Molecular detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli from bat caves on Lombok Island

• Published in: Open veterinary journal (Tripoli, Libya) Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 699 - 706
• Main Authors: Mustika, Yolla Rona, Kinasih, Kurnia Nisa, Effendi, Mustofa Helmi, Puspitasari, Yulianna, Kurniawan, Shendy Canadya, Khairullah, Aswin Rafif, Samodra, Muhammad Esa Erlang, Hasib, Abdullah, Agustin, Alfiana Laili Dwi, Moses, Ikechukwu Benjamin, Silaen, Otto Sahat Martua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Libya Faculty of Veterinary Medicine 01.02.2024; Tripoli University
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; bats; beta-Lactamases - genetics; blatem; Caves; Chiroptera; escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Escherichia coli Infections - veterinary; human health; Humans; multidrug resistance; Original Research; Bats; Human health; Escherichia coli; Multidrug resistance; blaTEM
• ISSN: 2226-4485; 2218-6050
• DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i2.10

The discovery of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bacteria in wild animals is an indication of their potential for wildlife as a reservoir. Bats are natural reservoir hosts and a source of infection for several microorganisms and have the potential to become vectors for the spread of zoonotic diseases. A study was conducted based on these characteristics to identify and detect the TEM gene in isolated from bat excrements in Tanjung Ringgit Cave, East Lombok. Bat fecal samples were firstly inoculated onto eosin methylene blue agar media. Recovered bacterial isolates were further characterized using standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. TEM gene detection was carried out using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of the 150 bat fecal samples obtained from Tanjung Ringgit cave, Lombok Island, Indonesia, 56 (37%) were positive for . Eight (8) out of the 56 isolates that underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disc diffusion method were confirmed to be multidrug-resistant as they exhibited resistance to at least three different classes of antibiotics. Out of the eight (8) multidrug resistance isolates recovered from fecal samples of bats, 2 (two) harbored the TEM gene. The discovery of the TEM gene in bat fecal samples indicates the potential for wild animals, especially bats, to spread ESBL resistance genes to the environment and to humans.