quetiapine-fumarate and Escherichia-coli-Infections

Atypical antipsychotic (AAP) medication is a critical tool for treating symptoms of psychiatric disorders. While AAPs primarily target dopamine (D2) and serotonin (5HT2A and 5HT1A) receptors, they also exhibit intrinsic antimicrobial activity as an off-target effect. Because AAPs are often prescribed to patients for many years, a potential risk associated with long-term AAP use is the unintended emergence of bacteria with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here, we show that exposure to the AAP quetiapine at estimated gut concentrations promotes AMR in Escherichia coli after 6 weeks. Quetiapine-exposed isolates exhibited an increase in MICs for ampicillin, tetracycline, ceftriaxone, and levofloxacin. By whole-genome sequencing analysis, we identified mutations in genes that confer AMR, including the repressor for the multiple antibiotic resistance

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antipsychotic Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Escherichia coli Proteins; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Quetiapine Fumarate; Repressor Proteins