Occurrence and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Burkholderia cepacia complex in coastal marine environment

Int J Environ Health Res. 2012;22(6):531-42. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2012.667797. Epub 2012 Mar 19.

Abstract

During an environmental study of bacterial resistance to antibiotics in coastal waters of the Kaštela Bay, Adriatic Sea, Croatia, 47 Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) isolates were recovered from seawater and mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) samples. All isolates showed multiple antibiotic resistance. Among the isolates, two Burkholderia cenocepacia isolates produced chromosomally encoded TEM-116 extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Analysis of outer membrane proteins revealed that decreased expression of a 36-kDa protein could be associated with a high level of β-lactam resistance in both isolates. Phenotypic study of efflux system also indicated an over-expression of Resistance-Nodulation-Cell Division (RND) efflux-mediated mechanism in one of the isolates. This study demonstrated the presence of Bcc in seawater and M. galloprovincialis, which gives evidence that coastal marine environment, including mussels, could be considered as a reservoir for Bcc species. Detection of ESBL-encoding genes indicates the potential role of these bacteria in the maintenance and dispersion of antibiotic resistance genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Burkholderia cepacia complex / drug effects
  • Burkholderia cepacia complex / genetics
  • Burkholderia cepacia complex / isolation & purification*
  • Croatia
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Dipeptides / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Fishes / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mytilus / microbiology*
  • Seawater / microbiology*
  • Water Pollutants / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Dipeptides
  • Water Pollutants
  • phenylalanylarginine-naphthylamide