Investigation of the resistance status of extended spectrum beta-lactama (ESBL) and ampc in enterobacteriaceae isolated from cheese samples

The off-label over use of antibiotics results in development of antibiotic resistance in the bacteria. This situation significantly leads to a threat to the public health. The Word Health Organization, therefore, has considerably warned the national legal authorities about this emerging issue, including understanding the ways of dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Both the human clinical and community settings are known the major sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria around the World. However, the recently conducted studies have provided that the foods suggest potential pathways for transportation and transfer of resistant bacteria and their resistance-encoding genetic elements acroos the World. In the present time, beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae inactivating extended spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics are known to produce multi-drug resistance. The recent studies are indicating that Enterobacteriaceae strains have increasingly both a co-existing pattern of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-) and aminopenicillin inactivating cephalosporinase (AmpC-) type enzymes. Multi-drug resistant enterobacteria associated mortality and morbidity was found to be three-times higher than non-multi-drug resistant enterobacteria by leading to therapeutic failures against infections. Therefore, the detection of foodborne beta-lactamases has gained significant importance for the human health. The objective of this study was to determine ESBL- and AmpC- producing Enterobacteriaceae in cheese samples phenotypically. In this study, a total of 83 cheese samples was examined microbiologically by performing pre-enrichment, enrichment on selective media, and oxidase tests. Based on the microbiological results, a total of 18 isolates, including Klebsiella pneumoniae (27.8%), Hafnia alvei (27.8%), Escherichia coli (22.2%), Klebsiella oxytoca (11.2%), Enterobacter cloacae (5.5%), and Citrobacter spp. (5.5%) was identified by Vitek® MS mass spectrometer. The identified isolates were exposed to phenotypic characterization of beta-lactamase type by conducting disc diffusion, disc diffusion confirmation, and MIC determination tests according to the Guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The phenotypic results revealed that the most common beta-lactamase type was determined as ESBL in 9 isolates, followed by ESBL & AmpC in 4 isolates, and AmpC in 5 isolates, respectively. In conclusion, our study showed that the presences of ESBL- and Amp- type beta-lactamases were determined in the Enterobacteriaceae isolated from from cheeses. The sold cheese samples contained multi-drug resistant enterobacteria, and therebye significantly presented a health risk for the consumers. Although microbiological criteria have been considered appropriate to the Food Codex, an inspection for antibiotic-resistant enterobacteria as both food and health safety has not come into force yet all over the World. Thus, antibiotic resistance should be included as a food and health safety parameter in the Food Codex. Keywords: AmpC, Antibiotic resistance, Beta-lactamase, Cheese, Enterobacteriaceae, Food safety, Public health.