THE ROLE OF ESBLS HARBOURING PLASMIDS ON ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AMONG ESCHERICHIA COLI FROM HUMANS AND DOGS

AL-HEJJAJ, MURTAKAB Y.; ALABDALI, YASIR A.J.; DAWOOD, YESSAR A.; AL-AMARA, SAAD S.; RAISAN, SHAYMA’A J.

doi:10.21608/avmj.2025.362656.1594

THE ROLE OF ESBLS HARBOURING PLASMIDS ON ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AMONG ESCHERICHIA COLI FROM HUMANS AND DOGS

Document Type : Research article

Authors

¹ Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Basrah, Iraq

² Department of Biology, College of Science, Al Muthanna University, Iraq

³ Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Iraq

⁴ Department of Pathological Analyses, College of Science, University of Basrah, Iraq

⁵ Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

10.21608/avmj.2025.362656.1594

Abstract

Rising antimicrobial resistance is considered one of the major health concerns faced today. Escherichia coli has become one of the real causes of this crisis. In this study, we examined how E. coli from humans and dogs were resistant to treatment, paying special attention to the presence of certain extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes carried on plasmids. To investigate the risk of bacterial resistance in the community, fecal samples were collected from humans (69) and dogs (67). E. coli was isolated using conventional methods, and its identity was confirmed by molecular technique (PCR). Antimicrobial ability against some beta-lactam antibiotics was detected, in addition to the presence of plasmid harbouring bla_TEM and bla_SHV genes. The findings showed that 73.68% of E. coli isolates from dogs and 91.83% from humans produced ESBLs, making them resistant to several antibiotics. Generally, 83.07% of the isolated E. coli showed this worrying resistance. Furthermore, the study highlighted the role of plasmid-mediated genes (bla_TEM and bla_SHV). Approximately 30.95% of dog isolates and 35.56% of human isolates carried bla_TEM, while bla_SHV appeared in about 14.28% and 17.78% of dog and human isolates, respectively. In some cases, bacteria carried both genes, suggesting the potential for these resistance traits to spread rapidly. These findings suggested that antimicrobial resistance is a two-way path between humans and animals. The bacterial resistance transfer between humans and animals, particularly through direct contact, is a continuing risk. The study demonstrated a clear fact about antibiotic resistance that bridges human and veterinary medicine so control and management can slow the spread of these dangerous microorganisms and protect the effectiveness of antibiotics for future generations.

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