ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILES IN ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII STRAINS ISOLATED FROM WASTEWATER IN SOUTHERN ROMANIA

Abstract

Introduction: Given the high mobility of antibiotic resistance genes and their propensity for transmission among human, animal, and environmental reservoirs, managing the risks associated with antibiotic resistance is a challenging goal. The Acinetobacter species are among the most relevant bacteria with clinical significance and special abilities to acquire resistance mechanisms and to survive in diverse environmental conditions. A particular interest in A. baumannii strains is their association with chronic nosocomial infections, such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, soft tissue infections, or nosocomial meningitis. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the antibiotic resistance profiles of 48 A. baumannii strains collected in 2020 and 2021 from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the southern region of Romania and evaluate the role of WWTP in disseminating antibiotic resistance in the aquatic environment. Methods: The detection and quantification of resistant bacteria were achieved using the filter membrane technique and chromogenic media supplemented with antibiotics. The analysis and identification of the bacterial species present in the collected samples were carried out using Bruker MALDI-TOF spectrometry. The antibiotic susceptibility spectrum was tested by the standardized disc diffusion method. Results: Among the analyzed strains, 47 presented resistance phenotypes of clinical and epidemiological importance, 15 of them being MDR, 9 XDR, and 23 PDR. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the role of the WWTP in the accumulation and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance from the clinical and other anthropic sources into the aquatic environment, as well as the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the evolution of this phenomenon.