PJB-2025-352
AGRICULTURAL SOILS AS RESERVOIRS OF SOIL-BORNE ENTEROCOCCI WITH MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE, EXTENSIVE DRUG RESISTANCE, AND MULTIVIRULENCE TRAITS
SYED ABID ALI
Abstract
Present study aims to investigate the diversity of Enterococcus species in agriculture soil (AS) samples along with the occurrence of antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants. Total 118 enterococcal isolates were recovered and classified according to 16S rRNA and SodA genes multiplex-PCR analysis into E. faecium (E.fm; 76%), E. faecalis (E.fl; 17%) and E. casseliflavus (E.cas; 3%). Antibiogram analyses revealed high resistance level against bacitracin and kanamycin (74.5%) followed by ciprofloxacin (51.6%). 91.5% isolates were resistant to heavy metal zinc. 18 isolates were high-level gentamicin resistant enterococci (HLGRE; MIC≥512µg/ml) out of which 66% contained aac6-aph2 and ermB gene, 39% contained aph (3)-IIIa gene, while tetM, tetL and Tn916-1545 was detected in 55%, 33%, 69% isolates, respectively. 15% isolates were classified as extensive drug resistant (XDR) while 43% were multi drug resistant (MDR), mostly resistant to kanamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin. BOX and RAPD PCR was used to analyze genetic heterogeneity among HLGRE. E.fl showed the highest prevalence of virulence genes including efaAfs, ace, asa, agg, espTIM, ccf, eep, cob, cpd, gelE, sprE, fsrA/B/C, cylA/B/M/LL/S, lip-fl, and kat. E.fm was shown to possess entA/B/P, cylA/LL/, lip-fm, efaAfm, acm and asa genes. 45% E.fl were beta-hemolytic followed by 36% E.fm. IS16 gene, urease and DNase activity were not detected in any of the isolates. Conclusively, The study underscores the significance of AS as potential reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant and virulent enterococci and calls for heightened surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship, especially in the context of the "One Health" approach, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
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