Environmental microbial colistin resistance in an elderly south Brazilian long-term care facility

ABSTRACT

Colistin resistance is a global health concern, with antibiotics being the last treatment for Gram-negative bacteria infections. We aimed to identify colistin-resistant enterobacteria on environmental surfaces of a long-term care facility (LTCF) for the elderly in southern Brazil. Samples were collected and screened on MacConkey agar plus colistin, followed by API20E identification and PCR. Two isolates were founded and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Providencia stuartii harboring mcr-1 gene with MICs > 128 µg mL⁻¹ for colistin. This is the first isolation of microorganisms resistant to colistin in the environment of a LTCF for the elderly in south Brazil, urging monitoring programs to reduce environmental contamination by multiresistant microorganisms.

KEYWORDS:

• mcr-1
• antimicrobial resistance
• polymyxin E
• environmental contamination
• elderly health

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by FAPERGS (Foundation for the Supporting of Research in the State of Rio Grande do Sul) under Grant number 23/2551-0000776-2; and PIBIC/CNPQ (Scientific Initiation/National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) call number 21/2022.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by CNPQ (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) under call PIBIC/CNPQ 21/2022, and FAPERGS (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul) under registration number 23/2551-0000776-2.