Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Molecular Assessment of Resistance and Virulence Potential of Vibrio Species Isolated From Dumpsites in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Kome Otokunefor
Precious Nwankwo
Obakpororo Agbagwa
Kemuel Nyema
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt
10.34172/jaehr.1333
Abstract
Background: Dumpsites have the potential to serve as reservoirs for various medically important bacteria and their virulence and resistance gene markers. For Vibrio spp., numerous genes associated with virulence have been identified in environmental strains. Due to the specific growth requirements of Vibrio spp., such strains can often be overlooked. This study aimed to assess the potential of Vibrio spp. isolated from two dumpsites in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to serve as reservoirs of virulence and resistance genes.
Methods: The soil samples were evaluated for the presence of Vibrio spp. following enrichment, using standard microbiological and biochemical test methods. DNA from Vibrio spp. was extracted using the boiling method, and isolates were tested for the presence of four resistance (sxt, strB, BlaTEM, and dfrA1) and four virulence (ctxA, hlyA, tcpA, and toxR) genes.
Results: The study found a 40% occurrence of resistance genes and a 10% occurrence of virulence genes, with the strB streptomycin resistance gene being the most commonly detected (42%). Two of the virulence genes (ctxA and tcpA) were not detected. Seven of the test isolates exhibited multiple gene markers, with four gene markers present in each of two isolates.
Conclusion: Overall, the study revealed a generally low potential for Vibrio sp. isolated from the dumpsites in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to act as reservoirs of virulence and resistance genes. Additionally, the study reported an absence of major virulence markers associated with V. cholerae. A concerning finding was the high occurrence (42%) of the strB gene among these environmental isolates.
Keywords
Virulence
Vibrio
Waste sites
Resistance genes
Nigeria
Reservoir
Subjects
  1. Akpeimeh GF, Fletcher LA, Evans BE. Exposure to bioaerosols at open dumpsites: a case study of bioaerosols exposure from activities at Olusosun open dumpsite, Lagos Nigeria. Waste Manag. 2019;89:37-47. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2019.03.058.
  2. Gboeloh LB. Evaluation of gastrointestinal parasites in major dumpsites and health risk behaviour of scavengers in Port Harcourt metropolis. EAS J Parasitol Infect Dis. 2021;3(4):44-53.
  3. Ugwu E, Iroha I, Ejikeugwu C, Onochie C, Nwachi C. Isolation and characterization of bacteria and fungi associated with biodegradation of municipal solid wastes in Abakaliki metropolis, Nigeria. Int J Environ Agric Biotech. 2017;2(3):1293-304.  doi: 10.22161/ijeab/2.3.35.
  4. Williams JO, Hakam K. Microorganisms associated with dump sites in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. J Ecol Nat Environ. 2016;8(2):9-12.
  5. Nyandjou YM, Yakubu SE, Abdullahi IO, Machido DA. Enteric bacteria of public health significance isolated from Zaria metropolis dumpsite soil. Sci World J. 2018;13(4):30-4.
  6. Bakhshi B, Mohammadi-Barzelighi H, Sharifnia A, Dashtbani- Roozbehani A, Rahbar M, Pourshafie MR. Presence of CTX gene cluster in environmental non-O1/O139 Vibrio cholerae and its potential clinical significance. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2012;30(3):285-9. doi: 10.4103/0255-0857.99487.
  7. Omoruyi IM, Ojubiaja SE. Antibiogram and virulence gene detection in Escherichia coli and Vibrio species isolated from market dumpsites in Edo South senatorial district, Nigeria. Sci World J. 2022;17(1):17-25.
  8. CDC. Laboratory Methods for the Diagnosis of Vibrio cholerae. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/pdf/laboratory- methods-for-the-diagnosis-of-vibrio-cholerae-chapter-5.pdf. Accessed January 28, 2023.
  9. Cheesbrough M. District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries, Part 2. Cambridge University Press; 2006.
  10. Cowan ST, Steel KJ. Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria. 3rd ed. London: Cambridge University Press; 1993.
  11. Ajuga MU, Otokunefor K, Agbagwa OE. Antibiotic resistance and ESBL production in Escherichia coli from various sources in Aba metropolis, Nigeria. Bull Natl Res Cent. 2021;45(1):173. doi: 10.1186/s42269-021-00628-5.
  12. Folgosa E, Mastrandrea S, Cappuccinelli P, Uzzau S, Rappelli P, Brian MJ, et al. Molecular identification of pathogenicity genes and ERIC types in Vibrio cholerae O1 epidemic strains from Mozambique. Epidemiol Infect. 2001;127(1):17-25. doi: 10.1017/s0950268801005623.
  13. Saleh TH, Sabbah MA, Jasem KA, Hammad ZN. Identification of virulence factors in Vibrio cholerae isolated from Iraq during the 2007-2009 outbreak. Can J Microbiol. 2011;57(12):1024- 31. doi: 10.1139/w11-094.
  14. Zaw MT, Emran NA, Ibrahim MY, Suleiman M, Awang Mohd TA, Yusuff AS, et al. Genetic diversity of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 from Sabah, Malaysia 2015. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2019;52(4):563-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jmii.2018.01.003.
  15. Okoh AI, Igbinosa EO. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of some Vibrio strains isolated from wastewater final effluents in a rural community of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. BMC Microbiol. 2010;10:143. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-143.
  16. Bailey JK, Pinyon JL, Anantham  S,  Hall  RM. Distribution of the blaTEM gene  and  blaTEM-containing  transposons in commensal Escherichia coli. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2011;66(4):745-51. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkq529.
  17. Kitiyodom S, Khemtong S, Wongtavatchai J, Chuanchuen R. Characterization of antibiotic resistance in Vibrio spp. isolated from farmed marine shrimps (Penaeus monodon). FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2010;72(2):219-27. doi: 10.1111/j.1574- 6941.2010.00846.x.
  18. El-Mathana ME, Mostafa NG, Galal MM, Elawwad A. Assessment and simulation of a solid waste dumpsite impact on the surrounding water resources: a case study in Abu Zaabal, Egypt. Heliyon. 2021;7(11):e08421. doi: 10.1016/j. heliyon.2021.e08421.
  19. Ito H, Igano C. Bad or worse? Applying critical theory to explore the impacts of Payatas dumpsite closure on the former waste pickers. Waste Manag Res. 2023;41(6):1114-20. doi: 10.1177/0734242x221137821.
  20. Gennari M, Ghidini V, Caburlotto G, Lleo MM. Virulence genes and pathogenicity islands in environmental Vibrio strains nonpathogenic to humans. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2012;82(3):563-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01427.x.
  21. Xiao Y, Huang Z, Yu K, Wang M, Gao H, Bai X, et al. Distribution and molecular characteristics of Vibrio species isolated from aquatic environments in China, 2020. Microorganisms. 2022;10(10):2007. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10102007.
  22. Beshiru A, Okareh OT, Okoh AI, Igbinosa EO. Detection of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes of Vibrio strains isolated from ready-to-eat shrimps in Delta and Edo States, Nigeria. J Appl Microbiol. 2020;129(1):17-36. doi: 10.1111/ jam.14590.
  23. Gxalo O, Digban TO, Igere BE, Olapade OA, Okoh  AI, Nwodo UU. Virulence and antibiotic resistance characteristics of Vibrio isolates from rustic environmental freshwaters. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021;11:732001. doi: 10.3389/ fcimb.2021.732001.
  24. Schwartz K, Hammerl JA, Göllner C, Strauch E. Environmental and clinical strains of Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 from Germany possess similar virulence gene profiles. Front Microbiol. 2019;10:733. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00733.
  25. Fu H, Yu P, Liang W, Kan B, Peng X, Chen L. Virulence, resistance, and genomic fingerprint traits of Vibrio cholerae isolated from 12 species of aquatic products in Shanghai, China. Microb Drug Resist. 2020;26(12):1526-39. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2020.0269.
  26. Håkonsholm F, Lunestad BT, Aguirre Sánchez JR, Martinez- Urtaza J, Marathe NP, Svanevik CS. Vibrios from the Norwegian marine environment: characterization of associated antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Microbiologyopen. 2020;9(9):e1093. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.1093.
  27. Cinar HN, Kothary M, Datta AR, Tall BD,  Sprando  R, Bilecen K, et al. Vibrio cholerae hemolysin is required for lethality, developmental delay, and intestinal vacuolation in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One. 2010;5(7):e11558. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011558.
  28. Onohuean H, Okoh AI, Nwodo UU. Epidemiologic potentials and correlational analysis of Vibrio species and virulence toxins from water sources in greater Bushenyi districts, Uganda. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):22429. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01375-3.
  29. Sundin GW, Bender CL. Dissemination of the strA-strB streptomycin-resistance genes among commensal and pathogenic bacteria from humans, animals, and plants. Mol Ecol. 1996;5(1):133-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.1996. tb00299.x.
  30. Raissy M, Moumeni M, Ansari M, Rahimi E. Antibiotic resistance pattern of some Vibrio strains isolated from seafood. Iran J Fish Sci. 2012;11(3):618-26.
  31. Adesiyan IM, Bisi-Johnson MA, Okoh AI. Incidence of antibiotic resistance genotypes of Vibrio species recovered from selected freshwaters in Southwest Nigeria. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):18912. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23479-0.
Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research
Volume 12, Issue 2
Spring 2024
Pages 102-107