Occurrence, Typing, and Resistance Genes of ESBL/AmpC-Producing Enterobacterales in Fresh Vegetables Purchased in Central Israel

Beta-lactam resistance can lead to increased mortality, higher healthcare expenses, and limited therapeutic options. The primary mechanism of beta-lactam resistance is the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and AmpC beta-lactamases. The spread of beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales via the food chain may create a resistance reservoir. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacterales in vegetables, to examine the association between EBSL/AmpC-producing bacteria and types of vegetables, packaging, and markets, and to investigate the genetic features of ESBL-producing isolates. The antibiotic susceptibilities were determined using VITEK. Phenotypic ESBL/AmpC production was confirmed using disk diffusion. ESBL-producing isolates were subjected to Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and to whole genome sequencing using Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology. Of the 301 vegetable samples, 20 (6.6%) were positive for ESBL producers (16 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 4 Escherichia coli), and 63 (20.9%) were positive for AmpC producers (56 Enterobacter cloacae complex, 4 Enterobacter aerogenes/cancerogenus, and 3 Pantoea spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, and Citrobacter braakii). The blaCTX-M and blaSHV genes were most common among ESBL-producing isolates. The beta-lactamase genes of the ESBL producers were mainly carried on plasmids. Multilocus sequence typing and FT-IR typing revealed high diversity among the ESBL producers. AmpC producers were significantly more common in leafy greens and ESBL producers were significantly less common in climbing vegetables. The presence of ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacterales in raw vegetables may contribute to the dissemination of resistance genes in the community.