Antibiotic resistance in vancomycin-resistant lactic acid bacteria (VRLAB) isolated from foods of animal origin

Akpınar Kankaya D., Tuncer Y.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol.44, 2020 (Journal Indexed in SCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 44
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/jfpp.14468
  • Title of Journal : Journal of Food Processing and Preservation
  • Keywords: animal foods, antibiotic resistance genes, lactic acid bacteria, vancomycin resistance, BIOGENIC-AMINE PRODUCTION, ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE, ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM, MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION, PEDIOCOCCUS-PENTOSACEUS, SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS, PROBIOTIC PROPERTIES, FERMENTED SAUSAGES, VIRULENCE FACTORS, SPECIES LEVEL

Abstract

In this study, antibiotic resistance in 47 vancomycin-resistant lactic acid bacteria (VRLAB), isolated from 340 foods of animal origin obtained in Turkey, were investigated. VRLAB isolates were molecularly identified asEnterococcus gallinarum(44.68%),Pediococcus pentosaceus(25.53%),P. acidilactici(12.77%),E. casseliflavus(6.38%),E. casseliflavus/E. gallinarum(4.26%),Weissella cibaria(2.13%),W. confusa(2.13%), andW. minor(2.13%). The disk diffusion test results showed that 57.45%, 53.19%, 44.68%, and 44.68% of VRLAB were resistant to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, teicoplanin, and vancomycin, respectively. It was found that all thePediococcusandWeissellaisolates and 53.85% of theEnterococcusisolates had multiple antibiotic resistance. Various transferable antibiotic resistance genes were found in the VRLAB using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The most common antibiotic resistance genes in the VRLAB isolates werevanC1(46.81%),tetM(23.4%), andermB(19.15%). Practical applications Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a key role in food fermentations. However, antibiotic resistance in LAB is a concern because these bacteria can, potentially, be a reservoir that facilitates the spread of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogenic bacteria. Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic that is used as a last resort in the cure of multidrug-resistant enterococci. In this study, vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus,Pediococcus,andWeissellastrains were isolated from foods of animal origin. Several transferable antibiotic resistance genes were detected in these isolates. The results of this study indicated that VRLAB strains isolated from foods of animal origin may be the reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes. Our findings suggest that antibiotic resistance profiles and resistance genes, in addition to industrial characteristics, should be investigated when selecting LAB from foods of animal origin to be used as starter cultures.