Environmental waters and blaNDM-1 in Belgrade, Serbia: endemicity questioned

K Novovic; B Filipic; K Veljovic; J Begovic; N Mirkovic; B Jovcic

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.072

Environmental waters and blaNDM-1 in Belgrade, Serbia: endemicity questioned

Sci Total Environ. 2015 Apr 1:511:393-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.072. Epub 2015 Jan 5.

Authors

K Novovic¹, B Filipic², K Veljovic¹, J Begovic¹, N Mirkovic³, B Jovcic⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Vojvode Stepe 444a, P.O. Box 23, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia.
² University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Vojvode Stepe 444a, P.O. Box 23, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Pharmacy, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia.
³ University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, Belgrade, Serbia.
⁴ University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Vojvode Stepe 444a, P.O. Box 23, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: bjovcic@bio.bg.ac.rs.

PMID: 25569574
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.072

Abstract

New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) will soon become the most commonly isolated and distributed metallo-beta-lactamase worldwide due to its rapid international dissemination and its ability to be expressed by numerous Gram-negative pathogens. NDM-positive bacteria pose a significant public health threat in the Indian subcontinent and the Balkans, which have been designated as endemic regions. Our study was focused on urban rivers, a lake and springheads as a potential source of NDM-1-producing strains in Serbia, but also as a source of other metallo-beta-lactamases and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria. A total of 69 beta-lactam resistant isolates, belonging to 12 bacterial genera, were collected from 8 out of 10 different locations in Belgrade, of which the most were from a popular recreational site, Ada Ciganlija Lake. Phenotypic tests revealed 7 (10.14%) ESBL-producing isolates and 39 (56.52%) isolates resistant to imipenem, of which 32 were positive for metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) production. PCR and sequencing revealed the presence of genetic determinants for SHV (3 isolates), DHA-1 (1 isolate) and CMY-2 (1 isolate) beta-lactamases. However, we did not detect any NDM-1-producing strains (previously described cases of NDM-1 from Serbia were limited to Belgrade), so we propose that Serbian NDM-1 is in fact a transplant and a nosocomial, rather than an environmental, issue and that Serbia is not an endemic region for NDM-1.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Environment; New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
Environmental Monitoring*
Humans
Serbia
Water Microbiology*
beta-Lactamases / analysis*
beta-Lactamases / genetics

Substances

beta-Lactamases
beta-lactamase NDM-1