Spread of colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in Italy: characterization of the mcr-1.2 allelic variant in a colistin-resistant blood isolate of Escherichia coli

Serena Simoni; Gianluca Morroni; Andrea Brenciani; Chiara Vincenzi; Oscar Cirioni; Sefora Castelletti; Pietro E Varaldo; Eleonora Giovanetti; Marina Mingoia

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.12.015

Spread of colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in Italy: characterization of the mcr-1.2 allelic variant in a colistin-resistant blood isolate of Escherichia coli

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 May;91(1):66-68. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.12.015. Epub 2017 Dec 24.

Authors

Serena Simoni¹, Gianluca Morroni², Andrea Brenciani³, Chiara Vincenzi¹, Oscar Cirioni², Sefora Castelletti², Pietro E Varaldo¹, Eleonora Giovanetti⁴, Marina Mingoia¹

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche Medical School, Ancona, Italy.
² Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche Medical School, Ancona, Italy.
³ Unit of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche Medical School, Ancona, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Unit of Microbiology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.

PMID: 29370953
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.12.015

Abstract

mcr-1.2, an allelic variant of the transferable colistin resistance gene mcr-1, was characterized in a colistin-resistant blood isolate of Escherichia coli. It was harbored by an IncX4-type plasmid (33,293 bp). Despite its low prevalence, the potentially worrying spread of the mcr-1 gene, particularly its mcr-1.2 variant, in Italy requires increasing surveillance.

Keywords: Blood isolates; Colistin resistance; Escherichia coli; mcr-1 gene; mcr-1.2 variant.

MeSH terms

Alleles
Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Colistin / pharmacology
Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
Escherichia coli / drug effects
Escherichia coli / genetics*
Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology*
Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics*
Female
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Middle Aged
Plasmids / genetics

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Escherichia coli Proteins
MCR-1 protein, E coli
Colistin