Detection of Phenotypic and Genotypic Antibiotic Resistance among Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Different Food Samples in Yola

Abstract

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt This study investigates the phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistance of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food samples in Yola, revealing significant multi-drug resistance (MDR) in 72.72% of the isolates. The research highlights alarming resistance rates to commonly used antibiotics, including 100% resistance to ceftriaxone and the presence of resistance genes blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and sul1 in all MDR isolates. These findings underscore a potential public health crisis, indicating that future outbreaks of L. monocytogenes in the area may be difficult to control with the current antibiotic treatments. Full Abstract Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen implicated in several lethal illness outbreaks.  Future outbreaks may be more complicated to manage because of the surfacing of antibiotic resistance among L. monocytogenes strains in food products.  Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistance of L. monocytogenes previously isolated from different food samples in Yola.  Antibiotic resistance of L. monocytogenes was determined via disc diffusion and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).  Exactly 72.72% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR) with high resistance to Beta-Lactams and sulfonamides.  Percentage resistance to ceftriaxone, ampicillin, augmentin, cefuroxime, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were 100%, 72.7%, 64.0%, 64.0%, and 54.5% respectively.  The MDR isolates were subjected to PCR, and antibiotic resistance genes blaCTX-M, 7(100%), blaTEM, 7(100%), and sul1 7(100%) were detected in (72.72%) i.e. all the MDR isolates.  L. monocytogenes isolates from food samples in this study area exhibited phenotypic and genotypic resistance to multiple antibiotics.  This implies that future outbreaks of L. monocytogenes in the study area may be complicated to manage using the commonly used antibiotics tested in this study, representing a major public health concern.