Phenotypic and Molecular Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance in Lactobacilli of Poultry Origin from Lahore, Pakistan

Acquired antibiotic resistance in lactobacilli poses a significant threat to public health. This study presents phenotypic and molecular analysis of antibiotic resistance in lactobacilli of poultry gut origin. A total of 105 Lactobacillus spp. isolates including 59 from indigenous and 46 from commercial poultry were recovered. Lactobacilli were identified by genus specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting 16SrDNA-23S rDNA inter-spacer region. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of different antibiotics were determined by broth micro dilution method. Antibiotic resistance genes for erythromycin [erm(B)] and tetracycline [tet(M)] were amplified by PCR and sequenced for homology analysis. Antibiotic resistance against cephradine (67.39% vs 55.93%), cefuroxime (100% vs 77.96%), erythromycin (86.95% vs 38.98%), tetracycline (41.30% vs 32.2%), ciprofloxacin (91.30% vs 84.74%), levofloxacin (97.82% vs 81.35%) and ofloxacin (95.65% vs 88.13%) were comparatively higher in lactobacilli of commercial poultry origin as compared to indigenous poultry. Resistance against ampicillin was slightly higher in back yard (49.15%) as compared to commercial poultry (43.47%). Overall, a high level resistance against cefuroxime (87.61%), levofloxacin (88.57%), ofloxacin (91.42%), ciprofloxacin (87.61%), and moderate level resistance against cephradine (60.95%), ampicillin (46.66%), tetracycline (36.19%) and erythromycin (60%) was observed. Erythromycin and tetracycline resistant genes term (B), and tet(M), respectively] were successfully amplified from phenotypically resistant lactobacilli. Sequencing analysis revealed that erm(B) gene had >99% similarity with [erm(B) gene of Enterococcus faecium while tet(M) had >99% similarity with tet(M) of E. coli. It is concluded that lactobacilli of poultry gut origin contain acquired antibiotic resistance and its transmission to other bacterial strains is a significant threat to public health. (C) 2018 PVJ. All rights reserved