One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems
The global dissemination of plasmid-mediated <i>mcr</i> genes, which confer resistance to the last-resort antibiotic colistin, represents a critical public health challenge driven by the interplay of clinical, agricultural, and environmental factors. This review examines the genetic and...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/506 |
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| author | Abdelaziz Touati Nasir Adam Ibrahim Assia Mairi Hassina Kirat Nosiba S. Basher Takfarinas Idres |
| author_facet | Abdelaziz Touati Nasir Adam Ibrahim Assia Mairi Hassina Kirat Nosiba S. Basher Takfarinas Idres |
| author_sort | Abdelaziz Touati |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global dissemination of plasmid-mediated <i>mcr</i> genes, which confer resistance to the last-resort antibiotic colistin, represents a critical public health challenge driven by the interplay of clinical, agricultural, and environmental factors. This review examines the genetic and ecological dynamics of <i>mcr</i>-bearing plasmids, focusing on their role in disseminating colistin resistance across diverse bacterial hosts and ecosystems. Key plasmid families demonstrate distinct evolutionary strategies, including IncI2, IncHI2, and IncX4. IncI2 plasmids favor stability in livestock and clinical settings. IncHI2 plasmids, on the other hand, leverage transposons to co-select for multidrug resistance, while IncX4 plasmids achieve global dissemination through streamlined, conjugation-efficient architectures. The pervasive spread of <i>mcr</i> genes is exacerbated by their integration into chromosomes via mobile genetic elements and co-selection with resistance to other antibiotic classes, amplifying multidrug-resistant phenotypes. Environmental reservoirs, food chains, and anthropogenic practices further facilitate cross-niche transmission, underscoring the interconnectedness of resistance under the One Health framework. Addressing this crisis requires coordinated strategies, including reducing colistin misuse in agriculture, enhancing surveillance of high-risk plasmid types, and fostering international collaboration to preserve antimicrobial efficacy and mitigate the threat of untreatable infections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-635d1ca061dd4189a8c7f985dd7f4d3d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj-art-635d1ca061dd4189a8c7f985dd7f4d3d2025-08-20T03:47:48ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-05-0114550610.3390/antibiotics14050506One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental EcosystemsAbdelaziz Touati0Nasir Adam Ibrahim1Assia Mairi2Hassina Kirat3Nosiba S. Basher4Takfarinas Idres5Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Faculté Des Sciences de la Nature Et de la Vie (FSNV), University of Bejaia, Bejaia 06000, AlgeriaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13318, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory of Microbial Ecology, Faculté Des Sciences de la Nature Et de la Vie (FSNV), University of Bejaia, Bejaia 06000, AlgeriaLaboratoire de Recherche des Interactions, Biodiversité, Ecosystèmes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences, Department of Natural and Life Sciences, University 20 August 1955—Skikda, Skikda 21000, AlgeriaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13318, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory for Livestock Animal Production and Health Research, Rabie Bouchama National Veterinary School of Algiers, Issad ABBAS Street, BP 161 Oued Smar, Algiers 16059, AlgeriaThe global dissemination of plasmid-mediated <i>mcr</i> genes, which confer resistance to the last-resort antibiotic colistin, represents a critical public health challenge driven by the interplay of clinical, agricultural, and environmental factors. This review examines the genetic and ecological dynamics of <i>mcr</i>-bearing plasmids, focusing on their role in disseminating colistin resistance across diverse bacterial hosts and ecosystems. Key plasmid families demonstrate distinct evolutionary strategies, including IncI2, IncHI2, and IncX4. IncI2 plasmids favor stability in livestock and clinical settings. IncHI2 plasmids, on the other hand, leverage transposons to co-select for multidrug resistance, while IncX4 plasmids achieve global dissemination through streamlined, conjugation-efficient architectures. The pervasive spread of <i>mcr</i> genes is exacerbated by their integration into chromosomes via mobile genetic elements and co-selection with resistance to other antibiotic classes, amplifying multidrug-resistant phenotypes. Environmental reservoirs, food chains, and anthropogenic practices further facilitate cross-niche transmission, underscoring the interconnectedness of resistance under the One Health framework. Addressing this crisis requires coordinated strategies, including reducing colistin misuse in agriculture, enhancing surveillance of high-risk plasmid types, and fostering international collaboration to preserve antimicrobial efficacy and mitigate the threat of untreatable infections.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/506plasmid-mediated resistance<i>mcr-1</i> genecolistin resistanceIncI2 plasmidsIncHI2 plasmidsIncX4 plasmids |
| spellingShingle | Abdelaziz Touati Nasir Adam Ibrahim Assia Mairi Hassina Kirat Nosiba S. Basher Takfarinas Idres One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems Antibiotics plasmid-mediated resistance <i>mcr-1</i> gene colistin resistance IncI2 plasmids IncHI2 plasmids IncX4 plasmids |
| title | One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems |
| title_full | One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems |
| title_short | One Health at Risk: Plasmid-Mediated Spread of <i>mcr-1</i> Across Clinical, Agricultural, and Environmental Ecosystems |
| title_sort | one health at risk plasmid mediated spread of i mcr 1 i across clinical agricultural and environmental ecosystems |
| topic | plasmid-mediated resistance <i>mcr-1</i> gene colistin resistance IncI2 plasmids IncHI2 plasmids IncX4 plasmids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/506 |
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