Nasal Carriage of CTX-M-55-producing ST8369 in a Healthy Cohort in the City of Yangzhou, China

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-producing isolates from healthy individuals in a community and to elucidate their dissemination mechanism. Cefotaxime-resistant were isolated from 95 samples of healthy persons from one community in Yangzhou, China, and were tested for minimal inhibitory concentrations of 14 antimicrobial agents. The isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing by Illumina Hiseq or PacBio single-molecule real-time sequencing. A total of 30 cefotaxime-resistant isolates were obtained, carrying (n=29) or (n=1), of which the (n=19) was the most predominant genotype. One novel variant was identified. Thirteen CTX-M-55-producing isolates belonged to ST8369 from nasal (n=12) or faecal (n=1) samples shared the identical cgMLST type, resistance profiles, resistance genes, plasmid replicons, and a 5,053-bp structure ΔIS-ΔIS- -Δ-ΔTn. The gene was located on IncHI2/ST3 plasmid in ST8369. The lengths of / -carrying contigs in the remaining 17 strains ranged from 1,663 to 382,836 bp, located on chromosome (n=4) or plasmids (n=5); the location of the other eight contigs could not be determined due to incomplete assembly. The was associated with IS as previously reported. Nasal colonization of CTX-M-55-producing ST8369 strains has occurred among healthy individuals in one community. There is a potential risk of antimicrobial resistance dissemination between humans within one community through close contact or environment aerosols or dust. Therefore, surveillance of nasal carriage of in communities is warranted to further monitor the spread of the antimicrobial resistance genes in China.