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Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emerged as a major challenge to public health and significantly impacting the global economy. Infections due to multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria are difficult to treat and cause financial burden on patients. Environment may serve as a genetic pool of several drug resistant genes and help bacteria to emerge as notorious superbugs. This study aimed to characterize MDR bacterial isolates from environmental samples and comparative analysis of MDR and multi-drug sensitive (MDS) strains for the expression of virulence factors. Twenty six (n=26) different environmental samples (water, soil, air and surface) were collected for the purpose. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed using 12 antibiotics belongs to six different antibiotic classes. The potential virulence factors were determined among MDR and MDS isolates. Thirty (n=30) bacterial isolates belong to 13 different genera (Staphylococcus spp.