DETECTION OF VIRULENCE AND RESISTANCE GENES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISOLATES OF AEROMONAS CAVIAE AND AEROMONAS AQUARIORUM

Elizabeth Moura (FSP-USP); Milena Dropa (FSP-USP); Livia Balsalobre (FSP-USP); Danielle Oliveira (FSP-USP); Cintia Marques (FSP-USP); Fabiana Bispo (FSP-USP); Patrícia Souza (FSP-USP); Flávio Uehara (FSP-USP); Glavur Rogério Matté (FSP-USP); Maria Helena Matté (FSP-USP)

Microorganisms of the genus Aeromonas are adapted to different aquatic environments, however, many strains have been isolated from human infections. Due to the low amount of studies on the virulence and resistance genes of Aeromonas caviae and Aeromonas aquariorum, it is not known which of these genes they may contain. Examine the existence virulence and resistance genes in A. caviae and A. aquariorum collected from different aquatic environments. Strains of A. caviae and A. aquariorum previously isolated from treated wastewater (TW), and  river water (RW) and  fishing pound (FP), identified by classical phenotypic methods and by the restriction of 16S RNA gene were subjected to phenotypic test for susceptibility to antibiotics by disc diffusion test using different class of antibiotics: ampicillin, fluroquinolonas, carbapenens, cephalosporins, monobactans, sulfonamides, cloranfenicois, tetracycline, glycopeptide, macrolides, aminoglycosides. The search for resistance and virulence genes was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).  Nine strains of A. aquariorum, and four A. cavie were studied. Only one A. aquariorum demonstrated to posses all three virulence genes, 2 possessed ast and alt, and 1 the ast gene, the remaining were negative. As for the A. caviae 1 strain possessed act and alt genes and the remaining 1 ast, 1 alt, and 1 act. All strains of A. aquariorum and A. caviae were positive for the presence of resistance for cphA and bla genes, but representatives were resistant to cephalosporins, tetracyclines, and carbapenens and glycopeptide. The results demonstrated high pathogenic potential for strains isolated from treated wastewater. Moreover, the presence of resistance genes in all studied strains demonstrates its importance to public health, since they may be mobilized by genetic elements, facilitating their spread through aquatic environment.