AUTHOR=Yasmeen Nafeesa , Aslam Bilal , Fang Liang-xing , Baloch Zulqarnain , Liu Yahong 

TITLE=Occurrence of extended- spectrum β-lactamase harboring K. pneumoniae in various sources: a one health perspective

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1103319

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1103319

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>This study was designed to investigate the occurrence and dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) harboring <italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae</italic> in various ecological niches under the one health approach. A total of 793 samples were collected from animals, humans, and the environment. The findings of the study revealed the occurrence of <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> as follows: animals (11.6%), humans (8.4%), and associated environments (7.0%), respectively. A high occurrence rate of ESBL genes was found in animals compared to human and environmental isolates. A total of 18 distinct sequence types (STs) and 12 clonal complexes of <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> were observed. Overall, six STs of <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> were identified in commercial chickens, and three were found in rural poultry. The majority of <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> STs found in this study were positive for <italic>bla</italic>SHV, while the positivity of other ESBL-encoding genes combinations was different in different STs. The high occurrence rate of ESBL-harboring <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> found in animals as compared to other sources is alarming and has the potential to be disseminated to the associated environment and community.</p>