Characterization of antibiotic resistance profiles of Serratia marcescens isolated from slaughterhouses

Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic pathogen and cause of hospital-acquired infections, has recently been shown in studies to exhibit effects similar to those of invasive enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella by targeting intestinal microvilli and causing cytotoxicity. Moreover, this bacterium can develop resistance to many antibiotics through both intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. Therefore, in our study, the presence and antimicrobial resistance profile of S. marcescens were investigated in a total of 245 swab samples collected from five slaughterhouses located in Edirne, Kırklareli, Istanbul, and Kocaeli in the Marmara Region. The samples were taken from slaughterhouse personnel, various sections of the facilities, and cattle sent for slaughter. Using conventional methods, S. marcescens isolates were obtained, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis revealed S. marcescens in 50 (20.4%) of the samples. The highest positivity rates were observed in samples collected from personnel (36%) and bleeding wounds (28%). Antibiotic susceptibility tests performed by disk diffusion showed that isolates obtained from two different personnel exhibited multidrug resistance to six antibiotics. In conclusion, S. marcescens strains isolated from slaughterhouse personnel and found to be multidrug-resistant may pose a significant public health risk, particularly through potential cross-contamination and subsequent foodborne transmission.