Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Appl Environ Microbiol 2012 Nov;78(22):8137-41

Molecular characterization of fluoroquinolone-resistant Aeromonas spp. isolated from imported shrimp.

Shakir Z, Khan S, Sung K, Khare S, Khan A, Steele R, Nawaz M

Sixty-three nalidixic acid-resistant Aeromonas sp. isolates were obtained from imported shrimp. Phylogenetic analysis of gyrB sequences indicated that 18 were A. enteropelogenes, 26 were A. caviae, and 19 were A. sobria. Double missense mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA at codon 83 (Ser-->Val/Ile) and codon 92 (Leu-->Met) coupled with a point mutation of parC at codon 80 (Ser-->Ile/Phe) conferred high levels of quinolone resistance in the isolates. A majority of A. enteropelogenes and A. caviae strains harbored toxin genes, whereas only a few A. sobria strains harbored these genes. The fluoroquinolone-resistant Aeromonas spp. exhibited higher cytotoxicity than fluoroquinolone-sensitive, virulent Aeromonas spp. to rat epithelial cells.