Molecular Characterization and Drug Resistance Pattern of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Isolated from Poultry Meat and Meat Products
Rana Muhammad Abdullah1,
Sultan Ali1,
Bilal Aslam2 and Muhammad Imran Arshad1*
1Institute
of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 38000; 2Institute of
Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 38000
*Corresponding author:
drimranarshad@yahoo.com
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.
aeruginosa) is a multidrug-resistant (MDR) environment associated
microorganism that causes infections in animals and human. The present study
aimed to determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns and molecular
characteristics of P. aeruginosa. The molecular typing of P.
aeruginosa isolates was also performed. Poultry meat and meat product
samples (n=110) were collected. The samples were inoculated on MacConkey and
cetrimide agar for cultural identification and isolation. Gram staining and
biochemical tests were performed for confirmation. The confirmed isolates of
P. aeruginosa were then used for antibiotic susceptibility testing against
commonly used antibiotics including meropenem, amikacin, aztreonam, azithromycin,
enrofloxacin, and gentamicin. The virulence genes including exoU, exoS, lasR, rhlR, algD, pslD, and blaTEM were detected in
selected MDR isolates of P. aeruginosa. Among the poultry meat samples,
P. aeruginosa was more prevalent (50%) in fresh meat samples than others
[frozen meat (40%) and meat products (8%)]. Confirmed isolates were
Gram-negative, catalase positive, oxidase positive, beta-hemolytic, and
citrate-positive while colorless growth on MacConkey’s agar and green color
growth on cetrimide agar was observed. In antibiotic sensitivity testing,
results indicated that in poultry meat and meat product isolates, all P.
aeruginosa isolates were highly resistant to azithromycin (83%). High
resistance rate was also observed for aztreonam (67%), gentamicin (58%) and
enrofloxacin (50%) and all P. aeruginosa isolates were highly sensitive
to meropenem (84%) followed amikacin (75%). In molecular detection of virulence
genes, poultry meat samples, exoU, algD, and their genes showed comparable prevalence (80%). The
prevalence of drug resistance genes in P. aeruginosa from poultry meat
samples was as follows; blaTEM (95%), tetR (0%), exoU (25%), exoS
(30%), algD (80%), pslD (85%),
lasR (85%) and rhlR
(80%). In summary, the presence of virulent genes in P. aeruginosa
isolates enables them to harbor antibiotic resistance and acts as an MDR public
health pathogen with the potential to transfer to humans via the food chain.
To Cite This Article:
Abdullah RM, Ali S, Aslam B and Arshad MI, 2024. Molecular
characterization and drug resistance pattern of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from poultry meat and meat
products. Pak Vet J, 44(3): 812-818.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2024.204