Study of pandrug and heavy metal resistance among E. coli from anthropogenically influenced Delhi stretch of river Yamuna

Revista de microbiologia

Azam, Mudsser¹  Kumar, Ashutosh²  Jan, Arif Tasleem³ 

[1] Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India;Kasuma School of Biological Sciences, New Delhi, India;School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Rajouri, India

关键词: Antibiotic resistance;    ESBLs;    Heavy metal resistance;    Polluted environment;    Resistance genes.;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.bjm.2017.11.001

学科分类：农业科学（综合）

来源: Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia / Brazilian Society for Microbiology

【 摘 要 】

Escalating burden of antibiotic resistance that has reached new heights present a grave concern to mankind. As the problem is no longer confined to clinics, we hereby report identification of a pandrug resistant Escherichia coli isolate from heavily polluted Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, India. E. coli MRC11 was found sensitive only to tobramycin against 21 antibiotics tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration values >256 µg/mL for amoxicillin, carbenicillin, aztreonam, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Addition of certain heavy metals at higher concentrations were ineffective in increasing susceptibility of E. coli MRC11 to antibiotics. Withstanding sub-optimal concentration of cefotaxime (10 µg/mL) and mercuric chloride (2 µg/mL), and also resistance to their combinatorial use, indicates better adaptability in heavily polluted environment through clustering and expression of resistance genes. Interestingly, E. coli MRC11 harbours two different variants of blaTEM (blaTEM-116 and blaTEM-1 with and without extended-spectrum activity, respectively), in addition to mer operon (merB, merP and merT) genes. Studies employing conjugation, confirmed localization of blaTEM-116, merP and merT genes on the conjugative plasmid. Understanding potentialities of such isolates will help in determining risk factors attributing pandrug resistance and strengthening strategic development of new and effective antimicrobial agents.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC