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Seasonal prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing bacteria in food-chain animals; humans; and the surrounding environment in Fayoum governorate: a one health approach
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DOI：10.3389/fmicb.2026.1726798.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers; particularly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae; pose a growing One Health challenge influenced by seasonal variation. This study assessed seasonal impacts on ESBL prevalence among humans; animals; and farm environments. A total of 2; 890 poultry samples; 864 samples from dairy cows (including 88 milk samples and 776 rectal swabs); 248 human fecal samples (118 farm workers and 130 hospitalized patients) and 583 environmental samples were collected from Fayoum governorate; across three seasons. The isolation data revealed significant seasonal impacts; particularly in dairy cows and environmental samples; with source-related differences evident within the same season. The phenotypic and genotypic ESBL- analysis of all isolates from different sources across seasons showed that ESBL-producing E. coli demonstrated comparable prevalence in summer (14.68%) and fall (15%) before declining in winter (7.5%); while K. pneumoniae showed the highest prevalence in winter (29.4%); with lower detection in summer (11.9%) and absence in fall. Significant seasonal differences were detected; with ESBL-producing E. coli prevalence varying across sources in the fall (p = 0.039) and ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae showing variation in poultry across seasons (p = 0.042). Environmental isolates exhibited fluctuating trends; highlighting the role of farm environments in ESBL persistence and dissemination. At the genetic level; blaSHV and blaCTX-M1 demonstrated seasonal variation; whereas blaTEM showed no variation. Heat-map and hierarchical clustering showed significant correlation among harboring ESBL-genes; particularly blaSHV and blaCTX-M1; and resistance profiles to β-lactams antibiotics; as well as to non-beta-lactam antibiotics. Additionally; source- and species-based seasonal effects were observed in the prevalence of E. coli; K. pneumoniae; and their associated ESBL traits. The results further demonstrated that genotypic resistance determinants (bla genes) are significantly linked to phenotypic resistance; especially to β-lactams; and also reflected multi-drug resistance patterns that indicate co-selection across unrelated antibiotic classes. These findings highlight the public health significance of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae; both as pathogens and as disseminators of multidrug resistance determinants; emphasizing the need for One Health surveillance. To the best of our knowledge; this is the first systematic and comprehensive investigation of ESBL prevalence across animal; human and environmental; over three distinct seasons.
Keywords:
Escherichia coli
Klebsiella pneumoniae
seasonal variation
extended-spectrum β-lactamase
β-lactam antibiotics
bla genes
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