Perfiles de la resistencia antimicrobiana de enterobacterias aisladas a partir de comida callejera de la ciudad de Ambato

Abstract

Consumption of ready-to-eat street food in Ecuador is extensive, and the information about the presence of foodborne pathogens, their virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance is negligible. Foodborne pathogens represent a significant cause of negative impacts on human health and the economy worldwide. This investigation includes the occurrence, antibiotic resistance profiles, and antibiotic resistance genes of Enterobacterales isolated from ready-to-eat street foods in Ambato, Ecuador, between 2020 and 2021. The results highlight the high frequency of detection of positive isolates of enteric microorganisms such as E. coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Cronobacter, Morganella, and Rahnella. Among the E. coli isolates, only one microorganism pertains to the enterohemorrhagic o enteropathogenic pathotype (EPEC o EAEC). The profiles of phenotypic and genotypic resistance to antibiotics show high percentages of resistance to antibiotics of clinical interest, such as ampicillin, cefoxitin, cephalothin, amoxicillin y clavulanic acid, and chloramphenicol, suggesting that prepared foods sold on the street could represent a potential route of dissemination of resistant in the food chain. The profiles of multi-resistance and emerging resistance to antibiotics were identified, highlighting the presence of beta-lactam resistance genes blaTEM and carbapenemase resistance gene blaCMY. Considering their epidemiological importance is required further investigation using whole-genome sequencing techniques.