Molecular Characterization of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Genes in Multidrug-Resistant Isolated From Wastewater Generated From the Hospital Environment.

AIM

This study investigated the carriage of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance (PMQR) genes in fluoroquinolone-resistant recovered from wastewater generated by healthcare institutions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Isolation of fluoroquinolone-resistant was done on medium supplemented with 1 µg/mL of ciprofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone). Presumptive isolates were identified via the detection of gene. Susceptibility of the isolates to a panel of antibiotics was done using disc diffusion method. Detection of PMQR genes in the isolates was done using primer-specific PCR.

RESULTS

Thirty fluoroquinolone-resistant were obtained from the wastewater over a period of 6 months. The resistance to each of the antibiotic tested was: ampicillin (100%), ceftriaxone (100%), nalidixic acid (100%), tetracycline (96.7%), cefotaxime (96.7%), amoxicillin-clavulanate (80%), gentamicin (60%), cefoxitin (30%), and imipenem (3.3%). The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) ranged from 0.6 to 0.9. The detection of PMQR genes in the 30 isolates was: (76.7%), (53.3%), (63.3%), (43.3%), and (43.3%). All the fluoroquinolone-resistant carried at least one PMQR determinant.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that untreated hospital wastewaters are significant hub of multidrug-resistant and fluoroquinolone-resistant , showing high carriage of PMQR genes, and may be a major contributor to the resistome of fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria in the Nigerian environment.