High Prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae in European Food Products: a Multicentric Study Comparing Culture and Molecular Detection Methods

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02376-21
• Publication Date: 2022-02-23T21:34:14Z
• Authors: Carla Rodrigues; Kathrin Hauser; Niamh Cahill; Małgorzata Ligows...; Gabriella Centoro...; Alessandra Cornac...; Raquel Garcia Fierro; Marisa Haenni; Eva Møller Nielsen; Pascal Piveteau; Elodie Barbier; Dearbháile Morris; Francesco Pomilio; Sylvain Brisse
• Keywords: Dominance (genetics)

The Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (KpSC) is a leading cause of multidrug-resistant human infections. To better understand the potential contribution food as vehicle KpSC, we conducted multicentric study to define an optimal culture method for its recovery from matrices and characterize isolates phenotypically genotypically. Chicken meat (n = 160) salad 145) samples were collected in five European countries screened presence KpSC using culture-based zur-khe intergenic region (ZKIR) quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods. Enrichment buffered peptone water followed by streaking on Simmons citrate agar with inositol (44°C 48 h) was defined most suitable selective recovery. A high prevalence found chicken (60% 52% ZKIR qPCR approach, respectively) (30% 21%, samples. Genomic analyses revealed genetic diversity dominance phylogroups Kp1 (91%) Kp3 (6%). total 82% presented natural antimicrobial susceptibility phenotype genotype, only four CTX-M-15-producing detected. Notably, identical genotypes across samples-same type same country (15 cases), different types (1), two (1)-suggesting rates transmission within sector. Our provides novel isolation strategy reinforces view source colonization humans. IMPORTANCE Bacteria are ubiquitous, K. antibiotic-resistant infections Despite urgent public health threat represented pneumoniae, there lack knowledge sources subsequent infection This partly due absence standardized methods characterizing matrices. implements shows that members highly prevalent salads meat, reinforcing large low levels resistance detected, occurrence suggests sector, which need be further explored possible control strategies.