Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in broiler poultry farming in Egypt

This study investigated the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains in broiler chickens, drinking water and humans working in contact with chickens and identified the carbapenem resistance determinants among isolates from different sources. Internal organs and droppings were collected from 100 broilers with signs of respiratory disease at five broiler farms in Egypt. Additionally, 20 drinking water samples and 49 faecal samples from workers and veterinarians working at these farms were included. Following culture on MacConkey agar, suspected K. pneumoniae colonies were identified by phenotypic testing. Susceptibility to carbapenems was tested in confirmed K. pneumoniae isolates by disk diffusion. Carbapenem-resistant isolates were subjected to PCR for detection of carbapenemase-encoding genes (blaKPC, blaOXA-48 and blaNDM). K. pneumoniae was isolated from 35% of broilers and 25% of water samples. Of the 35 poultry isolates, 15 were carbapenem-resistant; all of them were blaNDM-positive, including 11 isolates harbouring blaKPC, blaOXA-48 and blaNDM and 4 containing either blaKPC and blaNDM (n = 3) or blaOXA-48 and blaNDM (n = 1). Similarly, three of five K. pneumoniae isolates from drinking water were positive for blaKPC and blaNDM (n = 1) or for all three genes (n = 2). Interestingly, 56% of K. pneumoniae from humans displayed carbapenem resistance; all of them were positive for the three carbapenemase genes. Carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae occurred at relatively high frequency among broilers, drinking water and workers at poultry farms in Egypt. Additional work is needed to confirm transmission between poultry and humans and to elucidate the direction and mechanism of transmission.