Identification of a Differential Microbiological Signature of Extended‐Spectrum ß‐Lactamases Producing Escherichia Carriers in Spanish Community Children

Abstract

Gut colonization by Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), is increasing among nonhospitalized children, but the impact of ESBL-E carriage on the intestinal microbiota remains unknown. In this study, we compared the fecal bacterial composition in 24 children (3-11 years old) that were carriers of Escherichia producing ESBL (ESBL-Es) to that of an age- and gender-matched group of non-carriers using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Alpha diversity of the community was similar in both groups. No significant differences in relative abundance at the phylum, class, and order levels were found. Significant differences at the genus and species level were identified. The genus Blautia and the species Blautia obeum were more abundant in non-carriers, whereas the genus Coprococcus and Coprococcus eutactus species were more abundant in carriers. Generalized linear models, confirmed these differences and identified additional ones at the family (Tannerellaceae is more abundant in carries), genus (Parabacteroides is more abundant in carriers), and species (Bifidobacterium longum and Ruminococcus gauvreauii are more abundant in non-carriers, and Parabacteroides distasonis in carriers) levels. However, statistical significance was lost in all cases after applying multiple testing correction. Altogether, this study uncovers a differential microbiological signature between pediatric ESBL-Es carriers and non-carriers, despite an overall similar diversity and composition of their gut microbiota. Further studies are required to explore if these differences predispose to, or are a consequence of ESBL-Es carriage, and if modulation of the gut microbiota community may help to prevent or eliminate ESBL-Es colonization

Research funding: O.K.L. is supported by the Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) program from the Spanish Ministerio de Universidades (FPU2020-02907). D.C. acknowledges support from the Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) under the project PI16CIII/00024. The research was partly funded by projects MPY 380/18 and MPY 516/19 awarded to M.J.M. from the ISCIII. The T.G. group acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for grant PID2021-126067NB-I00, cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); from the Catalan Research Agency (AGAUR, SGR423); from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERC-2016-724173); from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant GBMF9742); from the “La Caixa” Foundation (Grant LCF/PR/HR21/00737); and from the ISCIII (IMPACT Grant IMP/00019 and CIBERINFEC CB21/13/00061 – ISCIII-SGEFI/ERDF). M.L.S. is a Serra Húnter fellow and acknowledges support from the Instituto Mixto de Investigación UNED (Grant IMIENS-2021-004-PII), the Catalan Research Agency (AGAUR, 2023 PROD 00034), and from the “La Caixa” Foundation (Grant LCF/TR/CI23/56000019)

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