Characterization of pathogenic Lactococcus garvieae isolated from farmed mullet (Mugil cephalus) https://doi.org/10.12982/VIS.2025.034

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Published: Jul 23, 2024
Keywords:
Lactococcosis fish pathogen antimicrobial resistance food safety health risk

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Sana Majeed
Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, South Korea
Liyana Arachchilage Dinithi Sandunika De Silva
Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, South Korea
Prasanga Madhushani Kumarage
Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, South Korea
Gang-Joon Heo
Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, South Korea

Abstract

This study aimed to find possible health risks of pathogenic Lactococcus garvieae isolated from farmed mullets (Mugil cephalus) by studying their virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and heavy metal resistance properties. A total of 95 strains of L. garvieae were isolated from 154 diseased mullets (M. cephalus). Virulence genes, including hly1 (99.00%), ENO (98.95%), hly3 (97.90%), NADH oxidase (97.90%), LPxTG 3 (95.80%), AdhC11 (94.80%), AdhPsav (94.80%), SOD (92.70%), PG (92.64%), and AdhPav (90.60%) were detected. In the disc diffusion test, resistance to streptomycin (93.69%), nalidixic acid (80.10%), rifampicin (66.33%), amikacin (41.66%), cefoxitin (28.42%), and ampicillin (20.00%) was observed. A statistically significant difference was found in the variation frequency of antimicrobial resistance in L. garvieae isolates from different areas. Heavy metal tolerance testing of Cr, Pb, Cu, and Cd metals showed resistance in 22.10%, 21.00%, 20.00%, and 16.80% of isolates. Antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance genes, such as aac(3΄)-IIa (72.70%), aac(6΄)-Ib (56.80%), blaSHV(4.20%), and CzcA (90.00%) were identified. According to our study, L. garvieae from mullets poses a significant health risk that should not be disregarded.

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Majeed, S., De Silva, L. A. D. S. ., Kumarage, P. M. ., & Heo, G.-J. (2024). Characterization of pathogenic Lactococcus garvieae isolated from farmed mullet (Mugil cephalus): https://doi.org/10.12982/VIS.2025.034. Veterinary Integrative Sciences, 23(2), 1–17. Retrieved from https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/vis/article/view/268305
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Vol. 23 No. 2 (2025): May-August
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Research Articles
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