High Prevalence of SXT/R391-Related Integrative and Conjugative Elements Carrying blaCMY-2 in Proteus mirabilis Isolates from Gulls in the South of France

The genetic structures involved in the dissemination of bla(CMY-2) carried by Proteus mirabilis isolates recovered from different gull species in the South of France were characterized and compared to clinical isolates. bla(CMY-2) was identified in P. mirabilis isolates from 27/93 yellow-legged gulls and from 37/65 slender-billed gulls. It was carried by a conjugative SXT/R391-like integrative and conjugative element (ICE) in all avian strains and in 3/7 human strains. Two clinical isolates had the same genetic background as six avian isolates.