High frequency of cephalosporinase over-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex in the environment in Guadeloupe (French West Indies)

Species belonging to Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) have been recovered for natural environment but are also involved in opportunistic infections in plants, animals and humans. Previous studies in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) have reported a high frequency of ECC strains resistant to third generation cephalosporins (3GC-R) in local anoles population but the distribution and the resistance background of ECC in humans and environment is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the distribution and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the ECC species and subspecies isolated from different sources in a One Health Approach and to identify the possible explanations of this high level of resistance to 3GCs in non-clinical samples.