Plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistant escherichia coli in Sarawak rivers and aquaculture farms, Northwest of Borneo
Background: The emergence of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli in water resources could pose a serious threat to public health. The study aims to investigate the dispersion of plasmid-mediated antibiotic-resistant E. coli from six rivers in Sarawak and two aquaculture farm...
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Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI
2021
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36168/1/antibiotic1.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36168/ https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/7/776 https:// doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10070776 |
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Summary: | Background: The emergence of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli in
water resources could pose a serious threat to public health. The study aims to investigate the dispersion of plasmid-mediated antibiotic-resistant E. coli from six rivers in Sarawak and two aquaculture
farms in Borneo. Methods: A total of 74 water samples were collected for the determination of their
bacteria colony count. An IMViC test identified 31 E. coli isolates and tested their susceptibility against
twelve clinically important antibiotics. The extraction of plasmid DNA was done using alkali lysis
SDS procedures. Characteristics, including plasmid copy number, molecular weight size, resistance
rate and multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR), were assessed. Results: Our findings revealed that
bacterial counts in rivers and aquaculture farms ranged from log 2.00 to 3.68 CFU/mL and log 1.70 to
5.48 cfu/mL, respectively. Resistance to piperacillin (100%) was observed in all E. coli; resistance
to amoxicillin (100%) and ampicillin (100%) was observed in E. coli found in aquaculture farms;
resistance to streptomycin (93%) was observed in E. coli found in rivers. All E. coli were resistant
to ≥2 antibiotics and formed 26 MAR profiles, ranging from an index of 0.17 to 0.83, indicating
that there are high risks of contamination. Some (48.4%) of the E. coli were detected with plasmids
(1.2 to >10 kb), whereas 51.6% of the E. coli did not harbor any plasmids. The plasmid copy numbers
reported were one plasmid (n = 7), two plasmids (n = 4), ≥ two plasmids (4). E. coli isolated from the
Muara Tuang River showed the highest-molecular-weight plasmids. A statistical analysis revealed
that there is no significant correlation (r = 0.21, p = 0.253) between the number of plasmids and
the MAR index of the tested isolates. Conclusion: The distribution of MAR in E. coli from rivers is
higher compared to the aquaculture environment. Our study suggests that MAR in isolates could be
chromosome-mediated. Our results suggest that riverbed sediments could serve as reservoirs for
MAR bacteria, including pathogens, under different climatic conditions, and their analysis could
provide information for public health concerns. |
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