant. The prevalence of E. faecalis CC16 and E. faecium CC17 further complicates the treatment landscape for Enterococcal UTIs.IMPORTANCEThis study highlighted the critical need to understand Enterococcal strains causing UTIs in Shanghai, given their high prevalence. By assessing antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence gene presence, and molecular epidemiology, the research offered valuable insights into the local epidemiology of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus. faecium. Identifying linezolid-resistant strains, all of which carry the optrA gene, including the first report of ST300 in China and recognizing dominant MLST types, such as ST16 and ST179 for E. faecalis and ST78 for E. faecium, are vital for guiding treatment and addressing the challenges these infections present. The data emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance and customized therapeutic approaches to combat emerging resistance and virulence factors in Enterococcal UTIs.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01217-24urinary tract infectionsEnterococcusantimicrobial resistanceoptrAvirulence genesmolecular epidemiology
spellingShingle Weiyi Wu
Shuzhen Xiao
Lizhong Han
Qiong Wu
Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
Microbiology Spectrum
urinary tract infections
Enterococcus
antimicrobial resistance
optrA
virulence genes
molecular epidemiology
title Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
title_full Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
title_fullStr Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
title_short Antimicrobial resistance, virulence gene profiles, and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in Shanghai, China
title_sort antimicrobial resistance virulence gene profiles and molecular epidemiology of enterococcal isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in shanghai china
topic urinary tract infections
Enterococcus
antimicrobial resistance
optrA
virulence genes
molecular epidemiology
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01217-24
work_keys_str_mv AT weiyiwu antimicrobialresistancevirulencegeneprofilesandmolecularepidemiologyofenterococcalisolatesfrompatientswithurinarytractinfectionsinshanghaichina
AT shuzhenxiao antimicrobialresistancevirulencegeneprofilesandmolecularepidemiologyofenterococcalisolatesfrompatientswithurinarytractinfectionsinshanghaichina
AT lizhonghan antimicrobialresistancevirulencegeneprofilesandmolecularepidemiologyofenterococcalisolatesfrompatientswithurinarytractinfectionsinshanghaichina
AT qiongwu antimicrobialresistancevirulencegeneprofilesandmolecularepidemiologyofenterococcalisolatesfrompatientswithurinarytractinfectionsinshanghaichina