Comparative Analysis of Virulence Factors and Antibiotic Resistance in
Enterococci isolated from fruits and vegetables.
Abstract
Enterococcus are diverse Gram-positive cocci inhabiting diverse
environments, including GI tracts, plants, and food. Rising
hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant strains underscore the urgent need
for research on AR and surveillance. This study investigates the
prevalence and characteristics of Enterococcus strains in diverse
environments, focusing on virulence factors and antibiotic resistance.
48 Samples from raw vegetables and fruits were analyzed, and 46 samples
were positive for Enterococci among them (93%) revealing high salt
tolerance and variability in Gelatinase activity (32.6%). All isolates
exhibited Esculin hydrolysis capability, and biofilm was observed in
57.8% of samples confirmed by the tube adherence test method. Scanning
Electron Microscopy (SEM) provided insights into the surface topography
of biofilm-positive (positive are adhere to solid surfaces and become
multicellular aggregates packed into extracellular matrix material) and
biofilm-negative cells (lacking of matrix material). Antibiotic
resistance patterns varied, with notable resistance to Ampicillin
(20.7%) and Erythromycin (17.2%) in vegetable-associated Enterococci,
and alarming resistance to Linezolid and Vancomycin (35.3%) in
fruit-associated Enterococci. This research highlights the diverse
characteristics of Enterococcus isolates, emphasizing the importance of
surveillance and antibiotic stewardship for environmental Enterococcus
strains to ensure the safety of food and public health.