An Insight into the Presence of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Opportunistic Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Farm-Reared Crickets

To support the role of insects as sustainable feed and food ingredients, evaluating their potential microbiological risk and safety is crucial. In this study, we investigated the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in selected live opportunistic pathogenic bacteria isolated during the rearing process from clinically healthy farm-reared crickets. Molecular analysis was performed by wholegenome sequencing of a total of 14 of these bacterial strains, 7 from house crickets (<i>Acheta domesticus</i>) and 7 from banded crickets (<i>Gryllodes sigillatus</i>), belonging to <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>, <i>Staphylococcaceae</i>, <i>Enterococcaceae</i>, and <i>Bacillaceae</i> families. The β-lactam AMR genes (<i>bla</i>_OXY2-6, <i>bla</i>_ACT-16, and <i>bla</i>_SHV variants) were the most predominant genes identified, mainly in <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> strains and in association with fosfomycin (<i>fos</i>A) and <i>oqx</i>AB efflux pump complexes. In addition, <i>bla</i>Z and <i>mec</i>A genes were detected in <i>Bacillus cereus</i> and <i>Mammaliicoccus sciuri</i> strains isolated from both insect species. Genetic mobile elements including IncFIA, IncFIB, IncHI1A, IncHI1B, rep13, and Col3M-like plasmids were detected in <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Enterobacter hormaechei</i>, <i>Staphylococcus arlettae</i>, and <i>B. cereus</i>, respectively. The results indicate that, not only in the final product but also during the insect-rearing process, microbial safety control, regarding the presence of pathogenic bacteria and AMR genes, is essential for effectively decreasing the microbiological risk between cricket batches within their environment and in terms of the related feed and food chain.