Short Communication: Enterotoxin Genes and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacillus cereus Isolated from Garlic Chives and Agricultural Environment

Jieun Jung, Hyeonsuk Jin, Seungmi Seo, Myeongin Jeong, Boeun Kim, Kyoungyul Ryu and Kwangkyo Oh ()
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Jieun Jung: Functional Food Division, Department of Agro-Food Resources, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeolloabuk-do, Korea
Hyeonsuk Jin: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Seungmi Seo: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Myeongin Jeong: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Boeun Kim: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Kyoungyul Ryu: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Kwangkyo Oh: Microbial Safety Division, Department of Agro-food Safety and Crop Protection, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Jeollabuk-do, Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-7

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the enterotoxin profiles and antibiotic susceptibility of Bacillus cereus isolated from garlic chives and environmental samples. A total of 103 B. cereus isolates were used to identify enterotoxin genes, including hblA, hblC, hblD, nheA, nheB , and nheC . The hemolysin BL enterotoxin complex ( hblACD ) was detected in 38 isolates (36.9%), and the non-hemolytic enterotoxin complex ( nheABC ) was detected in 8 (7.8%) isolates. Forty-five isolates (43.7%) had hblACD and nheABC genes. B. cereus was resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and susceptible to non-β-lactam antibiotics. However, some B. cereus strains showed intermediate resistance to β-lactam and non-β-lactam antibiotics. B. cereus isolated from garlic chives showed intermediate resistance to cefotaxime (7.7%), rifampin (15.4%), clindamycin (30.8%), erythromycin (7.7%), and tetracycline (7.7%). B. cereus isolates from the agricultural environment were moderately resistant to cefotaxime (18.9%), rifampin (15.6%), clindamycin (12.2%), erythromycin (4.4%), and tetracycline (5.6%). Moreover, B. cereus isolates from garlic chives and cultivation environments could change their antibiotic resistance profile from susceptible to intermediate-resistant to rifampin, clindamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline and exhibit multidrug resistance. These results indicate that continuous monitoring of B. cereus contamination in the produce and agricultural environment might be needed to ensure the safety of consuming fresh vegetables.

Keywords: agricultural environment; antibiotic resistance; Bacillus cereus; enterotoxin; garlic chive (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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