Resistance to Antibiotics, Biocides, Preservatives and Metals in Bacteria Isolated from Seafoods: Co-Selection of Strains Resistant or Tolerant to Different Classes of Compounds

Abstract

Multi-drug resistant bacteria (particularly those producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases) have become a major health concern. The continued exposure to antibiotics, biocides, chemical preservatives, and metals in different settings such as the food chain or in the environment may result in development of multiple resistance or co-resistance. The aim of the present study was to determine multiple resistances (biocides, antibiotics, chemical preservatives, phenolic compounds, and metals) in bacterial isolates from seafoods. A 75.86% of the 87 isolates studied were resistant to at least one antibiotic or one biocide, and 6.90% were multiply resistant to at least three biocides and at least three antibiotics. Significant (P < 0.05) moderate or strong positive correlations were detected between tolerances to biocides, between antibiotics, and between antibiotics with biocides and other antimicrobials. A sub-set of 30 isolates selected according to antimicrobial resistance profile and food type were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and tested for copper and zinc tolerance. Then, the genetic determinants for biocide and metal tolerance and antibiotic resistance were investigated. The selected isolates were identified as Pseudomonas (63.33%), Acinetobacter (13.33%), Aeromonas (13.33%), Shewanella, Proteus and Listeria (one isolate each). Antibiotic resistance determinants detected included sul1 (43.33% of tested isolates), sul2 (6.66%), blaTEM (16.66%), blaCTX−M (16.66%), blaPSE (10.00%), blaIMP (3.33%), blaNDM−1 (3.33%), floR (16.66%), aadA1 (20.0%), and aac(6′)-Ib (16.66%). The only biocide resistance determinant detected among the selected isolates was qacEΔ1 (10.00%). A 23.30 of the selected isolates were able to grow on media containing 32 mM copper sulfate, and 46.60% on 8 mM zinc chloride. The metal resistance genes pcoA/copA, pcoR, and chrB were detected in 36.66, 6.66, and 13.33% of selected isolates, respectively. Twelve isolates tested positive for both metal and antibiotic resistance genes, including one isolate positive for the carbapenemase gene blaNDM−1 and for pcoA/copA. These results suggest that exposure to metals could co-select for antibiotic resistance and also highlight the potential of bacteria on seafoods to be involved in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes.

Is antimicrobial administration to food animals a direct threat to human health? A rapid systematic review

“…[17] The finding that use of one antimicrobial can result in selection for resistance to a different antimicrobial class, [18,28,29] and the apparent spontaneous appearance of resistance without any direct exposure to the implicated antimicrobial, [18,[29][30][31][32] such as biocides and heavy metals (e.g. copper, zinc) requires further investigation, [33][34][35] particularly where they are used as replacements for traditional antimicrobials in food animals for growth promotion and/or therapeutic or prophylactic purposes. [36,37]…”

Resistome in Lake Bolonha, Brazilian Amazon: Identification of Genes Related to Resistance to Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics

“…Although there are no reports in the literature confirming the dumping of contaminated water from these sources into Lake Bolonha, the identification of genes associated with antibiotic resistance in Lake Bolonha may be an indication of the presence of antibiotics in this lake. Other contaminants, such as metals and biocides, have been described as selectors of antibiotic resistance (Pal et al, 2017;Romero et al, 2017). However, the concentrations of antibiotics, metals and biocides should have been determined to confirm the presence of these contaminants in Lake Bolonha.…”

Disinfectant and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Campylobacter coli Isolated in 1998 to 1999 and 2015 from Swine and Commercial Pork Chops

“…The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens worldwide as well as a lack of new drug development is a concern in both human and veterinary medicine (CDC, 2013;Ventola, 2015). Research studies show that there is bacterial resistance to biocides (Davin-Regli & Pagès, 2012;Maillard, 2007;Russell, 2002;Slipski, Zhanel, & Bay, 2018;Tumah, 2009), and biocide use has resulted in cross-resistance to antimicrobials (Al-Jailawi, Ameen, & Al-Jeboori, 2013;Beier, Bischoff, Ziprin, Poole, & Nisbet, 2005;Braoudaki & Hilton, 2004;Davin-Regli & Pagès, 2012;Gnanadhas, Marathe, & Chakravortty, 2013;Maris, 1991;Romaro, Burgos, Pérez-Pulido, Gálvez, & Lucas, 2017;Sidhu, Heir, Leegaard, Wiger, & Holck, 2002;Wales & Davies, 2015;Wand, Bock, Bonney, & Sutton, 2017) producing a real risk that increased biocide use may exacerbate the trend of increasing AMR in pathogenic organisms (Fraise, 2002).…”