title: Isolation and identification of enterococci from seawater samples: assessment of their resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals.
abstract: A hundred Enterococcus strains were isolated from seawater samples collected from coastal areas of Istanbul. Isolates were identified to the species level using standard biochemical tests specified by Facklam and Collins. The species distribution was as follows Enterococcus faecalis (96%), Enterococcus gallinarum (3%) and Enterococcus solitarius (1%). The resistance of bacteria to both heavy metals (zinc [Zn], iron [Fe], cadmium [Cd], chrome [Cr], cobalt [Co]) and antibiotics (ampicillin 10 microg [AP], penicillin G 10 Units [PG], gentamycin 10 microg [GM], streptomycin 10 microg [S], chloramphenicol 10 microg [C], erythromycin 15 microg [E], kanamycin 30 microg [K], amikacin 30 microg [AK], nalidixic acid 30 microg [NA], and vancomycin 30 microg [VA]) was evaluated. None of the strains was resistant to VA. It was found that among the 100 isolates, those that exhibit resistance to antibiotics, particularly NA, S and K, were also resistant all the heavy metals tested. To our knowledge this is the first report focusing on determination of resistance of environmental enterococci found in Istanbul against heavy metals and antibiotics. Thus, combined expressions of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance may help to reinforce ecological and epidemiological studies and to determine the role of these strains in antibiotic and heavy metal resistance dissemination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. aytenkimiran@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ayten
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimiran-Erdem
authors.forename: Elif Ozlem
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Nazmiye Ozlem
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Sanli Yurudu
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zeybek
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dogruoz
authors.forename: Aysin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cotuk
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019216:Metals, Heavy