First Isolation, Identification, and Whole-Genome Sequencing of a Multidrug-Resistant Bovine-Derived Providencia stuartii in China

作者：Rong-Jun Gong, Xue-li Ge, Jia-Min Ma, Yang-Sini Fu, J Y Chen, Man-Ting Li, Yuanzhang Zhao, Liang Zhu, Qing-Hong Guo, Xin-chao Liu, Wenchao Li · 发表于：Pathogens · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3390/pathogens15080789 · 研究领域：Veterinary medicine and infectious diseases、Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research、Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology

Background: Providencia stuartii is an opportunistic pathogen associated with multidrug resistance. However, its occurrence, genomic characteristics, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and pathogenic potential in cattle-associated isolates remain poorly understood. Methods: A P. stuartii strain was isolated from a rectal swab of a diarrheic beef cattle individual during bacterial investigation on a commercial farm in Anhui Province, China. The strain was identified by Gram staining, biochemical tests, 16S rRNA sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby–Bauer method, and resistance and virulence genes were detected by PCR and genomic analysis. Pathogenicity was evaluated in a murine infection model. Results: The isolate was confirmed as P. stuartii, with a 4.22 Mb genome and 41.28% GC content. It showed multidrug resistance, including resistance to eight antimicrobial agents. Genomic analysis revealed multiple resistance and virulence determinants, genomic islands, prophages, and CRISPR regions. Under high-dose intraperitoneal challenge conditions, the isolate caused dose-dependent mortality, systemic recovery from major organs, and histopathological lesions in mice. Conclusions: This study reports the genomic and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of a multidrug-resistant P. stuartii strain recovered from a rectal swab of diarrheic beef cattle in China. High-dose intraperitoneal inoculation demonstrated that the is...