Genomic investigation unveils high-risk ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae within a rural environmental water body

Antimicrobial resistance is regarded as a global threat to public health, animals, and the environment, emerging in response to extensive utilization of antimicrobials. The determinants of antimicrobial resistance are transported to susceptible bacterial populations through genetic recombination or through gene transfer, mediated by bacteriophages, plasmids, transposons, and insertion sequences. To determine the penetration of antimicrobial resistance into the bacterial population of the Thiruvandarkoil Lake, a water body located in the rural settings of Puducherry, India, culture-based microbiological and genomic approaches were used. Resistant bacterial isolates obtained from microbiological screening were subjected to whole genome sequencing and the genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance were identified using in silico genomic tools. Cephalosporin-resistant isolates were found to produce extended spectrum beta lactamases, encoded by bla_VEB-6 (in Proteus mirabilis PS01), bla_SHV-12 and ompK36 mutation (in Klebsiella quasipneumoniae PS02) and bla_SHV-12, bla_ACT-16, bla_CTX−M and bla_NDM-1 in (Enterobacter hormaechei PS03). Genes encoding heavy metal resistance, virulence and resistance to detergents were also detected in these resistant isolates. Among ESBL-producing organisms, one mcr-9-positive Enterobacter hormaechei was also identified in this study. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr-9 carrying bacterium in the environment in India. This study seeks the immediate attention of policy makers, researchers, government officials and environmental activists in India, to develop surveillance programs to monitor the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in the environment.