Detection of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Bacteria Isolated from Beymelek Lagoon Water Samples

This study investigated the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria isolated from water samples collected from Beymelek Lagoon, Turkey. Water samples were obtained at two different periods from five distinct locations within the lagoon. At each sampling site, environmental parameters, including temperature, pH, and salinity, were measured to provide a comprehensive understanding of the sampling conditions. A total of 16 bacterial strains were isolated from water samples collected in February, and an additional 12 strains were isolated from samples collected in August 2022. The isolates were identified using the VITEK2 Compact automated identification system. Among the 28 isolates obtained across the sampling periods, 16 were classified as Gram-negative and 12 as Gram-positive. In this study 16 antibiotic resistance genes: aadA1, ampC, blaTEM, cfr, dfrA1, ermB, floR, intI1, mphA, qnrA, sul1, sul2, sul3, tetA, tetB, and tetW investigated. In February, the blaTEM gene was detected in 25% of the isolates, ermB in 7.14%, while sul1, sul2, and tetW genes were each identified in 3.57% of the isolates. In August, blaTEM, intI1, and tetW genes were detected in 17.86%, 25%, and 3.57% of the isolates, respectively. This study highlights the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria isolated from lagoon water.