Emergence of Escherichia coliharbouring mcr-1and mcr-3genes in North West Algerian farmlands

•Analysis of colistin resistance in 40 environmental samples from eight farmlands in North West Algeria.•Among 103 colistin-resistant isolates, 52 were from agricultural soil, 31 from irrigation water and 20 from manure.•Among 8 Escherichia coliisolates, 6 carried the mcr-1gene and 2 carried the mcr-3gene.•The 8 E. coliisolates had colistin MICs of 2–4 μg/mL and belonged to 4 different STs (ST10, ST155, ST345 and ST405).•First description of the mcr-3gene from Algerian farms.