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Emergence of methicillin resistance predates the clinical use of antibiotics

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Larsen, Jesper, Raisen, Claire L., Ba, Xiaoliang, Sadgrove, Nicholas J., Padilla-González, Guillermo F., Simmonds, Monique S. J., Loncaric, Igor, Kerschner, Heidrun, Apfalter, Petra, Hartl, Rainer et al.
(2022) Emergence of methicillin resistance predates the clinical use of antibiotics. Nature, 602 . pp. 135-141. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04265-w

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04265-w

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Abstract

The discovery of antibiotics more than 80 years ago has led to considerable improvements in human and animal health. Although antibiotic resistance in environmental bacteria is ancient, resistance in human pathogens is thought to be a modern phenomenon that is driven by the clinical use of antibiotics1. Here we show that particular lineages of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—a notorious human pathogen—appeared in European hedgehogs in the pre-antibiotic era. Subsequently, these lineages spread within the local hedgehog populations and between hedgehogs and secondary hosts, including livestock and humans. We also demonstrate that the hedgehog dermatophyte Trichophyton erinacei produces two β-lactam antibiotics that provide a natural selective environment in which methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates have an advantage over susceptible isolates. Together, these results suggest that methicillin resistance emerged in the pre-antibiotic era as a co-evolutionary adaptation of S. aureus to the colonization of dermatophyte-infected hedgehogs. The evolution of clinically relevant antibiotic-resistance genes in wild animals and the connectivity of natural, agricultural and human ecosystems demonstrate that the use of a One Health approach is critical for our understanding and management of antibiotic resistance, which is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QL Zoology
Q Science > QR Microbiology
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Life Sciences (2010- )
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Methicillin , Methicillin resistance , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Staphylococcus aureus , Trichophyton
Journal or Publication Title: Nature
Publisher: Nature Publishing
ISSN: 0028-0836
Official Date: 3 February 2022
Dates:
DateEvent
3 February 2022Published
5 January 2022Available
18 November 2021Accepted
Volume: 602
Page Range: pp. 135-141
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04265-w
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
IGA 20213106 Česká zemědělská univerzita v Prazehttp://viaf.org/viaf/155938031
NIHR200892National Institute for Health Researchhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272
G1001787/1[MRC] Medical Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000265
MR/P007201/1[MRC] Medical Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000265
MR/N002660/1[MRC] Medical Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000265
ES/S000186/1[ESRC] Economic and Social Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000269
MR/S00291X/1UK Research and Innovationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100014013

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