Phenotypic and Genotypic Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria Isolated from Ready-to-eat Salted Seafood

Safe food production faces significant challenges from both disease-causing bacteria and antibioticresistant bacteria, as both pose serious risks to public health and food safety. This study investigated the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in salted seafood (lakerda) samples obtained from fishermen and fish markets. Phenotypic analysis revealed that lakerda samples collected from fishermen contained bacteria with multi-antibiotic resistance, including Pseudomonas fluorescens, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus equorum. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Carnobacterium mobile, and Vibrio hibernica species were isolated in larkerda samples sold by fish markets. It was determined that among isolated bacteria, V. rumoiensis did not contain any of the genotypically tested genes. However, P. fluorescens carried blaTEM, qnrB, qnrS, blaZ, and msrA; S. haemolyticus harbored blaTEM, tetK, dfrD, blaZ, msrA, msrB, and mecA; C. maltaromaticum possessed blaTEM, qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, strA-strB, aphAI-IAB, and mecA; C. mobile included blaTEM, blaZ, msrA, dfrD, and mecA; and V. hibernica carried blaTEM, blaZ, mecA, and VanA. In addition, S. pasteuri and S. equorum had the mecA resistance gene. In conclusion, public health needs to provide hygiene conditions in the preparation of lakerda, determine the ways of transmission, take precautions, and raise awareness of producers and consumers.