Frozen White-Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Korean Markets as a Source of Aeromonas spp. Harboring Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Resistance Genes

As the most consumed shrimp variety, white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) owns a high market demand in Korea. This study sought to screen the frozen white-leg shrimp for Aeromonas spp. harboring antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance characteristics. A total of 44 Aeromonas spp. strains were isolated and tested for antibiotic susceptibility and heavy metal tolerance followed by PCR-based detection of resistance genes and integrons. It was observed that resistance to ampicillin and oxacillin was 100% among isolates. Besides, 95%, 89%, 86%, 80%, 66%, and 43% of the isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid, tetracycline, cephalothin, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and imipenem, respectively, and less resistance to other antibiotics was also observed. Cr resistance was the highest (91%) among five heavy metals tested, whereas 57%, 32%, 20%, and 9% of the isolates were tolerant to Cu, Pb, Cd, and Hg, respectively. The PCR assays implied the presence of qnrB, qnrS, tetA, tetE, aac(6)-Ib, and aphAI-IAB, and intI1 genes among 80%, 77%, 18%, 30%, 9%, 0.25%, and 82% of the isolates, respectively. There were 35 (80%) integron 1-positive isolates harboring qacE2, dfrA1, orfC, orfD, aadB, catB3, oxa-10, and aadA1 genes in varying combinations. In addition, heavy metal resistance genes, CopA, merA, and CzcA were positive in 9%, 7%, and 27% of the isolates, respectively. According to these outcomes, the frozen white-leg shrimp in Korean markets can be suggested as a source of multidrug and heavy metal-resistant Aeromonas spp. that carries genetic determinants.