Antimicrobial resistance profiles and genomic insights of phenotypically extended spectrum β-lactamase-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae from cattle farms

A study in Punjab, India, investigated Klebsiella pneumoniae from 288 cattle farm samples and found it in 10.1% of cases. Among these isolates, 65.5% were multidrug-resistant (MDR) and 6.9% showed an ESBL-like phenotype. Detected resistance genes included β-lactam (blaTEM, blaAmpC, blaSHV), quinolone (qnrS), and tetracycline (tetA) genes. Whole-genome sequencing of two representative MDR/ESBL isolates revealed multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence factors (fimbriae, capsules, siderophores, efflux and secretion systems), and mobile genetic elements such as plasmids (IncFIB(K), IncFII(K)), integrons, and insertion sequences (ISKpn24, ISKpn1, ISKpn19, IS26). The isolates belonged to sequence types ST-160 and ST-4232, with additional subtypes identified by core-genome MLST. The study highlights the zoonotic risk of resistant K. pneumoniae transmission between cattle and humans and calls for integrated One Health surveillance and control measures to curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance.