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.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2024.204