Determination of antibiotic resistance pattern and TEM-1 gene prevalence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from drinking water

The microbial quality of drinking water is fundamental and has serious importance for public health. Regarding to the clinical significance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was surveyed to evaluate the degree of the contamination of drinking water and the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Isolation of the TEM-1 gene in ESBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the pattern of antibiotic resistance provide useful information about this opportunistic pathogen. In this study, the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas species distributed in drinking water were investigated. 300 samples of drinking water were examined. Determination of antibiotic susceptibility of strains to four antibiotics was performed by disk diffusion method. The ESBL-producing P. aeruginosa containing TEM-1 gene were detected by PCR using TEM-1 specific primers, 17 samples (5.67%) in drinking water showed P. aeruginosa contamination. The highest resistance to imipenem/relabactam (11.76%) and ceftazidime/avibactam antibiotics (100%) was observed in drinking water. According to PCR results of 17 positive phenotype strains, 16 isolates (94.11%) carried TEM-1 gene. Results indicated the contamination of drinking water with P. aeruginosa. Most isolated strains are resistant to antibiotics and TEM-1 gene is more abundant among ESBL-producing strains. The results indicate that TEM-1 gene plays an important role in antibiotic resistance in isolated strains.