Community spread and acquisition of clinically relevant Escherichia coli harbouring blaNDM among healthy Japanese residents of Yangon, Myanmar.

BACKGROUND Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are spreading in hospitals, environment and retail foods in Yangon, Myanmar. OBJECTIVES To investigate whether CPE colonize healthy individuals living in Yangon and whether clinical-related strains are spreading in the community. METHODS CPE was isolated from faecal samples obtained from healthy Japanese residents of Yangon with no history of hospitalization. Isolates were subjected to WGS using short- and long-read sequencers and compared with those previously isolated in Yangon. RESULTS Six Escherichia coli strains harbouring blaNDM-1 or blaNDM-5 belonging to five different STs-ST10, ST38, ST48, ST410 and ST8453-were isolated from 69 volunteers. The ST38 isolates were related to those previously isolated from retail food in Yangon. The ST410 and ST8453 isolates were highly related to previous Yangon isolates including those of clinical and food origins. CONCLUSIONS The analysis suggested the acquisition of blaNDM-positive E. coli, which are disseminating in a clinical setting and through retail foods, by healthy residents in Yangon.