Heavy Metal Tolerance Trend in Extended-Spectrum ?-Lactamase Encoding Strains Recovered from Food Samples

Kashaf Junaid, Hasan Ejaz, Iram Asim, Sonia Younas, Humaira Yasmeen, Abualgasim Elgaili Abdalla, Khalid Omer Abdalla Abosalif, Ayman Ali Mohammed Alameen, Naveed Ahmad, Syed Nasir Abbas Bukhari and Abdul Rehman
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Kashaf Junaid: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Skaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Hasan Ejaz: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Skaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Iram Asim: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Women University, Multan 66000, Pakistan
Sonia Younas: Department of Pathology, Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Kamoke, Kamoke 50661, Pakistan
Humaira Yasmeen: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Women University, Multan 66000, Pakistan
Abualgasim Elgaili Abdalla: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Skaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Khalid Omer Abdalla Abosalif: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Skaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Ayman Ali Mohammed Alameen: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Skaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Naveed Ahmad: Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Syed Nasir Abbas Bukhari: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Abdul Rehman: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: This study evaluates bacteriological profiles in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and assesses antibiotic resistance, extended-spectrum ?-lactamase (ESBL) production by gram-negative bacteria, and heavy metal tolerance. In total, 436 retail food samples were collected and cultured. The isolates were screened for ESBL production and molecular detection of ESBL-encoding genes. Furthermore, all isolates were evaluated for heavy metal tolerance. From 352 culture-positive samples, 406 g-negative bacteria were identified. Raw food samples were more often contaminated than refined food (84.71% vs. 76.32%). The predominant isolates were Klebsiella pneumoniae ( n = 76), Enterobacter cloacae ( n = 58), and Escherichia coli ( n = 56). Overall, the percentage of ESBL producers was higher in raw food samples, although higher occurrences of ESBL-producing E. coli ( p = 0.01) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( p = 0.02) were observed in processed food samples. However, the prevalence of ESBL-producing Citrobacter freundii in raw food samples was high ( p = 0.03). Among the isolates, 55% were bla CTX-M , 26% were bla SHV , and 19% were bla TEM . Notably, heavy metal resistance was highly prevalent in ESBL producers. These findings demonstrate that retail food samples are exposed to contaminants including antibiotics and heavy metals, endangering consumers.

Keywords: processed food; food contaminants; heavy metals; beta-lactamase; ESBL (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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