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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2007, p. 477-484, Vol. 73, No. 2
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01445-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Occurrence of Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Isolates from Different Aquatic Ecosystems within the St. Clair River and Detroit River Areas{triangledown}

Katia Hamelin,1,2 Guillaume Bruant,3 Abdel El-Shaarawi,4 Stephen Hill,4 Thomas A. Edge,4 John Fairbrother,3 Josée Harel,3 Christine Maynard,1 Luke Masson,1 and Roland Brousseau1,2*

Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4P 2R2,1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard Montpetit, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4,2 Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses du Porc, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 7C6,3 National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A64

Received 22 June 2006/ Accepted 27 October 2006

Although the number of Escherichia coli bacteria in surface waters can differ greatly between locations, relatively little is known about the distribution of E. coli pathotypes in surface waters used as sources for drinking or recreation. DNA microarray technology is a suitable tool for this type of study due to its ability to detect high numbers of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes simultaneously. Pathotype, phylogenetic group, and antimicrobial resistance gene profiles were determined for 308 E. coli isolates from surface water samples collected from diverse aquatic ecosystems at six different sites in the St. Clair River and Detroit River areas. A higher frequency (48%) of E. coli isolates possessing virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes was observed in an urban site located downstream of wastewater effluent outfalls than in the other examined sites (average of 24%). Most E. coli pathotypes were extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) pathotypes and belonged to phylogenetic groups B2 and D. The ExPEC pathotypes were found to occur across all aquatic ecosystems investigated, including riverine, estuarine, and offshore lake locations. The results of this environmental study using DNA microarrays highlight the widespread distribution of E. coli pathotypes in aquatic ecosystems and the potential public health threat of E. coli pathotypes originating from municipal wastewater sources.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4P 2R2. Phone: (514) 496-6152. Fax: (514) 496-6213. E-mail: Roland.Brousseau{at}cnrc-nrc.gc.ca.

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 3 November 2006.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2007, p. 477-484, Vol. 73, No. 2
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01445-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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