Prevalence and Characteristics of Streptococcus agalactiae from Freshwater Fish and Pork in Hong Kong Wet Markets

Abstract

We report the antimicrobial resistance of 191 fish and 61 pork Group B Streptococcus (GBS) procured from Hong Kong wet markets. Two-hundred-and-fifty-two GBS strains were isolated from 992 freshwater fish and 361 pig offal during 2016–2019. The strains were isolated from homogenised samples and plated on selective media, followed by identification through MALDI-TOF-MS. Molecular characterisation, an antibiotic susceptibility test, and biofilm formation were performed on the strains. The isolation rates of the fish GBS and pig GBS were 19.3% (191 strains from 992 freshwater fish) and 16.9% (61 strains from 361 pig organs), respectively. The fish GBS was predominantly serotype Ia, ST7, while pig GBS was serotype III, ST651 (45 strains). An antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that the fish GBS were mostly antibiotic-sensitive, while the pig GBS were multidrug-resistant. A biofilm formation experiment showed that over 71% of fish GBS and all pig GBS had moderate biofilm formation ability. In general, the prevalence rate of GBS in animals and the multidrug resistance phenotype presented in the strains raise concerns about its zoonotic potential and effects on public health.