Class 1 Integrons in Aeromonas hydrophila Isolates from Farmed Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica)

The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial resistance of Aeromonas hydrophila isolated from farmed Nile Tilapia. A total of 50 A. hydrophila isolates from clinical cases were screened for the presence of class 1, 2 and 3 integrons and all the strains resistant to enrofloxacin and/or ciprofloxacin (n=19) examined for mutation in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA and parC. The intl1 gene was detected in 23 A. hydrophila strains (46%) but no intl2 and intl3 were detected. Among these, 14 isolates (60.8%) carried gene cassettes inserted in variable regions i.e., partial aadA2, aadA2, dfrAl-orfC and dfrAl2-aadA2, of which the most common gene cassette array was dfrAl2-aadA2 (26.09%). Conjugal transfer of class 1 integrons with resistance gene array was detected. All the A. hydrophila strains resistant to enrofloxacin and/or ciprofloxacin possessed mutations in the QRDRs of gyrA and parC. Only a Ser-83-Ile substitution was identified in GyrA and only a Ser-80-Ile amino change was found in ParC. The data confirms that A. hydrophila from farm-raised Nile Telapia serve as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance determinants.