title: Detection of Class I and II integrons for the assessment of antibiotic and multidrug resistance among Escherichia coli isolates from agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan, Philippines.
abstract: Contaminated irrigation water may greatly affect not only the quality of produce but also the people exposed to it. In this study, agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan, Philippines were assessed and found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) ranging from 0.58 to 4.51 log10CFU/mL. A total of 79 isolates of E. coli were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifying the uidA gene and were tested for phenotypic resistance using 10 antimicrobials through the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Forty-six isolates (58.22%) were noted to be multidrug resistant (MDR) with high resistance rate to cephalothin, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, trimethoprim, nalidixic acid, and chloramphenicol. Moreover, this study also examined the prevalence of Class I and II integrons accounting to 67.39% and 17.39%, respectively, of the MDR E. coli strains using multiplex PCR. The results imply that the agricultural water used in Bulacan is contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals present in the area, and the presence of MDR bacteria, which pose a potential threat to individuals in these areas, is alarming. In addition, detection of integrons could be a good marker for the identification of MDR isolates. Lastly, this study could develop strategies for the proper management of farming sites leading to the detection of food-borne pathogens and prevention of infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City , Philippines.
authors.forename: Cielo Emar M
authors.initials: CEM
authors.lastname: Paraoan
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City , Philippines.|b Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City , Philippines.
authors.forename: Windell L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City , Philippines.|b Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City , Philippines.
authors.forename: Pierangeli G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Vital
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D000072480:Farms; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010679:Philippines; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Escherichia coli (E. coli); integrons; irrigation waters; multidrug resistance (MDR); polymerase chain reaction (PCR)