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Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Among Enterococci Isolated from Teluk Kemang Beach, Malaysia

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Abstract

We report the first study on virulence among antibiotic resistant Enterococci in coastal bathing waters in Malaysia. A total of forty-two isolates recovered from Teluk Kemang beach samples were screened for antibiotic resistance and virulence activity. About 54 % of the Enterococci isolates were resistant to tested antibiotics. Resistance was highest to ampicillin (94.66 %) and least to novobiocin (1.39 %). There were no significant differences (p<0.05) in the observable proportion of resistant strains for all the antibiotics tested across the three species encountered. Generally antibiotic resistance index ranged from 0.51 to 0.58. While all recovered isolates failed to lyse haemoglobin in 5 % sheep blood-supplemented agar, gelatinase activity was notable among the E. faecium isolates (69.23 %). This value was significantly higher (p<0.05) than was observed for E. faecalis and E. spp. Protease activity appeared more profound among the three species as more than 80 % hydrolysed milk casein.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Mr Alias Mohd Yusof for assistance during sample collection. Bandele Oluwaseun Deborah gratefully assisted with the editing. The research was financed by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Marine Pathogen Program Grant UKM-GUP-2011-190 under the auspices of the School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria gratefully granted study leave for the research.

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  1. School of Biosciences & Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Ayokunle Christopher Dada & Asmat Ahmad

  2. School of Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Gires Usup

  3. School of Chemical Sciences & Food Technology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Lee Yook Heng

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  1. Ayokunle Christopher Dada
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Correspondence to Ayokunle Christopher Dada.

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Dada, A.C., Ahmad, A., Usup, G. et al. Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Among Enterococci Isolated from Teluk Kemang Beach, Malaysia. Water Qual Expo Health 4, 113–122 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-012-0070-2

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