Enteric Pathogenic and Multiple Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Farmed Indian Major Carps and Their Environments in Peri-Urban Kolkata, India

ABSTRACT

Escherichia coli is targeted as a model bacterium for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In this study, 232 E. coli strains from carp aquaculture environments were screened for AMR against 12 antibiotics. Maximum resistance was found against cefalexin, amoxyclav, azithromycin, nitrofurantoin, gentamycin, and oxytetracycline. Multiple antibiotic-resistance was noted in 98.70% of the strains with 49 resistant profiles. Twenty-four strains were serotyped into 12 O-groups (n = 21), rough type (n = 1), and untypeable (n = 2). Uropathogenic, enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli pathotypes were detected. The contamination of aquacultured carps with enteric pathogenic and MAR fecal bacteria from high-risk sources is a cause for concern.

KEYWORDS:

• Indian major carps
• Escherichia coli
• multiple antibiotic resistance
• pathotype
• serogroups

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the ICAR [Grant F. No. CIBA/AINP-FH/2015-16 dated 02.06.2015].