Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms and Antibiotic Resistance Microorganisms from Beehives Located in Palm, Corn and Longan Plantations, Thailand

Sirikwan Dokuta; Sumed Yadoung; Peerapong Jeeno; Sayamon Hongjaisee; Phadungkiat Khamnoi; Sirinya Manochomphu; Khanchai Danmek; Jakkrawut Maitip; Bajaree Chuttong; Surat Hongsibsong

doi:10.3390/microorganisms11122855

Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms and Antibiotic Resistance Microorganisms from Beehives Located in Palm, Corn and Longan Plantations, Thailand

Microorganisms. 2023 Nov 24;11(12):2855. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11122855.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Health Sciences Research, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
² Environmental Sciences Program, Faculty of Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
³ Microbiology Unit, Diagnostic Laboratory, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
⁴ School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand.
⁵ Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, Rayong Campus, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Bankhai 21120, Thailand.
⁶ Meliponini and Apini Research Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
⁷ Environmental, Occupational Health Sciences and NCD Center of Excellence, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

Abstract

This study aims to determine the prevalence of microorganisms and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in beehives located on different plantations in Thailand. Seventeen swabs immersed in transport media were utilized for samples from different zones within beehives. Traditional microbial culture-based methods, biochemical tests, MALDI-TOF MS (VITEK^® MS, bioMerieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France), and antibiotic drug susceptibility (disk-diffusion) tests were used to detect microorganism and antimicrobial resistance bacteria. The results from 16 beehive swabs found Gram-positive bacteria at 59.5%, Gram-negative bacteria at 35.1%, and fungi (yeast) at 5.4%. These organisms are classified as 11, 11, and 2 types of Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi (yeast), respectively. Furthermore, no organism showed resistance to vancomycin or cefoxitin for antibiotic drug susceptibility testing. In contrast, all Acinetobacter spp. were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, imipenem, and meropenem, except for Acinetobacter schindleri, which was resistant to ceftazidime and cefotaxime. For other organisms, due to the limitations of tests to identify some environmental microbial species, the antimicrobial susceptibility test results cannot be interpreted as resistant or susceptible to the drug for these organisms. The study's findings will support prevention, healthcare services, and public health systems.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance; beehive; microorganisms; plantations in Thailand.

Grants and funding

This research is supported by NSRF via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research, and was funded by the Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.