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Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance represents a major health threat, partly caused by the improper antibiotic use in the community and hospitals. Additionally, antibiotic-producing factories may represent another source of the emergence of resistance. Here, we set out to investigate whether antibiotic production lines are enriched with resistant bacteria and genes. To this end, we collected 294 samples over a period of five months from antibiotic (kanamycin and amoxicillin) and non-antibiotic (acetaminophen) production lines. selected isolated colonies were identified by conventional biochemical methods. The microbial composition of representative swabs was determined by16S rRNA gene sequencing. Each sample consortium was subjected to susceptibility testing against amoxicillin, erythromycin and kanamycin as well as nitrofurantoin (an antibiotic not manufactured in the study plant). Representative samples were tested for the presence of kanamycin and amoxicillin resistance genes by polymerase chain reaction. Higher microbial counts were obtained from rooms with water sources and higher personnel activity. Culture-based microbial identification revealed the presence of Gram-positive species mainly of Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species, and fewer Gram-negative non-lactose fermenting rods. On the other hand, 16S rRNA analysis indicated the presence of 27 phylum-level groups from which the three dominant phyla were Proteobacteria (35.5%), Firmicutes (29.3%), and Bacteroidetes (18.8%)