Publication Abstract
- Title
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Antimicrobial resistance in ornamental fish: contribution to the aquatic resistome.
- Publication Abstract
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Antimicrobial resistance in ornamental fish: contribution to the aquatic resistome.
D.W. Verner-Jeffreys*, T.J. Welch, T. Schwarz*, M.J. Pond, M. Woodward, S.J. Haig*, G. Rimmer*, E. Roberts*, V. Morrison, C. Baker-Austin*
More than 1 billion ornamental (pet) fish are traded internationally every year. Antimicrobials are used by owners and retailers to directly control bacterial infections. They are also routinely added to the water these fish are transported in to suppress the growth of potential pathogens during transport. This study investigated the likely effects of this sustained resistance selection pressure on the bacteria associated with these animals.
127 Aeromonas spp. isolated from warm water and coldwater ornamental fish species were screened for tolerance to 34 antimicrobials. Representative isolates were also examined for the presence of 54 resistance genes using a combination of the Identibac AMR-ve™ miniaturised micro-array and conventional PCR
Forty-seven of 94 Aeromonas spp. isolates recovered from tropical ornamental fish and their carriage water were individually tolerant to at least 15 antibiotics, representing seven or more different classes of antimicrobial. The quinolone and fluoroquinolone resistance gene, qnrS2, was detected at high frequency (37% tested recent isolates were positive by PCR). Class 1 integrons, IncA/C broad host range plasmids and a range of other antibiotic resistance genes, including floR, blaTEM−1, tet(A), tet(D), tet(E), qacE2, sul1, and a number of different dihydrofolate reductase and aminoglycoside transferase coding genes were also detected in carriage water samples and bacterial isolates.
The data suggests ornamental fish and their carriage water likely act as a reservoir for both multi-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. The significance of these tolerant bacteria from ornamental fish in acting as a potential reservoir for mobilisable antibiotic resistance should be systematically assessed. This should help prevent the potential spread of resistance to pathogens of human and animal health importance, and improve fish welfare and treatment.
- Publication Internet Address of the Data
- Publication Authors
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D.W. Verner-Jeffreys*, T.J. Welch, T. Schwarz*, M.J. Pond, M. Woodward, S.J. Haig*, G. Rimmer*, E. Roberts*, V. Morrison, C. Baker-Austin*
- Publication Date
- June 2010
- Publication Reference
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Antimicrobial Ressitance in zoonotoc bacteria and foodbourne pathogens in animals, humans and the environment. American Society for Microbiology. June 8-11 2010, Toronto, Canada
- Publication DOI: https://doi.org/
