Antibiotic resistance profile and virulence factor genes of Aeromonas sobria isolated from AL-Hillah River in Babel (Iraq)

Although Aeromonas are common in aquatic habitats and have been marked as an arising risk to human health, some information dealing with antibiotic resistance profiles and virulence factor genes involved in pathogenicity are understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance profile for aquatic A. sobria and to identify the virulence factor genes. Aeromonas sobria isolates were collected from AL-Hillah River in Babel near the hospital swage water from January until May 2021. VITEK 2 system was used to diagnose isolates of the anaerobic G-ve A. Sobria bacteria, which were then confirmed by PCR for 16S RNA. Eight different groups of antibiotics were examined in A. sobria isolates using the disk diffusion method on a Mueller-Hinton agar. Genes encoding for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, asa, hly, and aer) were detected using conventional PCR. The isolates showed resistance to β-lactam drugs, while they were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin and presented susceptibility to the gentamycin at rate 57%. Gel electrophoresis results of PCR products variably displayed clear bands for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, and asa), previously reported to be associated with some diseases. This is the first study in provinces of middle Iraqi dealing with aquatic A. sobria that evaluated the antibiotic sensitivity and investigated the virulence factor genes, including cytotoxic enterotoxins and enzymes. Virulence factor genes detection and 16S RNA gene for species identification were achieved by designing specific primers in the present study.