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Microbes & Immunity Food chain milieus as a reserver for multidrug resistance

Table 3. Result of plasmid curing experiment on selected effectively treat some common bacterial (microbial)
isolates infections and put more pressure on the available
antibiotics since the rate at which microorganisms
Antibiotics Pre‑curing Number Number of isolates
(number of of isolates still resistant (bacteria) evolve resistance has surpassed the speed
resistant isolates) cured (post‑curing) at which new antimicrobials that can withstand some
Ceftriaxone 5 3 2 multidrug-resistant organisms are developed.
Cefoxitin 5 4 1 In this work, we reported the antibiotic resistance
Imipenem 4 3 1 and plasmid profile of P. aeruginosa isolates from poultry
Ceftazidime 4 3 1 milieus in Enugu, Nigeria. Pseudomonas isolates exhibited
notable reduced susceptibility to the tested antibiotics,
Ertapenem 5 4 2 particularly to drugs in the following classes: Carbapenems,
Cefotaxime 4 3 1 cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones.
In no particular order, they were resistant to FOS (55.5%),
(Figure 1). Overall, MBL was phenotypically detected in CIP (66.7%), TE (75%), ETP (55.5), SXT (66.7), CTX
23 carbapenem-resistant isolates of P. aeruginosa (63.9%). (77.8%), IPM (69.4%), CN (63.9%), AK (58.3%), and FOX
The results of the molecular investigation to determine (52.8%). Moreover, the isolates also exhibited high levels
the genes responsible for metallo-β-lactamase production in of multidrug resistance to more than 50% of the tested
the P. aeruginosa isolates are presented in Table 2. Based on antibiotics, particularly carbapenems, aminoglycosides,
our results, the bla IMP-1 and bla IMP-2 MBL genes were detected cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones.
by PCR in the Pseudomonas isolates investigated. The A study in Egypt reported that about 50 – 90% of the
NDM and VIM MBL genes were not observed. Only 11 P. Pseudomonas strains exhibited high rates of resistance
aeruginosa isolates harbored bla IMP-1 MBL genes, and only six to antibiotics such as carbapenems, cephalosporins,
Pseudomonas isolates harbored bla MBL genes (Table 2).
IMP-2 aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones, as reported in our
Gene amplification for bla IMP-1 MBL in P. aeruginosa study. Another study in China corroborates our results
18
isolates was positive in the electrophoretogram with a of high levels of resistance and indicates that P. aeruginosa
band size of 587 bp (Figure 2). The bla VIM MBL genes were isolates from Chinese poultry farms and chickens exhibited
not observed. The results of the plasmid curing experiment high levels of resistance to some clinically relevant
are presented in Table 3. The results revealed that most antibiotics, such as cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and
antibiotic-resistant isolates that produced MBL in this fluoroquinolones. 5,19
study were plasmid-mediated. To the best of our knowledge, our study revealed
The MARI indicated that the MBL-producing that out of the 36 isolates of P. aeruginosa recovered
P. aeruginosa isolates recovered from the samples were from poultry samples, only 23 of the total recovered
multiply resistant to the tested antibiotics. Multidrug isolates were positive for MBL production. To further
resistance in the P. aeruginosa isolates was particularly confirm MBL production, the results of our PCR analysis
recorded against antibiotics in the following classes: TEs, confirmed MBL production in a total of 17 isolates. Several
carbapenems, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and studies have shown an increase in the development and
fluoroquinolones. community transmission of MBL-producing bacteria in
hospitals, as reported in our study. 5,7,20 Furthermore, the
4. Discussion results from our study corroborate previous studies that
In our bid to sustainably contain the development and have reported the prevalence of MBL-producing bacteria
7,11
community transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in livestock and poultry. In this study, we detected the
and genes in the human population and the general bla IMP-1 MBL genes (47.8%), while the bla IMP-2 MBL genes
environment, it is vital to strengthen environmental were observed in 6 isolates (26.1%) from poultry milieus.
actions of antibiotic usage and resistance containment The NDM and other MBL genes were not observed in this
in the “One Health” concept since the health of humans, current study. The genes detected in this study (bla IMP-1 and
animals, and the environment are interconnected. The rate bla IMP-2 ) have been previously reported in China, Egypt,
at which pathogenic bacteria from both the hospital and and Nigeria as important genes responsible for mediating
the general environment are becoming resistant and even MBL production in Gram-negative bacteria, including P.
5,8,18,19
multiply resistant to some current antibiotic treatments aeruginosa isolates.
has significantly increased over the past decade, according The rate of MBL resistance genes detected in this study
to studies. 4,9,11,14 This has also jeopardized our effort to is higher than the rate detected in Egypt (11%), Algeria

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 64 doi: 10.36922/mi.2319